acclimating corals

[hottielover14]

i've suffered enough with all my corals dying..so i need some major help. Before i introduce something into my tank what should i check for and how should i acclimate it properly. I wanna know how u guys do it. Everything from checking the chemicals to acclimating to checking for bacteria.

[fletch]

http://www.roesmarineworld.com/newacclimating.htm

[moray]

Acclimating New Clams or Corals

To reduce any additional stress on your corals you should turn off all the lights on the tank so it can slowly acclimate itself to your lighting. We recommend placing the coral or clam in the bottom part of the tank and over the next two weeks slowly acclimate it to your lighting. You can follow the same acclimation procedures above or use the following drip method. Some corals may slime during shipping which is natural part of there condition. The following easy steps need to be followed and completed within one hour.

1. Float the unopened bag in the display or quarantine tank for a fifteen minutes to equalize the water temperature in the shipping bag.
2. Open the bag by cutting a small hole in it just below the metal staple or the knot.
3. Take a airline hose and attach a airline control valve at one end. Place the other end in the display or quarantine tank and adjust the valve so you get one drop per two seconds.
4. When the bag is filled you should close the valve, remove the hose from the shipping container and discard half of the water in a waste container.
5. Place the airline hose back in the bag and continue to drip the aquarium water into the bag.
6. When the bag is filled you can then discard both the shipping water and the water in the waste container.
7. Place the coral in the lower part of the tank and leave the lights off for at least three hours.

[moray]

First of all, where are you buying your corals from in the first place? are they all from the same LFS or are you ordering them from the net. Try and listen to the people on this board because with the combination of everyone on 3-reef trying to help you, i dont see why you would have any problems at all. Always listen and most of all read and read again. After all you have internet access so you can find out almost anything you want on corals... Good Luck!

[hottielover14]

i have listened and read them but they are still dying.. that's what i do except i don't drip the water from my tank in the bag. Should i only like run the light like 2 hrs. a day to start until they get fully aclimated. I buy from a LFS and from the net. All the ones from the net and LFS have died.

[fletch]

[quote author=hottielover14 link=board=Coral;num=1110655780;start=0#4 date=03/12/05 at 15:30:28]i have listened and read them but they are still dying.. that's what i do except i don't drip the water from my tank in the bag. .[/quote]

[smiley=stars.gif]Then what you are doing is not what everyone has been telling you to do then is it?


[quote author=hottielover14 link=board=Coral;num=1110655780;start=0#4 date=03/12/05 at 15:30:28] Should i only like run the light like 2 hrs. a day to start until they get fully aclimated.[/quote]

HL14 Please read the answer's to your question above the answer to this question is there.

[fletch]

Acclimating Your Corals Properly

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It will take about 45 minutes to complete the process. We suggest the slow transition procedure in effort to maintain specimens in good health condition.

1) Equalize the temperature of your bags with your tank temperature by floating the closed shipping bag for about 15 minutes in your tank. Make sure to turn off the aquarium lighting system, also dim the lighting room.
2) Once the temperature has equalized, open the shipping bag, keep it floating in the tank.

3) Replace slowly water in the shipping bag with the water in the aquarium. Add some water from the aquarium to the shipping bag. *How much water should be added at a time? *As a rule of thumb : 1/8 the volume of the shipping bag.

4) Repeat adding water every 3 minutes until the bag is almost full.

5) The shipping bag has been mixed with half of shipping water and half of aquarium water.

6) Next step : take half of the water out of the shipping bag, discard it, don't dump in the tank.

7) Repeat adding water every 3 minutes until the bag is almost full.

8 ) Gently take the coral out of the bag and into the aquarium. Never dump the remaining water in your aquarium.

[smiley=sunny.gif]9) Keep the aquarium lighting off or only actinic's for another 3-5 hours to give a chance for the coral(s) to settle down.

[JohnO]

Well, I just have a really good look at the coral still in the bag and check it out for ' foreigners ', then open the bag over the kitchen sink and drain the water. Carry the coral to the tank and put it in. :-)

John

[Diver_1298]

Only you JohnO, Only you. Sometimes you make me laugh real hard.
Even I don't do that any more.
I at least try to acclimate them to the temperature in the tank before I dump them in.
Jim

[hottielover14]

ok thanx for all ur help guys