Aquarium Acclimation For Your New Arrivals

Since you have done your research and have taken your time in setting up your saltwater reef aquarium. You will want to ensure the continued health of your ecosystem by starting the aquarium acclimation process for your new arrivals.

Whether you purchase your new fish or coral from your local aquarium fish store or from an online supplier, you will need to start the acclimation process once they arrive at your home. I like to compare the aquarium acclimation process to jumping in a swimming pool with cold water. It takes your breath away for a few seconds and you either jump back out, or you move around like crazy trying to adjust to the new temperature. Well this would be the same for your reef tank inhabitants.

The reason you want to acclimate any new specimen is simple. To start with you want to reduce the stress that has been caused from shipping or the car ride home. Also the water that they are packaged in will have a different temperature, salinity, and PH compared to your aquarium. Fish and especially invertebrates are very sensitive to any changes in these parameters, and proper acclimation is the first step to maintaining a healthy marine reef aquarium.

There are two methods of aquarium acclimation to choose from. The first would be the float method, and the second is the drip method.

The Float Method:

This method is used mainly for fish and corals. When you are ready to start the acclimation process try to keep your specimens in a dimly lit area. A sump would be preferred, but you can use your tank also. If using your main tank to float your bags, it is best to turn your main lights off to reduce creating more stress to the animals.
First float the unopened bags in the tank water for about 15-20 minutes to allow the water temperature to adjust to your tank.
Next you can carefully cut the top off 1 bag and roll down the edges slightly to expose the water in the bag. You can either clip the bag to the side of your tank or prop it up so it does not fall over.

Now you can add small amounts of water from your tank to the bag every 5 minutes until the bag has about 75 percent of your tank water in it. Be sure to check that no water from the bag gets into your aquarium as this can contaminate your system.

Now you can remove the entire bag from the aquarium. Carefully remove the fish from the bag with a small net and release it into its new home. For corals you can pick it up and place them towards the bottom of your aquarium for a few days and slowly raise them to their final position. Dump out the water from the bag into a bucket.

The Drip Method:

This method of aquarium acclimation is recommended for all your invertebrates since they are more sensitive to the changes in water parameters. This method is also easier to do.
First get a bucket or container that is dedicated to your fish and aquarium use. Do not use anything that has had stuff in it before since this can contaminate your water and harm your animals.

Place the container on the floor with one side propped up. This allows the water to stay near one end of the container allowing for a deeper area, and preventing the animals from being exposed to the air. Open the bag up and slowly empty the water and the invertebrates into the bucket.
Next get a piece of airline tubing long enough to reach from your tank or sump to the container. Tie a couple of knots in the tubing to control the drip rate of the water. Place one end in the tank and the other end in the container. Start a siphon from the tubing tightening the knots to allow a few drops per second into the container water. This will mix slowly with the water from the bag you already put in the container. Allow this to drip for a few hours as some inverts, especially snails and starfish are very sensitive to changes. Continue to check the drip rate to make sure it is not too fast, and the siphon is still working. You can slowly stir the container water to provide circulation and more oxygen to the animals.
Once the invertebrates are acclimated, you can get your net and place them in your aquarium. Discard the water from the container and you have now completed the aquarium acclimation process. You can now enjoy watching your new arrivals.