acclimation

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by rdevoll11, Dec 15, 2006.

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  1. rdevoll11

    rdevoll11 Plankton

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    hey i just went to the fish store and made my first fish purchase. I got 2 clown fishes and an algae blennie. Does anyone know how long to acclimate them for? I've been floating them for about 10 minutes now. What's next?

    thanks.
     
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  3. sssnake

    sssnake Montipora Digitata

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    Well....I guess it's a bit late now but next time you want to acclimate please read or ask before you come home with your purchase so that you are well prepared and know what you are about to do. Otherwise the bag may end up floating for hours (not good) before you receive an answer

    You may want to do the "drip" method:

    - Float the bag in the tank for a good 20 minutes to adjust for temperature.

    - Take the bag out of the tank and pour out the contents (fish and water) into a clean plastic bucket. Preferably the bucket should be brand new and designated strictly for your tank.

    - Take a piece of air line tubing, tie a knot at one end, put that end in the bucket. The other end place in your tank.

    - Start a siphon by sucking the end with the knot.

    - Once water starts streaming into the bucket tighten the knot to a point where you have the water "dripping" 3-5 drops per second into the bucket.

    - Maintain this drip rate until the water level in the bucket has basically doubled and then pour out enough water to the level you initially started with in the bucket.

    - Start the siphon again but this time loosen the knot a bit so you can get a slow trickle of water pouring into the bucket. When your water level in the bucket has again doubled pour out again (like before).

    - Lastly, start the siphon again but this time loosen the knot completely so that water pours normally into the bucket. This last step will basically ensure that the water temperature is equal to your tank's. When the water volume has again doubled (or even tripled) you are ready to net the fish and place it in your tank.

    - Close the lights in your tank and put the fish in. (Just the fish, no water from the bucket)

    I leave my lights closed for the day and then turn them back to normal the next day.

    The total acclimation should last anywhere from 1-2 hours with inverts being acclimated even longer 2-3 hours.

    This is how I do it. So far, so good.

    Good luck :)
     
  4. m_lacom99

    m_lacom99 Stylophora

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    I'll float the bag for 10 minutes. Open it up and add about a cup of tank water, wait a another 10 - 15 minutes and do it again keep doing it until the water volume has doubled. Then net the fish out and stick it in your tank. Lights off is preferable. And never dump the water from the bag in your tank, never trust LFS water trust me on that one.

    Marc.
     
  5. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

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    i do what Marc does with fish. I drip inverts. and do not acclimate SPS at all.
     
  6. sssnake

    sssnake Montipora Digitata

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  7. rdevoll11

    rdevoll11 Plankton

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    Thanks for the response. I ended up floating for 15 minutes and putting halftank water and half store water for about 25 minutes,and it worked fine.
     
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  9. TheDuck

    TheDuck Fire Worm

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    What I have done in the past (but with this info on this thread, I'm going to change my method) is to float the bag for 10 minutes then add about a cup of tank water to the bag...let sit for 5-10 minutes more. After that, I'd cut a hole in the bag large enough for the fish to swim through. When the fish was ready, it would introduce itself to the tank. Then, I'd turn the bag over and grab the cutout section (to prevent a spill) and remove the bag.

    Funny, I never thought about not trusting the LFS water...

    I'm going with the drip method this time around, even though I had good success with the way I just described.
     
  10. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

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    Many LFS also have medication and copper on the fish systems. You don't want to introduce this to your system

    J
     
  11. sssnake

    sssnake Montipora Digitata

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    +1 !!
     
  12. philip_r5

    philip_r5 Feather Duster

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    I do almost the same thing as M Lac but I only add Half a cup so I dont add to much and add that about every 10 mins. After about 2hr of this I stop adding the water and just let them sit for about 20mins to 30 mins. Then I simply cut a hole in the bag for the fish to leave the bag when ever it wants. I trust my local fish store as I know the owner for a while. Remember to do it slow don't try to go fast. What is the rush? Its not worth killing something so special :)