Drip acclimation and temp drop?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Daven

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
May 20, 2015
Messages
492
Location
Saskatchewan (Canada)
So ive been starting to touch a bit more into more sensitive fish where acclimation could be the difference between them living or losing a bunch. I was going to start doing the drip acclimation method, but it seems like it would allow the temps to drop to room temp where, depending on the tank and outside temp, temps could be upwards of a 10+ degree difference. So if it dropped back down to room temp i would then have to rebag and float in the tank? Seems like more stress on the fish transferring so many times, no matter the carefulness

Ill mention how i have been doing my acclimations... I would use a tupperware container that bags from the fish stores usually fill a little under halfway, and transfer the fish and water to that. Then put the lid on and float it in the tank. Id then use a small container or cup (lets say 2" squared?) and use that to add tank water every 10 minutes or so to the fish container while it is able to float in the tank in between. What is the lesser evil, the larger doses of tank water at a time my way, or the temp difference of the slow drip method?
 
I'm not sure what you mean by room temp?

Just float the bag in your tank till the temperature equalizes in the bag and tank. Then you can drip the fish in the bag in the tank. I usually drip fish for an hour, more sensitive fish 2 hours, and invertebrates like shrimp for 2-3 hours.

No need to move them till you empty the bag and net them into the tank. It's best not to put someone else's tank water into your tank.


Caleb
 
I have the same problem, but it really hasn't been detrimental to the fish. I've floated the bag after the fish has been drip acclimated, just to reduce the shock of temperature change. Some genius came up with this idea: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1GY85X89M9GP9PRH4JSH But I think you could do that yourself. The difference is that the water container is above the tank, allowing you to acclimate the fish temp wise while also drip acclimating.
 
I'm not sure what you mean by room temp?

Just float the bag in your tank till the temperature equalizes in the bag and tank. Then you can drip the fish in the bag in the tank. I usually drip fish for an hour, more sensitive fish 2 hours, and invertebrates like shrimp for 2-3 hours.

No need to move them till you empty the bag and net them into the tank. It's best not to put someone else's tank water into your tank.


Caleb


How do you drip while the bag is in the tank? I can't picture how that can be done.
What I think the OP is doing is placing the contents of the bag in a container next to or below the target tank and starting siphon (slow drip) from the target tank into to container. Concern is that the container (not being in the tank) adjusts to room temp and not tank temp despite water dripping in from target tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
How do you drip while the bag is in the tank? I can't picture how that can be done.
What I think the OP is doing is placing the contents of the bag in a container next to or below the target tank and starting siphon (slow drip) from the target tank into to container. Concern is that the container (not being in the tank) adjusts to room temp and not tank temp despite water dripping in from target tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice


I float the bag to stabilize temperature and use a syringe to slowly drip every 10-15 minutes with tank water. I've done this with everything I have from discus to inverts.

When acclimation time is up I remove the bag and gently pour into a bucket and catch the fish/invert in a net and release them in the tank.

Edit: I often use something like a clip or the lid of the tank to hold the bag in place during acclimation. The hole is on top so tank water only goes in when I put it in.

Caleb
 
Thanks for the details...makes sense now. I may have try this next time. I suppose an adjustable peristaltic pump is overkill? Not that I have one lying around.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
OK I am carried away so I will share..
I place new fish in clean plastic bucket according to fish size(usually 1 or 2 liters).
That bucket is placed in a 5g bucket with tank water to float(almost) so it is being kept warm..
I let the new fish drip till little bucket is full,then dump almost all that water out and let them drip till full again.
I use air line hose with a flow knob to get the drip I want.
A towel on the floor can help keep 5g bucket warmer from floor and keep spills all neat.
No big deal to dump the 5g and add new warm water again from tank if I drip for extended time.

A little carried away,
But I hope this helps.

Big +1 on NEVER letting any other water touch yours!!!
 
That sounds like a lot of work for acclimation lol maybe I missed something?? My method has always worked for me but if there is a better way I'd like to try it.


Caleb
 
That sounds like a lot of work for acclimation lol maybe I missed something?? My method has always worked for me but if there is a better way I'd like to try it.


Caleb


The method bandit describes allows for a continuous and unattended drip over a longer period of time (hours). Of course, periodically checking the water level is a good idea.
I do the same thing but without the towel and 5 gallon bucket with tank water to maintain temperature. Thus, the temperature concern.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
I put the bagged fish in a specimen container hanging on the qt tank. Then slowly add tank water by hand etc. If they are fish I got shipped in versus from a local breeder I spend hours acclimating. Paranoia I guess.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
I'm not sure what you mean by room temp?

My room temp is usually around 70*F, where as most fish ive come across need more like 78-80*. I was under the impression that the drip method was into a bucket instead of siting in the tank. Floating a bag inside the tank seems risky, wouldnt there be a risk of flow or something spinning the bag down or something?

"My way" consists of first putting the fish and store water in a tupperware container that i keep for fish stuff, then floating it in the tank sealed from cross contamination. Then i can take it out, open it up, add a bit of tank water, then reseal to float for another 10 minutes. I usually did it for an hour (nothing intensive since i never had real fragile species before now) and in the end would have doubled the water in the container. Then id net the fish out and into the tank (My net is the same size as the container so its usually painless)
 
A couple hours at room temp won't hurt most fish, biologically most tropical fish can tolerate temps in the low 70s for pretty extended periods (rainy season), it's the steep rise or fall in temp that does the damage. I drip into a shoe box for a couple hours and float it on the tank before adding fish.
 
Back
Top Bottom