jar05g

Hey all. So my tank has been cycling for about a week now...and about a week from now I'll be adding the live rock...and after another couple weeks I'll be adding my first fish. I was thinking maybe a couple damsels, a clown, and maybe later something like a tang...but I'm curious of how to acclimate them. I heard of putting the fish and bag into a bucket and adding a cup of aquarium water every 10 min. to the bucket for an hour. Is that good? Is it a bad thing to just put the bag straight into the aquarium and let it sit for a good half hour? Any advice?

sgould

You want to float the bag in the tank to match temp, and add aquarium water every 10 minutes for an hour as you stated in order to get the fish gradually accustomed to any differences between your water quality and the water they are used to at the store. Then net and release the fish...do not dump the bag water into the tank. Doing so has the potential to introduce disease from the store to your tank.

Be careful with the damsels...they can be a little fiesty.

jar05g

What would happen if I just floated the bag in the tank for an hour...and then net the fish into the tank?

sgould

Potentially you could have some dead fish. I know that to us, water is water, and it looks like you should be able to do what you propose with no problem. But the reality is, when you move the fish from the bag to the tank, you are moving them from one environment into a totally different one. The quality and make up of your water is going to be different on some levels from the water the fish are used to. Could be a different pH, could be a different level of nitrates, or any number of other differences. The point is, something is going to be different. Fish are touchy about such things, and if you do not give their system a chance to make a gradual, controlled adjustment from the water they are used to, it is very possible they will be shocked beyond their ability to cope and they will die. Floating the bag in the tank does absolutely nothing to help them make the ajustment beyond equalizing the temperature of the water, and that only needs 15 minutes or so. Just floating them for a while then netting and releasing is a gamble. You may get away with it once or twice, depending in the hardiness of the particular species as well as sheer dumb luck. BUT, sooner or later you WILL lose fish if you do not acclimitize properly.

jar05g

I totally understand what you are saying. I wouldn't want to put money into a fish just to have it die...not to mention it's really cruel. So definitely put the fish and bag in a bucket and adding water every 10 min. for an hour is the best way to go then. I don't know how this would work...but how would a fish get acclimated to nitrates and and pH just by me adding water...after about 30 min. in the bucket with me adding water...isn't that kind of the same thing as just floating? I guess I don't understand how a fish can get used to all that while it's still in it's old water and a bag.

sgould

At the end of the hour, the fish is no longer in it's old water...at least not completely, because of all the new water you have put in the bag with it over time. When you start out, the fish is in 100% "old" water. When you add the first cup of water, it is now in 90% "old water" and 10% "new" water (or whatever the percentage is...this is just for illustration). When the 2nd cup goes in, maybe now it is at 80% and 20% And so on. That initial 10%, then 20%, then 30% is gradually introducing the fish to what conditions in your tank are going to be like, which allows it's system to get used to any differences. Fish can adjust to gradual changes very well...whether temperature, pH, nitrates, etc...but sudden large changes are stressfull, sometimes to the point of death. Does that help?

jar05g

oh...so you add the water to the bag...I see. I was under the impression that you kept the bag closed and added water around the bag. That makes so much sense now.

Also, what do you think of this live rock? My LFS is selling the same kind for $7 a pound, and I need about 25 lbs....but this site is much cheaper. Any comments with buying off line?

Saltwaterfish.com -- Live Rock & Live Sand

sgould

Fiji rock is pretty common, so nothing to worry about there. Around here you can find it for $8 - $9 per pound, so $7 sounds good to me. At any rate, I am not familiar with that particular website, so I can't really say one way or the other. If you can verify somehow (search for reviews maybe) that they are a responsible business and treat their customers well, I would have no fear of ordering from them. I ordered my rock online from a different site (DFS) and have been happy with it.

bhcaaron

Have you tried them? See here:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=397

I haven't yet begun ordering anything, but, FishLore recommends them. I already have a catalog from them and am learning even more.

Anyways, the 45LB bag comes to about $2.22 per pound, but, since you want less, the 22 pund bag comes to about $3.64 per pound. Try to see if you can find someone who has ordered it from them and see.

jar05g

Thanks a lot guys. Everyone has been such a great help. By the way...I just added my first fish today...it was a damsel. My tank is only about 2 weeks old...and I don't have rock yet...but the LFS said it would be ok as long as everything was normal and SG was good.

chris2

I like to buy from my LFS. I know it's more money, but then I get to pick the pieces I like and scape the tank the way I prefer. I know, OCD alert.