Acclimation Procedures

Acclimation of your fish and corals is one of the most important things you do after your purchase.   It slowly introduces your livestock to your tank conditions and lessens the stress due to changes in water chemistry, temperature and salinity. Inverts such as crabs, shrimp and snails are even more susceptible to changes in water conditions such as salinity than fish.    Always acclimate your livestock!    

There are two methods commonly used for acclimation; the drip method and the floating method.

Float method

First, turn your lights off this further eliminates undue stress as well as prevents the bags from overheating and possibly burning/melting if they touch the lights.

Take the bag your livestock was is packed in and place it in your tank.    Leave it in the tank unopened for 15-20 minute.  After this time has passed the water temperature should be the same .

Open the bag, rolling the edges down so that the bag remains open and pour in a shot glass (1.5 ozs) of your tank water.  Continue to do this every 15 minutes or so, until the water volume in the bag has doubled or is almost full.

Carefully remove your livestock and place them in your tank.  DO NOT INTRODUCE THE WATER IN THE BAG INTO YOUR TANK.  Place corals about mid-level in your tank.  Should the corals need stronger lighting or more flow, you can move them slowly to their final spot during the first week they are in your tank.

Drip method (Preferred method)

Take a CLEAN container that is large enough to hold the 3 – 4 times the water volume in your bags.  A salt bucket is great for this.  Open your bags and carefully empty the water and livestock into your bucket.  If you purchased fish and corals, you will need 2 buckets.  NEVER acclimate fish and corals together.  Usually fish are kept in a different system and medicated.  Introduction of this water with your corals could kill them instantly. The use of an air pump will make this method less stressful on your fish and corals as it will provide much needed oxygen over the 2 hour drip period.

Take a piece of airline tubing, tie a knot at one end about 4 inches from the tip of the hose.  Place the end without the knot in the tank or sump and secure it in place.  Begin your siphon with the knotted end and allow it to drip into the bucket. Make sure that this end can not “pop out” of the bucket.  Adjust the flow rate to a few drops a second by loosening or tightening the knot in the tubing. Allow this drip to continue for a couple of hours.  This slowly acclimates your livestock to your tanks water conditions.

Carefully remove your livestock and place them in your tank.  DO NOT INTRODUCE THE WATER IN THE BUCKET INTO YOUR TANK.  Place corals about mid-level in your tank.  Should the corals need stronger lighting or more flow, you can move them slowly to their final spot during the first week they are in your tank.