Acclimation Question

[Khackman]

I had an idea a few months ago that seems to be working. In my situation- in a classroom with no guarantee of when live shipments will arrive, traditional acclimation doesn't always make sense, time-wise. I will often get shipments in a manner that I cannot spend 2 hours due to after school activities and duties.

I came up with an idea that I think may help, but I would like some feedback as to what everyone thinks.

When I finish allowing a bag to get to water temperature, I take a razor blade and make a small incision in the bag with the specimen. The cut is so thin, that intermixing of the waters takes place very slowly. I then wait until the next school day when I get in to remove the specimen from the bag. Since starting this about 6 months ago, I haven't lost ANY fish or corals. I haven't tried any other inversts but corals

I'm wondering if I have been lucky, or it is actually a good method.

Thoughts?

 

[reef lover]

I would worry about large levels of ammonia build up.. Most suppliers suggest just temp acclimating their shipments due to ammonia .

 

[Maritimer]

As the pH of the water rises due to the release of carbon dioxide from the water, the toxicity of the ammonia in the bag does as well. Since you've likely got water flowing in _both_ directions - in and out - some of that ammonia may be working its way into your tank ... along with whatever other pollutants, diseases and parasites might be floating around in the bag water.

If it has been working for you, then I suspect you've been lucky . . .

~Bruce

 

[ebushrow]

Also many suppliers use copper in their water =bad news

 

[Khackman]

Thanks for the responses. So, just to be clear, I'm hearing to just let the bag get to temp for an hour or two, and stick with drip acclimation- removing the specimen from the drip bucket and placing it in the water without placing the bucket drip water + bag water in the tank?

Is that correct?

What about sponge acclimation? I see no choice but to place the whole bag of water included with the sponge into the tank.