How do you acclimate or not? Why?

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How do you acclimate your new fish?


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msjinkzd

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I am just curious about the methods so many of us use. I am wondering how and why you acclimate the way you do! I left the poll open to multiple choice as some may use different methods depending on if fish are shipped, purchased locally, etc.


I typically do plop and drop on my imports. The reason is that as soon as I open that bag and introduce fresh atmospheric oxygen, the ammonia toxicity starts to increase. If I were to drip acclimate, it would increase ammonia burn and stress to the fish. Typically I open the bag, add a drop of prime, then pour into a net and add to a dark tank.

If I am orderting fish for me personally, I float the bag then net the fish and add to the qt tank.

I used to drip acclimate EVERYTHING but found that my survival rate was higher with good ole-fashioned plop and drop, especially when dealing with fish or invertebrates in the hundreds to thousands at a time
 

bangme33

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i place the bag into the tank and let the water warm up to the same temp.
then after 30 mins i use a syring and squirt tank water into the bag, this help the fish acclimatise to the water you have in you tank.
so its not a shock for them when they are put into the tank which could kill them regard the ph of your water, most LFS have a 7 ph and your tank could be anywhere on the ph scale. thtas why we acclimatise them
 

Jannika

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I float the bags for temperature only, ever since killing a fish by slow acclimation. Haven't had a problem since.
 

Rbishop

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ph is never an issue....
 

jeninok

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For most fish I float the bag for a while to stabilize temp then plop and drop.

For more sensitive fish I put them in a container with their bag water and take out 1/4 cup bag water and add 1/4 cup tank water every 10 minutes.

I usually try to do a good water change and vacuum up any poop or particulates I can see on the sand the morning before I know I am going to be adding fish. That way I know my PH is close to neutral and the water will be nice and clean for them.
 

bangme33

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the reason i mention ph is if you add senstive fish which ive done in the past with plop n drop, ive found they dont last long, but drip acclim seem to be best way for more survival IMO
 

msjinkzd

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an interesting article foudn here
Myths of pH Shock Written by Kmuda
After a several days spent researching the effects of pH on fish I have more questions than answers and I am absolutely surprised at the lack of available viable information. Sure, there are thousands of web sites and forums posting the same old information about “pH shock”… about never allowing more than a .3 change in pH units within a 24 hour period, etc… but I have found absolutely no scientific data to back up this assertion. What I did find is quite the opposite. I found a scientific study that identified fish can survive a 1.7 shift in pH units without difficulty, I found a study published for the commercial fish industry that identifies a shift under 2 pH units should be acceptable, I found a study where fish (rainbow trout) moved from a pH of 7.2 to a pH of 8.5 suffered no ill effects, and I am finding a different train of thought, with a bases in science, that “pH shock” is a myth. There is no such thing. The real issue appears to be “Osmotic Shock”. Secondly, as the pH changes, the toxicity of other substances in the water changes. It is these two issues that are the actual cause of mortalities usually attributed to “pH Shock”.
Osmotic Shock:

Fish maintain their body fluid levels and release toxins via a process known as osmosis, also referred to, when used in a discussion of this process in fish, as osmoregulation. The function of this process is dependent upon the amount of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the water. For a better understanding of this process, and the relationship it has with TDS, review the following:



The catch, as it relates to this discussion, is that any action (not involving CO2) that changes the pH of the water is generally a result of the change in TDS. Hard water generally has high TDS levels, high pH, high KH, and high GH. Soft water generally is low in TDS, a low pH, KH, and GH. The occurrence of a pH rise, or decline, (not involving CO2) is generally accompanied by an increase or decrease in TDS. It is this change in TDS and the resulting change in osmotic pressure that impacts our fish.

The problem is not a shift in pH; it's a move between hard water and soft water. It's a change in the amount of TDS and this change is better-measured using KH and GH readings than it is using pH readings.

For all of you folks who continue to use salt as a constant tonic, salt is increasing the TDS. A large water change without replacing the salt can cause these same issues (as can refilling a tank and then re-adding salt, in which case you are double whamming your fish), as can adding salt to an aquarium too quickly. This can also impact new fish brought into the aquarium, as they may be accustomed to a TDS level lower than what is in your tank. The pH levels in each of these circumstances may be the same, but the TDS levels will be different, and it is an abrupt change in TDS levels that is the real cause of “pH shock”.
pH effects on other substances:

We are all aware (or at least should be) of the effect pH has on the toxicity of ammonia. At a lower pH, ammonia is converted into ammonium, which is not toxic. As the pH increases, ammonium is converted into ammonia, which is toxic. What is less known is that pH has the same effect on other toxic substances such as chromium, mercury, copper, and iron.

As the pH falls (solution becomes more acidic) many insoluble substances become more soluble and thus available for absorption. For example, 4 mg/L of iron would not present a toxic effect at a pH of 4.8. However, as little as 0.9 mg/L of iron at a pH of 5.5 can cause fish to die.
It is these effects that present the myth of “pH shock”. It is not the change in the pH itself that causes issues thought of as “pH shock”. It is the physiological effects associated with an abrupt change in TDS and/or the synergistic effects of pH increases, or decreases, on toxic compounds within the water.

Evidence of this can be achieved by observing planted tanks with CO2 supplementation. These tanks can experience wide swings in pH over a 24-hour period with no ill effect on the fish, especially for those who turn off their CO2 regulators at night. Why can the pH change in these tanks without impacting the fish? Because carbon dioxide is influencing pH without affecting the amount of TDS in the tanks.
How Does This Affect Us:

Outside of a better understanding of our water chemistry and its effect on our fish, this information, alone, should not provide a bases for changing what we are doing in acclimating our fish and aging our water (when necessary).

My tap water comes out with a pH of 8.4, 3dKH, 4dGH; relatively soft water with a high pH. However, the pH declines to neutral within a short amount of time (a couple of hours at most). The pH declines but the KH and GH do not. This may be because the water company is adding some type of temporary alkali to the water that precipitates out once the water is no longer under pressure. I am currently aging my replacement water overnight to allow the pH to stabilize and match the water in the tank. While I am investigating discontinuing this practice, I will not do so until I have a better understanding of what (if) the water company is adding to the water resulting in this effect. I will not do so until I am able to confirm that the temporary alkali they are (maybe) using is not affecting the amount of TDS in my tanks. While my KH and GH readings do not change, this does not mean my TDS levels are the same. (Remember, aquarium salt will increase the TDS levels of your tank but will not impact pH, GH, or KH. It could be that the temporary alkali being utilized by the water company has a similar effect).

It may also be that my tap water is totally void of CO2 and that it subsequently picks up this compound from the atmosphere, resulting in the drop in pH. In fact, if you use a CO2 calculator and input a pH of 8.4 and a KH of 3dH (my tap water readings), the result is 0ppm CO2. If you then input a pH of 7 with the same KH of 3dH (my tap water readings after it has sat out for a while), the CO2 has increased to 9ppm. If you do the same math, adding 9ppm CO2 to my tap water, then the pH will drop to 7, which is exactly what I am experiencing. If this were the case (and I am seeking information from my water company for confirmation), then it should be perfectly safe to go straight from the tap to my tank even though there is a differential of 1.4pH.

Fact is, something is influencing the pH of my tap water and I do not know what it is. Until I have that answer, I will continue to age my replacement water before use.

For those of you on well water (or even city water, if the water company is adding CO2 to increase alkalinity of the water while it is in their pipes), if the cause of a pH increase (once water is pulled from the well) is CO2 precipitating from the water, then there is no need to age your water before it is added to the tank. It can safely be added straight from the well provided the pH is not to an extreme (for this purpose, I would use a pH of 6.4 as the extreme) and the end result does not constitute a change in pH above 1.3 units (being conservative).

If you're on well water (or city water, if the water company is stripping CO2 to decrease acidity of the water while it is in their pipes), and your water is devoid of CO2, the pH will naturally drop once the water has access to the atmosphere. This type of fluctuation in pH, provided the shift is below 1.7ph units, and you do not have ultra-sensitive fish (Discus come to mind), should not be harmful.

Now, all of this said, there remain pH extremes that can cause “pH shock”. In the wild, fish avoid waters below pH 5.4 and above 11.4. There are studies that indicate exposure to pH in these extremes can cause physiological damage and mortality. However, most environmental studies conducted on the impacts of “acid rain” and agricultural run off have determined that the pH shifts resulting from these events has a devastating effect on plants and microorganisms, which in turn, as each layer of the food chain is impacted, results in a decline in fish population. Again, provided the change is not to the extremes, physiological impacts on the fish, of the pH shift itself, is not the cause of increased fish mortality during these events.
Other Information:

Provided extremes are avoided, fish can adapt to the pH of the water (between 6ppm and 9ppm). Unlike toxins, such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, no evolutionary step is required. Most species of fish simply have to adjust osmoregulation to adapt to the pH (which is really adapting to the TDS levels) of the water we keep them in. If properly acclimated, initially, then keeping our Oscars, JDs, GTs, Convicts, and other SA/CA cichlids in hard water with a high pH is not a concern. However, breeding and fry rearing can be impacted with many species kept outside of their “ideal” range.
Additional References


  • The below text is quoted from this link:
“The effect of transferring hatchery-reared rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) from water with a pH of 7.2 to water with pH's ranging from 8.5 to 10.0 was evaluated in 48-h tests. All fish survived in the control (pH 7.2) and at pH 8.5. Survival was 88% at pH 9.0, 68% at pH 9.5, and 0 at pH 10.0. After the 48-h exposure, the remaining test fish were fed their usual pelleted food. Trout in the control and those held at pH 8.5 fed well. Only a few of the fish held at pH 9.0, and none of those held at pH 9.5, fed.”

  • A good link, with some pertinent information in the pH section:

  • The below text is quoted from this article from the University of Florida
“A sudden pH shock may also be harmful, especially to young fish. Within the range of pH 6 to 9, a pH shift of less than 2 units can be tolerated by most fish. If a large difference in pH exists water can be mixed to gradually acclimate fish.”

  • Note: A pH shift of two units would involve an increase from a pH of 6 to a pH of 8 (not like increasing from 7.2 to 7.4).

?What is really interesting is that the acid-base exchange rate is also dependent upon salt (Na+ and Cl-) solution, so GH and KH play a much larger role than may be usually suspected. This thread http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=123070 linked to a site whose author deduced this relationship from experience. So, it appears if the salts in the water are favorable, most aquarium fish can adapt to a change in pH pretty quickly – in a matter of minutes really. But, if the changes in salt and total dissolved solids are big, the fish may not be able to use its ability to adjust its pH and that causes shock. Ion exchange at the gills is important for waste removal also."
And another here:
Realities of pH Shock Written by Kmuda
Last month I proposed a concept that “pH shock” is a myth. This month I wish to dispel the myth. In reality, pH shock, in large part, does not exist. But it is a myth that dies hard and from reading ongoing threads I find that not many are buying into the concept that pH has little to do with it. For circumstances normally diagnosed as “pH shock”, the real problem is osmotic shock, which results from an abrupt change in TDS levels (Total Dissolved Solids), or the increased toxicity of chemicals (or heavy metals) that can occur following a change in pH. But, unless the extremes are avoided (for our fish, let's consider the extremes below 6pH and above 9pH), pH itself is not to blame.​
In a previous article I identified that I had discontinued the practice of aging my tap water for all tanks, excluding the Oscar tank. In reality, well prior to posting that article I had completed my research, receiving confirmation from my water company that the high pH values from my tap are a direct result of their intentional removal of CO2 from the water (but the article was written, so I submitted it as is). Once this confirmation was received, I put theory to practice and have been performing water changes straight from the tap on all tanks for several months, with no ill effects on the fish.​
Water straight from my tap registers about pH 8.4. Once the water is released from the pipes it quickly absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and drops to around 7.0, where it is stable until the next water change increases it (temporarily). Keep in mind, for my Oscar tank, a 100% water change is normal, as I reset nitrates to zero each week.​
Below is a pic comparing pH values. The pic defines, from left to right: pH values of my tanks before a water change pH value of my tap (using the low range pH kit) pH value of my tap (using the high range pH kit) pH value of my tap about 1 hour after the water change.​
As you can see, there is a significant difference, more so than would commonly be acceptable under risk of pH shock. Immediately following a water change (resetting nitrates to zero), my pH registers above 8 (CO2 is obviously being absorbed as the tank is being refilled.) Within an hour, it has dropped substantially, and by the following morning it is down to 7. To state the obvious, this is a significant bounce up and then back down. Yet, I have not experienced “shock” of any nature because, by and large, pH shock does not exist. The real culprit would be an abrupt change in TDS values. Since CO2 fluctuations do not result in changes in TDS values, the danger of “shock” is virtually non-existent. And since the TDS values of my tap water do not change (only the pH does), no shock has occurred.​
The other danger with pH fluctuations of this nature is that pH does influence the toxicity of compounds (such as ammonia) and metals (such as iron, copper, mercury, and aluminum.) Before placing this concept into practice (by discontinuing water aging) it is important you have an understanding of what is in your tap water. A few basic concepts of understanding are important:​

  • Heavy metals generally become more toxic in lower pH. As the pH decreases, these products become more soluble, making them more available for absorption by the fish. However, this fact should have little influence on a decision to age your water. If the synergistic effects of pH on heavy metals are a concern, aging your water does not eliminate this concern as the metals will remain, presenting the same problem whether or not the water is aged. It does not matter if the pH drops in a water aging container or in the main tank. The metals will remain just as toxic.
  • Ammonia becomes more toxic as the pH increases. This is of significant concern but only applies to a cycling tank, a tank suffering “Old Tank Syndrome”, or if you register ammonia in your tap water (more on this later).
  • There is a relationship between calcium and pH that influences the effects of pH on fish. If you have extremely soft water (general hardness), or use R/O water, and there is a significant difference in pH between replacement water and tank water, then it is best if you continue to age your water. It should be noted that I have “soft water”, but not “very soft”. A general rule would be that if your GH readings fall below 4DH (70ppm), and there is a significant difference between tap pH and tank pH, you should continue to age your water.
  • The general rule is that you wish to prevent a pH change of greater than 1.7pH units. As an example, a pH shift from 7.0 to 8.7 would be a change of 1.7pH units.
While I consider pH shock a myth, pH does have physiological effects on fish. However, most fish appear to be indifferent to pH within an approximate range of 5.5 to 10.5. In general, there are little physiological differences to the same fish kept between these pH’s. The physiological effects of pH on fish are only found when the fish are subjected to extremes.​
A few other facts concerning pH:​

  • Alkaline pH can increase the mortality of incubating eggs of some species. This is likely because acidic waters are somewhat bacteriostatic.
  • For most fish evolved to exist near neutral or acidc pH, at high pH (above 10), gill mucus cells and opithelial cells are hypertrophic (increase in size), which impacts osmoregulation. Corneal damage may also occur.
  • “Blood pH” is the most often quoted physiological cause of pH shock. While it is true that terminal physiological measurements on adult fish succumbing to low pH (in soft water) indicate the cause of death is iono-regulatory failure (inability to maintain blood plasma ion levels (electrolytes, sodium, and calcium), this occurs at a pH of about 4.5. A pH this low is not something we would not normally find in our tanks, so it can be discarded as the physiological “cause” of pH shock.
Like so many myths, the myth of pH shock has some bases in fact. But for pH Shock to exist, there has to be a physiological impact and I am simply unable to find one except in extreme conditions not normally found in our aquariums. Combine this with the fact that I have placed theory into practice, by discontinuing the aging of my water to match pH values of the tank (which is only allowing the water to absorb CO2), with no ill effects, and you can only come to the conclusion that many of us go through the hassle of aging water unnecessarily. If you are keeping “non-sensitive” fish and have no other issues with your tap water, but are aging your water simply to stabilize the pH, chances are this is not a necessity.​
For the most part, if eliminating water aging, it would be considered safer to have water where the pH comes from the tap high and then declines, than to have water where the pH comes from the tap acidic, and then increases. Tap water that registers for ammonia presents some complications as well. Ammonia becomes more toxic as the pH increases. If your tap water contains ammonia and has a high initial pH, then declines, the ammonia will be more toxic as it is added to the tank (as opposed to allowing the pH to decline in an aging container).​
Aging your water does have other benefits.​

  • It allows chlorine and other potentially harmful gases to dissipate naturally.
  • For planted tanks it allows water devoid of CO2 to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
  • It allows water low in dissolved oxygen to absorb oxygen from the atmosphere.
  • It allows pre-filtering to remove sediments and potentially harmful substances
  • It allows iron particulates that may be present in well water to settle into the bottom of the aging container.(A very common issue with well water)
If you wish to discontinue aging your water it is necessary to first understand what is in your water and then determine if changes in pH will affect those substances. I've provided some guidelines to this effect above. You can also “test” the theory using a small (cycled) tank and a fish that is of minimal importance, perhaps one you purchased just for this purpose. However, if you take this route, give the fish a month and confirm its health prior to undertaking any testing.​
It is also necessary to test the oxygen content of the water. Another common “mistaken diagnoses”, commonly attributed as “pH shock”, is that some water sources will be as devoid in dissolved oxygen as mine is in CO2. Fill a tank up with hypoxic water and you can wipe out a tank of fish.​
In closing, different fish may react differently to pH flucuations. I would not attempt this (without further testing) with sensitive fish, such as discus, cardinal tetras, wild caught fish, or even neon tetras (as well as other “sensitive” fish.) However, I can state with certainty, the fish I own are not experiencing any issues. That list is as follows:​

  • - Oscars
  • - Convicts
  • - Firemouths
  • - Angelfish
  • - Common Pleco
  • - Giant Danios
  • - Silver Dollars
  • - Serpae Tetras
  • - Pristila Tetras
  • - Red Tailed Black Shark
  • - Bronze Cory
  • - Green Cory
  • - Albino Cory
  • - Kissing Gourami​
  • - Guppies​
  • - Platies​
  • - Swordtails​
  • - Betta​
  • - White Cloud Mountain Minnows​
 

Rbishop

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the reason i mention ph is if you add senstive fish which ive done in the past with plop n drop, ive found they dont last long, but drip acclim seem to be best way for more survival IMO
It would be the quality of your stock or other issues...not pH...
 

msjinkzd

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Well, anecdotally speaking I have probably acclimated about 10,000 fish and invertebrates this year alone.

My loss rate dropped from 20% to about 5% when I stopped drip acclimating even with wild caught and sensitive species. Granted, my scale is much larger than the average hobbyist, but the numbers stand as proof enough for me for my applications.


Without a TDS meter, an accurate representation of source water (especially since many fish go through a transhipper who re-bags with THEIR source water, not the fish's), and without testing gh and kh its impossible to really match requirements.
 

The Zigman

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Depends on the animals...

When moving shrimp from one tank to another I just plop & drop since the params are so close to the same in my house tanks...

However, some are more sensitive than others.
With many fish I just float to equalize the temperature.

Yet with more sensitive species I use the drop acclimation method.
but I use a coffee cup and add big drops... But its all the same effect in the end.
(I think drip acclimation takes too long, and the temperature is off by the time its over)

So I guess in order to answer the question posed in the poll..
All of the above applies! But more often than not, I just float and net out.
 
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