Acclimation

[Corvus]

Guys,

I recently purchased a snail clean-up crew from Reef Cleaners (it will be here today) and I noticed their instructions for acclimating (float for 15 minutes) my new arrivals. I read it with interest and it makes sense to me.

Is "drip acclimation" sort of falling out of favor? Would "floating" also work for corals?

Full disclosure: I do find my little acclimation tank that uses the drip method a bit tedious (but if it's the BEST way for some critters, I'll do it, of course).

C.

 

[Gallma02]

I am sure the more experienced people will give a more detail however I find the floating is just to get the temp right, then open the bag and start the drip feeding of water. I tend to drip one to two drops per seconds for 45 minutes. Then I empty the water into a bucket while catching the snails in a net and then in the tank they go. So far its worked, but only have a couple of them.

 

[Kremlin]

I am sure the more experienced people will give a more detail however I find the floating is just to get the temp right, then open the bag and start the drip feeding of water. I tend to drip one to two drops per seconds for 45 minutes. Then I empty the water into a bucket while catching the snails in a net and then in the tank they go. So far its worked, but only have a couple of them.

That is exactly what I do! Have been doing it for a year and its worked great!

 

[Corvus]

Thanks! The instruction I got from the dealer stated to float the bag for 15 minutes and then remove the snails and put them right into the aquarium. Check out Reef Cleaners and read their acclimation instructions. From the chemistry standpoint, the instructions seem to make sense.

C.

 

[Snid]

Floating and dropping right in really isn't a good way to go. The drip method is ideal. Actually, drip into a QT is ideal, as you never know what they may bring with them. Even snails can harbor diseases, and sometimes they can bring a disease that fish can get. Anyways... If not the drip method, then at the very least, float and slowly add water into the bag in increments (which is sort of like a drip method in short bursts). Unless you are going to take the time to test the water conditions of the bags they come in on and compare it to their destination tank, a simple dump method could send them into shock and/or death.

 

[reefle]

I like drip for fish and corals, I mean what's an extra hour for expensive livestock?

macro algae, inverts, I also do the drip but only like 30 minutes.

 

[jaws789832]

reefcleaner recommends their method because of the shipment process. The animals have usually been in the sealed bag for 2+ days and when you open the bag the build up of ammonia is sudden and deadly. I would recommend their way but into a Q tank. You will have some deaths, especially with the dwarf ceriths (if you ordered them) In the QT at least you can then pick out the live ones to add to you DT. so you don't get a bunch of empty dead black shells on you clean white sand. (speaking from experience there as I am still picking shells off the sand)

 

[Corvus]

I followed their method and things seem ok except for the fact that my hermits seemed to feast on some of the ceriths.

There was virtually no water at all in the bags with my nails--just moist paper towels.

I bought the snail crew for a 40 breeder.

Yes, some of the dwarf ceriths seemed to go belly up (in a manner of speaking).

C.