***Acclimation: Any NEW FISH or INVERT: NEW: CHECK THIS OUT

[Pisces II]

Does anyone have a favorite water testing kit or brand?

[travis32]

I just found this thread as someone linked it in another post. I find this interesting, because I have had complete success with my acclimation methods. They are similar to drip acclimation, but I never figured out how to setup drip acclimation, so I followed the essential requirements that bluezoo provided me on my first and only online fish order. The livestock all survived their method. Had some issues with corals, but that's a different story.

I have done this for 5 or 6 other fish, fish transfers, etc. Everytime they have survived without too much stress and done well.

This is the process I take and it works, just curious if this goes against the current methods being indicated:

1. Float bag for 15 minutes unopened to temp acclimate. (lights out.)

2. I open bag While it's floating, use a turkey baster to take around half to 75% of the water in the bag out. And replace it with my tank water.

3. Float for 10 - 15 mins.

4. Remove half the water.

5. Refill with tank water.

6. Wait 10 -15 minutes.

At this point, I usually release the fish. If I feel it's a more sensitive fish or I test the sg and it's still more than .001 off from my water, I will repeat steps 4-6 1 more time then release. I have not done this more than 4 times ever, with maximum time elapsing around an hour.

Corals I have spent more than an hour acclimating, mainly because the last time I got corals was with the purchase of my 125g, and there were so many corals I just couldn't get to them all to replace the water and acclimate, and some of them were too big to easily acclimate, etc. All those corals survived as well, not a single loss.

I'm not sure if my method of removing water and then adding water is really at all similar to the drip acclimation method, but, I was curious on what people's opinion are on this method.

The main reason is because I think there's more than just temp and SG. PH and alkalinity (or acidity) would also be significant factors. If the fish come from fish only tanks at the LFS, ph and alkalinity may not be all that important to the LFS. They may have it higher or lower, and not be testing it much at all unless something is drastically wrong.

So, using some method of mixing the two waters to help the fish acclimate to the new water chemistry, I would think would be easier on the fish. I don't know.

I have taken a fish straight out of my DT and into QT, but that was when the DT was crashing and I had to rescue the fish. Initially the fish was shell shocked int he QT not coming out for 2 or 3 days. Eventually though it came out and is still fine to this day.

[graeme1937]

Hi I'm new to this thread and the Reef Forum (I'm UK based) but it seems to me that the method that travis32 has mentioned and that of Sk8R are not that different.

Both methods are, imo, trying to reduce the stress and the real danger of ammonia levels rising quickly with an equal slow rise/drop in salinity as possible.

Everyone has the best way of doing things and its probably the risk management of your own method that could be questioned as to what could go wrong and not the method.

Personally I would go with the match in salinity (as supplied by dealer); bring to correct temp (while bag is sealed); open bag and test salinity one more time. Adjust if needed, either by changing the QT tank or by diluting the bag water. (depending on which way the salinty needs to swing); then remove and place in QT tank.

I don't like the idea of the water in the bag going into the QT tank either so I remove the fish by net. This may stress the fish somewhat but the thought of additional 'stuff' going into the QT tank just upsets me (think I might have a bit of OCD).

I try to take a little bit of knowledge from everyone as its all useful

[Sk8r]

Two points: water into the bag doesn't remove the ammonia. It's still there, it's lethal. The fish needs to be gotten out. Go back to the original post, and understand the reasons for the recommendation of clearing the bag out of the equation entirely the minute the bag is opened. Temperature is a very minor issue. Ammonia kills---if it doesn't kill, it injures internally, as any poison does, and there is ammonia in the bag.

[Sk8r]

To reiterate the original post for the convenience of those who only read the last posts:
Procedures with any NEW FISH or INVERT: NEW: CHECK THIS OUT
1. FOR A FISH: Ask your dealer what his Salinity is, and set your quarantine tank to that, precisely. The minute you open your bag, test the water to be sure he's right, and that you are, within .001 of a salinity-match. Put your new fish straight over into the qt tank with no drip, no delay at all. You may now adjust his salinity slowly over the next day or so to match the salinity of your display.

2. Keep your new fish in that quarantine for 4 weeks before putting him into your tank, and this applies to your very first fish---for the sake of that tank you so laboriously cycled. Because the ich parasite burrows under the skin and into the gills, this is not 100% guaranteed, but it's the best precaution you can take; and the stress of transport will likely cause it to break out in the next few weeks if it is going to do so.

3. do not buy from a tank that has ich. Do not pity-buy. A sick fish is not for a beginner.

4. never trade nets or wet hands or instruments between quarantine tank and your regular tank.

A) Setting up a quarantine tank: a completely bare tank with no sand, rock, or strong light, just a pvc elbow and an air-driven carbon floss filter, thermometer and heater. Mark your proper water level on the glass with tape, and keep the water there with freshwater topoff. Test daily for nitrate/ammonia, and do a 20% saltwater change once weekly, or sooner if you spot ammonia. Put a square of plastic lighting grid (Lowe's) or a finer mesh over the top to prevent your fish jumping out. [Some like to play in the bubbles---or spook and jump.]

B) IF YOU SEE DISEASE and need to treat: first identify the disease/parasite. Go to the "Fish Disease" forum and ask. Photos help. REMOVE THE CARBON IF YOU ARE GOING TO MEDICATE. Continue filtration. Medicate or use hyposalinity. "Fish Disease" has precise instructions for you, and help in identifying the pest. If you spot ich in your main tank, you need to withdraw all FISH to treatment immediately and leave the tank 8 weeks without fish. Inverts are ok. Part of the ich life cycle is in sand, but after 8 weeks, it dies out due to no fish for it to live on.

C) INVERTS: corals of any sort should be dipped. Ask your dealer, and prepare a dip. Use it. You may then put your coral into an observation tank (safer) for a week. Other inverts should be drip-acclimated (small amounts of your tank water mixed with the bag water until .001 match) but the process should be completed within 30 minutes. Ammonia starts to build the instant the bag is open. You want your new critter out of there in a balance between salinity match and speed. On no account leave any critter in an opened bag longer than 30 minutes.

[Sk8r]

To reiterate the original post for the convenience of those who only read the last posts:
Procedures with any NEW FISH or INVERT: NEW: CHECK THIS OUT
1. FOR A FISH: Ask your dealer what his Salinity is, and set your quarantine tank to that, precisely. The minute you open your bag, test the water to be sure he's right, and that you are, within .001 of a salinity-match. Put your new fish straight over into the qt tank with no drip, no delay at all. You may now adjust his salinity slowly over the next day or so to match the salinity of your display.

2. Keep your new fish in that quarantine for 4 weeks before putting him into your tank, and this applies to your very first fish---for the sake of that tank you so laboriously cycled. Because the ich parasite burrows under the skin and into the gills, this is not 100% guaranteed, but it's the best precaution you can take; and the stress of transport will likely cause it to break out in the next few weeks if it is going to do so.

3. do not buy from a tank that has ich. Do not pity-buy. A sick fish is not for a beginner.

4. never trade nets or wet hands or instruments between quarantine tank and your regular tank.

A) Setting up a quarantine tank: a completely bare tank with no sand, rock, or strong light, just a pvc elbow and an air-driven carbon floss filter, thermometer and heater. Mark your proper water level on the glass with tape, and keep the water there with freshwater topoff. Test daily for nitrate/ammonia, and do a 20% saltwater change once weekly, or sooner if you spot ammonia. Put a square of plastic lighting grid (Lowe's) or a finer mesh over the top to prevent your fish jumping out. [Some like to play in the bubbles---or spook and jump.]

B) IF YOU SEE DISEASE and need to treat: first identify the disease/parasite. Go to the "Fish Disease" forum and ask. Photos help. REMOVE THE CARBON IF YOU ARE GOING TO MEDICATE. Continue filtration. Medicate or use hyposalinity. "Fish Disease" has precise instructions for you, and help in identifying the pest. If you spot ich in your main tank, you need to withdraw all FISH to treatment immediately and leave the tank 8 weeks without fish. Inverts are ok. Part of the ich life cycle is in sand, but after 8 weeks, it dies out due to no fish for it to live on.

C) INVERTS: corals of any sort should be dipped. Ask your dealer, and prepare a dip. Use it. You may then put your coral into an observation tank (safer) for a week. Other inverts should be drip-acclimated (small amounts of your tank water mixed with the bag water until .001 match) but the process should be completed within 30 minutes. Ammonia starts to build the instant the bag is open. You want your new critter out of there in a balance between salinity match and speed. On no account leave any critter in an opened bag longer than 30 minutes.