How does everyone acclimate?

[MaineReef88]

I am by no means new to reef keeping, however I have been out of it for about two years. I have always been frustrated with the different waysThe online supplier suggest we acclimate. I have heard that corals need no acclamation then I've heard they need four hours of acclamation, same for fish anywherefrom one hour to four hours. So how long does everybody acclimate? It always seems like such a hassle and took so long if you went by their recommendations, just looking for ideas on how you all do it. Thanks!

[Azedenkae]

I just plop everything straight in.

[JackandJill]

Temperature and Salinity match a quarantine tank to the bag water and no acclimation is necessary. Then slowly alter the quarantine temp and salinity to the display tank's over the course of the fish's quarantine stay.

If not using a quarantine tank, float the bag for 30 minutes. Then either release the fish (and not the water) with no other acclimation is bag water salinity is within 1ppt of the receiving tank water. Otherwise drip for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Once a fish bag is opened you have a timer of 30 minutes maximum no matter what you do.

[MaineReef88]

Temperature and Salinity match a quarantine tank to the bag water and no acclimation is necessary. Then slowly alter the quarantine temp and salinity to the display tank's over the course of the fish's quarantine stay.

If not using a quarantine tank, float the bag for 30 minutes. Then either release the fish (and not the water) with no other acclimation is bag water salinity is within 1ppt of the receiving tank water. Otherwise drip for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Once a fish bag is opened you have a timer of 30 minutes maximum no matter what you do.

Thanks, As long as temp and salinity are the same you don't bother drip acclimating. I was looking at some fish on swf and noticed they recommended 4 hours which I thought was just way too long! There wouldn't be any water left in my tank!

[JackandJill]

Thanks, As long as temp and salinity are the same you don't bother drip acclimating. I was looking at some fish on swf and noticed they recommended 4 hours which I thought was just way too long! There wouldn't be any water left in my tank!

If temp and salinity are the same, or very close, the stress of a drip acclimation is more harmful than good

[Dino]

I do the same, unless they are wildly different salinities, I simply float to equalize temp then transfer everything straight in (usually a qt tank).

[MaineReef88]

Thanks

[AdamNC]

Float bag 15 mins for water temps to match,
Every 15 mins pour 1/2 cup of tank water into the bag,
Continue to float the bag for the next hour,
Scoop fish/invert/coral out of the bag and into the tank then discard the water in the bag down the drain.
Feed the tank to keep the others busy while new guy finds a hiding place if it's a fish/invert.

So total time I acclimate is about an hour and fifteen mins. Haven't lost anything yet doing it this way.

[albano]

temperature and salinity match a quarantine tank to the bag water and no acclimation is necessary. Then slowly alter the quarantine temp and salinity to the display tank's over the course of the fish's quarantine stay.

If not using a quarantine tank, float the bag for 30 minutes. Then either release the fish (and not the water) with no other acclimation is bag water salinity is within 1ppt of the receiving tank water. Otherwise drip for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Once a fish bag is opened you have a timer of 30 minutes maximum no matter what you do.
+1...
float bag 15 mins for water temps to match,
every 15 mins pour 1/2 cup of tank water into the bag,
continue to float the bag for the next hour,
scoop fish/invert/coral out of the bag and into the tank then discard the water in the bag down the drain.
Feed the tank to keep the others busy while new guy finds a hiding place if it's a fish/invert.

So total time i acclimate is about an hour and fifteen mins. Haven't lost anything yet doing it this way.

-1... Not the 'recommended' way

[pisanoal]

I agree with minimal acclamation if salinity is within 1 or two points. Float bag and then in they go. I don't qt unless it's a fish that was kept in low salinity, then I qt to raise salinity over a couple weeks. I dip everything before it goes in main tank.

[Crooked Reef]

Temperature and Salinity match a quarantine tank to the bag water and no acclimation is necessary. Then slowly alter the quarantine temp and salinity to the display tank's over the course of the fish's quarantine stay.

If not using a quarantine tank, float the bag for 30 minutes. Then either release the fish (and not the water) with no other acclimation is bag water salinity is within 1ppt of the receiving tank water. Otherwise drip for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Once a fish bag is opened you have a timer of 30 minutes maximum no matter what you do.

This is what I do unless it is some sort of special invert that needs a drip. I think some are more susceptible to loss if not drip acclimated. I personally don't have any like that though. The problem with dripping too long is whatever ammonium builds up in the bag while transporting the fish. When you drip it turns to ammonia and can harm the fish. For what it is worth this is more dangerous if a fish is shipped to you than picking one up 10 miles down the road.

[AdamNC]

+1...


-1... Not the 'recommended' way

So if I haven't lost anything by doing it my way, how am I doing it wrong? Please explain. If it ain't broke why should I fix it?

[Azedenkae]

So if I haven't lost anything by doing it my way, how am I doing it wrong? Please explain. If it ain't broke why should I fix it?

Yar. Dont see anything wrong with this method.

[Crooked Reef]

So if I haven't lost anything by doing it my way, how am I doing it wrong? Please explain. If it ain't broke why should I fix it?

If the salinity is close and ammonia doesn't build up in the bag there is nothing wrong with it. The problem from this would be letting oxygen into the bag and starting ammonia which will burn the fishes gills. Also if the salinity in the bag is way off then the half cup won't match it up enough to not stress the fish when added. More than one way to skin a cat and I did it like you for a long time. I personally now don't see a benefit from a lengthy acclimation and see more benefits via less stress to livestock with a shorter one. It was really stressful to me the first time I didn't drip acclimate though.

[Kentech5]

I usually float for half an hour then dump the contents of the bag into a "fish only" Tupperware. Then I drop for a half hour to an hour. I also drip a drop of Prime into the container to help counteract the ammonia buildup.

[ca1ore]

So if I haven't lost anything by doing it my way, how am I doing it wrong? Please explain. If it ain't broke why should I fix it?

As with so many things in life .... it depends. The approach you describe is probably fine in most cases. But how long have you been at it? What kind of fish are you keeping (easy or difficult)? My knee jerk reaction to anyone who says they don't lose fish is to not believe it, frankly. Since everyone who keeps fish loses fish, how do you know that you haven't actually lost fish because of the acclimation? Answer, you don't!

Best practice is to use a QT tank matched to the salinity of the incoming bag, then do a quick temperature float. Anything else is 'less best'. Maybe good enough is good enough for easy stuff but not for the more challenging stuff.

[biomek]

+1 on matching temp and salinity. My very first 3 fish I tried to drip acclimate and lost all 3. Haven't done it since and haven't lost a fish yet by just matching salinity and temp in my QT.

[edinphilly]

I usually float for half an hour then dump the contents of the bag into a "fish only" Tupperware. Then I drop for a half hour to an hour. I also drip a drop of Prime into the container to help counteract the ammonia buildup.


+1

Lost a couple fish before I learned proper acclimation. Salinity shock was the no brainer and I learned to drip. Still lost some until I learned about ammonia build up. As soon as I open the bag I do a drop of Prime and start the drip (or manually adding a small scoop of tank water) and haven't lost anything that way.

Except Yellow Clown Gobies whom inevitably whither and die eventually in my tank. Tried multiple sources too. So I quit trying. But that's another thread.