To drip acclimate or not???

[afboundguy]

I have noticed a lot of overnight shipping vendors are now suggesting just doing a temperature float acclimation and then immediately transfer them into the tank. Reasoning is when air is exposed and fresh tank water is slowly added the pH rises in the bag increasing the toxicity of the ammonia. Theory is that the salinity/pH shock is far less damaging than the ammonia toxicity and curious what everybody's thoughts are?

I have seen the trend to do this new method for acclimation after overnight shipping and I have done it without issues for a few overnight shipped fish but still see some vendors saying drip acclimation is the way.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I've done both, usually with sensitive inverts I'll do temp.and drip, snails and the like I usually just temp and drop. Fish always temp and drip.

 

[Cpage101]

I've done both, usually with sensitive inverts I'll do temp.and drip, snails and the like I usually just temp and drop. Fish always temp and drip.

ditto

 

[Reefried]

I do something in the middle. I typically open bags and place new fish in a bucket. And usually add a few cups of tank water over about a half hour. Then grab them and put them in the display.

 

[kgstei]

The part that always confused me is you can drop your fish into a freshwater dip for 5 minutes and that's okay but adding it to a tank of similar saltwater is going to be too jarring.

 

[afboundguy]

The part that always confused me is you can drop your fish into a freshwater dip for 5 minutes and that's okay but adding it to a tank of similar saltwater is going to be too jarring.

I totally agree and that's why I am thinking the temp and then dump into tank water isn't as bad for them compared to potential ammonia toxicity.

 

[Ortizdrz]

I temp acclimate the bag and then just drop the fish from bag to tank

 

[daves-reef]

I have always drip acclimated fish, But admittedly 90% of fish I have purchased were local, From LFS to bucket in hour + and then drip. Even the 15 year old clowns I just brought back home. But if I buy online in future the ammonia thing is something to consider along with using a quarantine setup.

 

[afboundguy]

I have always drip acclimated fish, But admittedly 90% of fish I have purchased were local, From LFS to bucket in hour + and then drip. Even the 15 year old clowns I just brought back home. But if I buy online in future the ammonia thing is something to consider along with using a quarantine setup.

I actually plan to finally set up a QT tank as I have a DIY 10 gallon AIO and really should be QT'ing!

 

[Ortizdrz]

I actually plan to finally set up a QT tank as I have a DIY 10 gallon AIO and really should be QT'ing!

I was always purchasing my fiah already qtd or purchased from local reefers. But would always see fishies in stores that I loved and size would be perfect. So 2 months ago I started my own qt. Honestly never really did it myself before because I always saw it as something difficult to do but I think k I was overthrowing it . It's truly not hard at all. My recommendation is get a calendar planner and notate all you do with the qt on given date

 

[this is me]

not sure what is right or wrong. But I’ve been doing the fast dripping on fish shipment. Some make it, some don’t. I don’t know what’s the cause.

 

[afboundguy]

I was always purchasing my fiah already qtd or purchased from local reefers. But would always see fishies in stores that I loved and size would be perfect. So 2 months ago I started my own qt. Honestly never really did it myself before because I always saw it as something difficult to do but I think k I was overthrowing it . It's truly not hard at all. My recommendation is get a calendar planner and notate all you do with the qt on given date

I would be using the tank I got from a local member that I had set up to try and raise clownfish larvae and it is an AIO so it would be perfect for a QT tank. I would just take rubble or media from the tank to have a biological filter and it's easy enough to take down and set back up I just need to get off my butt and do it!

 

[FishieBusiness]

I've done both, usually with sensitive inverts I'll do temp.and drip, snails and the like I usually just temp and drop. Fish always temp and drip.

+1

 

[Dave T]

IReasoning is when air is exposed and fresh tank water is slowly added the pH rises in the bag increasing the toxicity of the ammonia. Theory is that the salinity/pH shock is far less damaging

This is absolutely a thing, and you should be very careful drip acclimating fish that have been in the bag for a long time.

 

[frank180reef]

It was suggested to me take your tank water

Lower pH to match bag

Like 6.9

Net fish getting out of bag water
Add to new

Slowly raise oh

 

[dz6t]

If you are receiving fish that shipped overnight, the best thing to do is to remove the fish immediately from the bag and put it in a bucket of your tank water.
That is what all wholesalers do.

 

[dburr1014]

For fish it's always better to get the temp right, test the pH and adjust your QT. Adjust the salinity also and drop the fish in. It's because of the fact that the ammonia will be toxic once the pH comes up like you said.

 

[dz6t]

in the ocean, fish swim up and down with different salinity and temperature. Get the fish aways from toxic water is the most important thing.

 

[dz6t]

Temperature gradient in the ocean is very large, normally from 75 to 82F depending on depth normally fish swim. Fish go through different salinity and temperature all day long rapidly.
These topics have been researched extensively.