Acclimation Question

[Chris918]

Hey guys I keep both my quarantine and display tanks at 1.026. Thing is, what is the best procedure when I want to buy from a store that keeps their tanks at 1.021? I don't want to get a fish used to 1.021 when I keep my tanks at 1.026. Do I match temperature of the bag with the tank and then just slowly drip acclimate? What is the best procedure?

Thanks!

[Brieninsac]

I deal with this all the time. I like to keep my DT and QT at 1.025. However, my preferred LFS keeps their water at 1.015. So provided I don't have any fish in my 10-gal. QT I'll remove 2-gal. of tank water and replace it with 2-gal. of RO/DI water. That still leaves it a little elevated but then I'll do an hour in a half acclimation using my Reef Gently Acclimation Box.

[CarrieB]

Set your QT to match the store. After you get the fish settled in, slowly raise it (over days, weeks) to match the DT.


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[Chris918]

Geez 1.015? That seems so low. Well under recommended range from everything I've learned lol

[Chris918]

Thanks for the advice CarrieB

Seems like a solid plan.

[anthonys51]

they keep it low to stop or slow down the spread of diseases

[Chris918]

Hmm I never thought about that. Good point. I suppose as long as the fish are happy then if it works it works.

[Brieninsac]

Once the fish are in I gradually raise it to 1.025 over a few weeks.

[scooter31707]

match the QT to the store salinity. Once they are in start rising the salinity by putting mixed saltwater into your ATO top-off container.

[Cancun]

Don't buy from a LFS that has their tanks at such a low salinity. My LFS keeps there salinity low too ...so I found 2 others about a hour drive from me. They keep all their tanks at 1.025....which matches mine. Since then never had at problem sence.

[Buddy55]

I always match my qt to tank water. I order mostly online. They come in, I float the bad. But the bag and get the fish right in the water. I have had good success.

[texdoc77]

Originally Posted by anthonys51

they keep it low to stop or slow down the spread of diseases

They do it because it is cheaper. A SG of 1.015 will not stop or prevent the spread of any disease I know of. When using hyposalinity for ich the target is 1.009 and even this has been shown to fail.

[anthonys51]

Originally Posted by texdoc77

They do it because it is cheaper. A SG of 1.015 will not stop or prevent the spread of any disease I know of. When using hyposalinity for ich the target is 1.009 and even this has been shown to fail.

I never said stop the spread of disease. i said slow down. now you might not agree with the benefits of hypo-salinity but to say they only do it because its
cheaper is a little short sighted.

there are some other potentially beneficial applications for hypo-salinity therapy with marine fish. The obvious of these is for the treatment of other types of external parasites, but there are more ways that it can be used. Hypo-salinity can be employed in better acclimating recently transported fish, fish, for quarantine, treating wounds, with antibiotics, getting fish to begin eating, conserving metabolic energy, improving growth and alleviating the effects of stress. because natural sea Water is much more saline than the internal fluids of marine fish. Because of this, they expend a considerable amount of energy to reduce the excessive salt load through the process of osmoregulation

[heathlindner25]

Originally Posted by texdoc77

They do it because it is cheaper. A SG of 1.015 will not stop or prevent the spread of any disease I know of. When using hyposalinity for ich the target is 1.009 and even this has been shown to fail.

I'm going to have to agree on this one, I have worked at a fish store before. They do it because it's cheaper

[homer1475]

Originally Posted by CarrieB

Set your QT to match the store. After you get the fish settled in, slowly raise it (over days, weeks) to match the DT.


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+1

I do the exact same thing. Just match your QT to your LFS, then slowly raise it with salt water as your top off instead of plain RO/DI.

[anthonys51]

you really think its money.

lets say a lfs has 2000 of fish only tanks. cant do reef at 1.15.

they do 20 percent water changes a week. thats 400 gallons box of io cost 30 bucks a box thats 60 bucks a week in salt. lets say you use 30 percent less salt at 1.15 verus 1.25 thats a whopping savings of 72 bucks a month. i dont really think all these lfs are doing this to save 18 a week. research hypo-salinity and then get back to me

[texdoc77]

Originally Posted by anthonys51

they keep it low to stop or slow down the spread of diseases

Originally Posted by anthonys51

I never said stop the spread of disease.

So you DID say to stop the spread of disease.

Actually, I could really care less WHY a LFS uses hyposalinity. We have to deal with it regardless. What I really wanted to counter was the idea that a SG of 1.015 is helpful for stopping or slowing down diseases. A SG of 1.015 is not helpful, and if a LFS does it for this reason, well they are misguided. So what's new.

I DO agree that certain levels of hypo salinity 1.009 are at least potentially beneficial for certain diseases such as cryptocaryons irritans. Unless you get a resistant strain.

Concerning the other benefits of hypo salinity, I am ignorant, however, we run our tanks at 1.024-1.026 for a reason.

[anthonys51]

The lower salinity cause less stress on the fish. Natural sea water had more salt in it then the fish does meaning the fish has to constantly counter this expending energy. Lower saltily helps reduce this effect. Plus some antibiotic work better at lower saltily. Also the range is 1.009 to 1.012 to help cute ich. Keeping fish short term at lower saltily eases the stress of traveling and recouping This is why they do it not to save money. That's all I was stating.


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[Cancun]

In my humble opinion a lot of LFS do it because whichever vendors they purchase their fish from ship the fish in low salinity.....so it is "easier" for the fish store to acclimate the fish from vendor low salinity to their low salinity.....not easier on the consumer mind you...but easier on the LFS. I have had at least 3 LFS in my area actually tell me that.

[Sk8r]

Very likely some do it with a notion of preventing disease, (whether or not it works), some do it to save money, some do it because they read an article that advised it, and some do it because Uncle Fred who left them the store always did it that way, f' gosh sakes---these are the people who say 'damsels are fine in a 30 gallon.' They're not always right about their practices, but they'll do what works in their own estimation.

[Cancun]

So true Sk8R......that is why a forum like this is a saltwater hobbiests best friend....not your LFS unfortunately.