Why drip acclimate fish?
- Thread starter Dave-T
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davidcalgary29
2500 Club Member
Except you did, in your thread title.
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CrunchyBananas
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Just bounce them off the wall into the tank.
But really drip acclimation isn’t needed for fish except for in specific situations like transshipping or massive parameter swings. Just float em 15 (I do an hour paraguard dip) then add to tank.
But really drip acclimation isn’t needed for fish except for in specific situations like transshipping or massive parameter swings. Just float em 15 (I do an hour paraguard dip) then add to tank.
CamoFan
Active Member
I don’t usually do drip acclimation. I’ve always floated 15-30 minutes for temp and then cut the bag and put some tank water in. Repeat until the salinity in the bag matches my tank and then add. Second part takes about 30-45 minutes. Haven’t lost anyone doing it that way yet.
killer2001
Well-Known Member
If the salinity is the same, I would just float the bag for temperature and drop them in.
However, for shipped fish that have been in transit for many hours, pH in the bag is going to be on the lower end. So what I like to do is the night before start aerating 2 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket with an air stone from inside the room. Since CO2 is elevated in the room, pH is lowered to about 7.7 to 7.8. Then I will net the fish, NOT using any bag water into the acclimation bucket. From there, I will switch the air stone to outside fresh air, and the pH will slowly begin to rise.
So typically what happens, shipped fish are in salinity around 30ppt and my tank is 35ppt so as I'm drip acclimating to accommodate salinity, the pH will also slowly rise as the switch from inside aeration to outside aeration is taking place.
edit: This typically takes an hour or so, and I will add a few drops of Seachem Prime just to be on the safe side with ammonia.
However, for shipped fish that have been in transit for many hours, pH in the bag is going to be on the lower end. So what I like to do is the night before start aerating 2 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket with an air stone from inside the room. Since CO2 is elevated in the room, pH is lowered to about 7.7 to 7.8. Then I will net the fish, NOT using any bag water into the acclimation bucket. From there, I will switch the air stone to outside fresh air, and the pH will slowly begin to rise.
So typically what happens, shipped fish are in salinity around 30ppt and my tank is 35ppt so as I'm drip acclimating to accommodate salinity, the pH will also slowly rise as the switch from inside aeration to outside aeration is taking place.
edit: This typically takes an hour or so, and I will add a few drops of Seachem Prime just to be on the safe side with ammonia.
mvalreef
New Member
For fish and inverts I do the following:
1. Open bag roll down the top then place in tank or sump and clip in place.
2. Wait 15 minutes for temperature to stabilize
3. Using a turkey baster add 2 full squirts of tank water to the bag.
4. Wait 10 minutes then remove two full squirts of bag water and discard, then add two full squirts of tank water to the bag.
5. Repeat this process 4 times then add fish or inverts to the tank along with the bag water. I cut the bag below where the top is rolled down and tilt it sideways so the fish can swim out on their own.
For corals I float the bag for 15 minutes to stabilize the temperature then add directly to the tank.
1. Open bag roll down the top then place in tank or sump and clip in place.
2. Wait 15 minutes for temperature to stabilize
3. Using a turkey baster add 2 full squirts of tank water to the bag.
4. Wait 10 minutes then remove two full squirts of bag water and discard, then add two full squirts of tank water to the bag.
5. Repeat this process 4 times then add fish or inverts to the tank along with the bag water. I cut the bag below where the top is rolled down and tilt it sideways so the fish can swim out on their own.
For corals I float the bag for 15 minutes to stabilize the temperature then add directly to the tank.
Lots of posts here. In case it isn't clear:
Drip local fish if you want, especially if salinity is off more than a couple points.
With fish that have been shipped, it is dangerous to drip acclimate, due to the ammonia in the bag. The pH in the shipping water is low, so ammonia is not toxic. As you drip tank water into the bag and the CO2 is degassed, the pH rises and the ammonia in the bag becomes toxic.
I would recommend floating for 20 minutes for temperature, then matching QT salinity to the bag (usually 1.020 range) and then dumping.
Drip local fish if you want, especially if salinity is off more than a couple points.
With fish that have been shipped, it is dangerous to drip acclimate, due to the ammonia in the bag. The pH in the shipping water is low, so ammonia is not toxic. As you drip tank water into the bag and the CO2 is degassed, the pH rises and the ammonia in the bag becomes toxic.
I would recommend floating for 20 minutes for temperature, then matching QT salinity to the bag (usually 1.020 range) and then dumping.
