Acclimation Guide

Acclimating New Fish

Here are some easy acclimation procedures for newly arrived animals. To reduce any additional stress on your fish should you turn off all the lights on the tank before introducing the new fish. The following quick steps need to be followed and completed within two hours:

1. Float the unopened bag in the display or quarantine tank for thirty minutes to equalize the water temperature in the shipping bag.

2.  Open the bag by cutting it just below the elastic band or metal staple and add one cup of aquarium water into the shipping bag.

 3. wait five minutes before you add another cup of aquarium water. Repeat these steps every ten minutes until the shipping bag is filled.

4.  Remove half of the water in the shipping bag into a waste container. Add another cup of aquarium water and wait ten minutes before you add another cup.

5. when the shipping bag becomes filled the second time you can then safely net the fish and place it in your tank.

6. Discard both the shipping water and the water in the waste container.

7. Leave the fish with lights off for the rest of the day to allow it to settle into its new environment.

Acclimating new clams or Corals

To reduce any additional stress on your newly arrived corals, you should turn off all of the lights on the tank, so it can slowly acclimate itself to your lighting environment. LIghting acclimation is a very important part acclimating any new coral or clam. WE reommend that you place the coral or clam in the bottom part of the tank (be careful that the new invert doesn't become covered with sand) and slowly acclimate it to you lighting over the next two weeks. You can follow the same acclimation procedures as outlined above or use the following drip method. Some corals may slime during shipping which is a natural part of their condition.  The following easy steps need ot be followed and completed within one hour:

1. FLoat the unopened bag in the display or quarantine tank for thirty minutes to equalize the water temperature in the shipping bag.

2. Open the bag by cutting a small hole in it just below the elastic or metal staple.

3. Take an airline hose and attach an airline control valve at one end. Place the other end in the display or quarantine tank and adjust the valve so you get one drop per 3 seconds.

4. when the bag is filled you should close the valve, remove the hose from the shipping container and discard half the water into a waste container.

5. Place the airline hose back into the bag and continue to drip the aquarium water into the bag.

6. when the bag is filled you can then discard both the shipping water and the aquarium water in the waste container.

7. place the coral in the lower part of the tank and leave the lights off for at least three hours.