DO NOT acclimate UNLESS you have salinity mismatch.

[tmz]

I use a digital refractometer which gives a readout you can see; 2 popular brands are Milwaukee and Hanah. A conductivity/ salinity monitor can also give you a read out in mv which you can convert to sg or ppt. They are in the $100 to $150 range pricewise. I use this one:

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/products.htm?item=MA887&ref=gbase&gclid=COCpmdT74r4CFYlFMgodDHsAwQ

 

[Sk8r]

Lol! A very bright light and good focus. Also, if your area is quite humid, at rare times you will get a fog that obscures focus. Move to a dry, bright area to read your instrument.

This critical difference is why most of us recommend a refractometer over a float or a swing-arm device. One hidden bubble on the arm and you can get a wrong reading. I used to have to use a swing-arm in the lab on a fairly important bit of investigative science, (on which I was a pan-washer and occasional observer, not one of the scientists) and let me tell you, I got very tired of re-sampling and banging that stupid swing-arm to get an accurate reading. A refractometer with that instant answer is sooooo much nicer. And that ring-focus on the eye-piece is something a lot of hobbyists don't discover until late.

 

[tmz]

Thank you for your answer. Really enjoy reading your insight!

You are welcome ,glad it's helpful.

 

[ca1ore]

The 30min rule is good unless you have a large difference in salinity. If you buy a fish at 1.018 and your tank is 1.026 I wouldn't raise it in 30min...I would take at least 60min or more

A really good reason to use a QT where tank CAN be adjusted to shipping salinity. I've been doing it this way for some years now and never lose fish to acclimation. Other reasons, but not acclimation.

My most recent acquisition came in at 1.015. I simply adjusted the QT to that same level, floated the bag for 15 mins and dumped her in. Easy! Add some salt to the ATO reservoir (ATO is important on a QT IMO) and two weeks later, 1.026. Now, THATS an acclimation

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, a conductivity probe is easier for acclimation since you can stick the probe in the acclimating water and then just at a glance you can see the salinity change in real time while you are busy doing other things (unpacking other creatures, etc.).

 

[Nina51]

thanks for posting this, sk8r. it will be invaluable to the new folks!

i always cringe when i read a post by someone who drip acclimated a fish for 3 hours and then wonder why it died 3 days later.

 

[Allmost]

I run my QT on lower salinity, so usually the fish just go in ... I do float it for 10 mins for temp matching. [and usually the time I need to change and get ready for putting the fish in]

 

[tmz]

FWIW, a conductivity probe is easier for acclimation since you can stick the probe in the acclimating water and then just at a glance you can see the salinity change in real time while you are busy doing other things (unpacking other creatures, etc.).

Yes, it is easier in that application. I've used this one for a number of years :


http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pinpoint-salinity-monitor.html?gclid=CLK5ueWa474CFXQiMgodLD8AQA

 

[Kyle918]

How are they exposed to ammonia?
Isn't the ammonia in the bag water diluted by drip acclimation?

The problem is in the chemistry. The drip rate isn't fast enough to dilute the ammonia quicker than it's being converted between non toxic to a more toxic form. The longer the drip time, the slower the drip, the slower the dilution.

Ammonia is building while in the bag. The temperature is also dropping. As temperature drops, the salinity changes. As the fish release carbon dioxide. The ph drops. As ph drops, ammonia converts into a less toxic form. When you open the bag, you expose the water to fresh air. The water quickly begins to reach equilibrium with the surrounding air. This causes ph to climb as oxygen exchange happens. As the oxygen increases in the water, the ph rises. This in turn converts the ammonia to its more toxic form. Drip acclimating for too long further exaggerates this process because generally the ph and oxygen content level of your tank will be higher than that of the bag water. These are a few of the reasons why it is recommended to NOT use any of the bag water once the fish is transferred out.

Inverts are more sensitive to these changes and as such shouldn't be acclimated provided salinity matches. I personally just float inverts for 15 minutes to match temp and in they go and I have never lost one. Same with my cleaner shrimp.

Sk8rs tip with setting your QT to match that of where you are receiving the fish is an awesome tip.

And a quick note on the refractometer. I've found that you can't skimp on the water you apply to the glass and it works amazingly when used with natural sunlight. It's a very distinct line when you look through the eyepiece. Indoor light just isn't as good and makes the results less accurate IME

 

[Triggerfish]

i typically acclimate fish for 20-30 min. havent lost a fish in the 15 or so years with that procedure..

 

[igot2gats]

This is why having an adjustable qt is a lifesaver, and a heartbreak-saver.

How do you quickly adjust your QT in a pinch to match salinity?

I thought adjusting the salinity was a slow procedure...

 

[MickeyDime53]

Also never dumo bag water in with the fish. Net it out. I was always taught to never out foreign water in my system no matter what. On top of that its nasty bag water ewwww

 

[tmz]

As the oxygen increases in the water, the ph rises.

Oxygen has nothing to do with pH whatsoever.; it's the CO2

 

[Allmost]

How do you quickly adjust your QT in a pinch to match salinity?

I thought adjusting the salinity was a slow procedure...

thats when u have fish or living creatures in it.

if u dont, u can add as much RO water as u like to lower salinity, or add salt water with higher salinity to increase.

 

[Sk8r]

Yes. Use the phone to set your qt salinity to match the seller. It doesn't matter how fast you adjust it if there are no fish in it at the time.

 

[Triggerfish]

from my understanding fish can tolerate a steep drop in salinity much better than any type of rise.

 

[Sk8r]

THat is correct. Read the entire series of posts in this thread to understand why.

 

[tmz]

Yes, they can tolerate drops very well provided it doesn't go below 1.009. they just stop drinking and processing out slats They have no means to cope with sg lower than their internal sg which is around 1.008. Going up means they have to drink alot and put their renal sytem in high gear to process out salts and keep fluids which marine fish do very well but not in big jumps.

 

[710Reefer]

Thanks for posting. I lost a yellow clown goby after i did the drip method a few weeks ago. ill make sure to match in the future.

 

[Spiffy]

This thread should be a sticky.