Acclimation Procedure Guide
The purpose of acclimation is simple: the water that the fish or corals are packaged in has different temperature, pH, and salinity then your aquarium. Fish, corals and especially invertebrates, are very sensitive to even minor changes, so good acclimation is the key to ensuring their successful relocation.
We recommend that all sea life be quarantined in a separate aquarium for a period of a week to reduce the possibility of introducing diseases and parasites into your aquarium and to ensure they are accepting food, eating properly, and are in optimum health before their final transition to your main aquarium.
We recommend that all sea life be quarantined in a separate aquarium for a period of a week to reduce the possibility of introducing diseases and parasites into your aquarium and to ensure they are accepting food, eating properly, and are in optimum health before their final transition to your main aquarium.
Floating Method
1. Turn off aquarium lights.2. Dim the lights in the room where the shipping box will be opened. Never open the box in bright light. Sudden exposure to bright light may result in severe stress or trauma.
3. Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15 minutes. Never open the shipping bag at this time. This step allows the water in the shipping bag to adjust slowly to the temperature in the aquarium.
4. After floating the sealed shipping bag for 15 minutes, cut open the bag just under the metal clip and roll the top edge of the bag down to create an air pocket within the lip of the bag. This will enable the bag to float on the surface of the water.
5. Add 1/2 cup of aquarium water to the shipping bag.
6. Repeat step 5 every five minutes until the shipping bag is full.
7. Lift the shipping bag from the aquarium and discard half the water from the bag.
8. Float the shipping bag in the aquarium again and proceed to add 1/2 cup of aquarium water to the shipping bag every five minutes until the bag is full.
9. Net the sea life from the shipping bag and release into the aquarium.
10. Remove the filled shipping bag from the aquarium and discard the water. Never release shipping water directly into the aquarium.
Drip Method
This method is more advanced, but will be better especially for invertebrates and fish.You need a small hose and a bucket used for aquarium only.
1. Turn off aquarium lights.
2. Dim the lights in the room where the shipping box will be opened. Never open the box in bright light. Sudden exposure to bright light may result in severe stress or trauma.
3. Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15 minutes. Never open the shipping bag at this time. This step allows the water in the shipping bag to adjust slowly to the temperature in the aquarium.
4. Carefully empty the content of the bag (including the water) into the bucket, making sure not to expose sensitive invertebrates to the air. Depending on the amount of water in the bag, it may require tilting the bucket at a 45 degree angle to make sure the animals are fully submerged. Hold the bucket in this position until there is enough water in the bucket to put it back in normal position.
5. Using airline tubing, set up and run a siphon drip line from the aquarium to the bucket. Tie several loose knots in the hose, or use a hose control valve, to regulate flow from the aquarium.
6. Begin a siphon by sucking on the end of the airline tubing you will be placing into the bucket. When water begins flowing through the tubing, adjust the drip by tightening one of the knots or adjusting the control valve.
7. When the water volume in the bucket doubles, discard half and begin the drip again until the volume doubles once more.
8. At this point, the specimens can be transferred to the aquarium. Sponges, clams, urgins and starfish should never be directly exposed to air. Gently scoop them out of the drip bucket with the specimen bag, making sure they’re fully covered in water. Submerge the bag underwater in the aquarium and gently remove the pecimen from the bag. Seal off the bag underwater by twisting the opening, and remove it from the aquarium. Discard the bag and the enclosed water from the aquarium. A small amount of the diluted water will escape into the aquarium, this is no problem.
Important
Never rush the acclimation procedure. The total acclimation time take no longer than one hour.Some fish and invertebrates can appear as though they are dead when they arrive and will usually revive
when the above procedure is followed correctly.
Keep aquarium lights off for at least four hours after the new arrival is introduced into the aquarium.
