quick acclimation question....

[sir_dudeguy]

how long should i aclimate my fish when i get some? i'm planning on 1 flame angel and at least 6 green chromis for my 55. Maybe a hawkfish too if it will be ok w/the others.

and how should i acclimate them? i havent got a QT tank, so should i just get one of those plastic box things that hang on the side, and put them in that and slowly add more tank water in it?

and i'm not getting all fish at once...it'll prolly take a couple or 3 months before i get them all.

also, my tank is just about done cycling. What fish should i add first? i'm thinkin chromis?

 

[Marc118]

Correct me if im wrong but I believe the angel will get territorial so I would add that last. Id do the chromis first.

Ill let a pro comment on the acclimation.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

ya thats exactly what i was thinkin about the order i do them in...and if i could put a hawk in with these (still dont know if i could in a 55...) would he be more or less aggressive than the angel? i wanna put the most aggressive last, which is why i'm askin.

thanks for the quick reply too...thats like 8 times you've done that lol

 

[sir_dudeguy]

anyone know how long to acclimate the fish?

 

[roka64]

It depends on how different your water is from the LFS. Test it out and see. I do mine for at least 2 hours now. (I used to do it for only an hour and never had any problems, of course, I haven't tested the LFS water). Now that the semi-newness has worn off, plus a lot of reading and advice from here, I acclimate fish for AT least 2 hours and inverts 2-3+ hours.

 

[ryguy]

I would have to agree with what roka said, although I don't acclimate that long myself.

My fish are from a guy only 3 minutes away from my house and we run very similar tank parameters. I float them for 5 minutes and add a shot glass of water in every 5 minutes for an hour total, that's it.

Inverts, I have drip acclimated for longer though, but I don't LOVE this method because of temperature drops.

 

[roka64]

but I don't LOVE this method because of temperature drops.

You know, I have never checked the temp in my bucket, interesting. I keep a towel over the top of my bucket. To keep the two cats out, but that will also help the temp from dropping too much. To date, I haven't had any problems w/acclimation/temp....

 

[ryguy]

If you're using a plastic bucket, there will definetely be a temp drop after 2 hours, even some with styrofoam container.

It's not such a huge deal cause it's gradual, but the new critters should then be temperature acclimated again by floating before introduction into the main tank. Some may disagree, but what's the point in spending all that time drip acclimating to increase chance of survival, and then just putting them in without re-adjusting for the temp difference.

 

[seaham358]

heres a link from this site.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=18

I the winter I use a heating pad under the bucket to keep temps up for long acclimations

I check the salinity in the lfs water and then my tank, I drip slow till the salinity in bucket the fish is in matches my tank. can take several hours sometimes. Some check pH also and make sure that there is not a fast change in that.

 

[roka64]

I the winter I use a heating pad under the bucket to keep temps up for long acclimations

Great idea!

 

[sir_dudeguy]

ok thanks a bunch all....anyone ever use those clear plastic hang on deals tho? i think they are sold as somethin like breeder containers, but i could be completely wrong. its just basically a clear plastic container, thats got a big lip on one side of it to hang on the side of the tank....and then it just sits in the tank so that the top of it is above water line in tank (so no water gets in or out?)...and i was thinkin do just what rguy said but with the thing sitting in the tank so the temp stays closer to that of the tank.

 

[AMANIQU77]

I just drip acclimate anyways. Never had a problem. Just get a bucket, airline tube with a knot or two, then put the fish in there. You have an option of floating the bag first on the water for 10 minutes to equalize temp. I rinse the bag, though.

After two hours, the water is acclimated. You can either just drop it in or re-float the fish (put it in a ziplock bag and float it again). But I don't bother. I just drip acclimate, then scoop the fish out with a plastic cup, drain the water from the cup, then slide the specimen in the tank. No deaths so far.