Acclimation Guide

When transferring a fish or invertebrate from a bag into an aquarium, it is crucial to assimilate the two water conditions.   We use and recommend the Drip Method.  The suggestions to follow are guidelines and are to be adjusted by the aquarist for varying conditions.  Please take the time to read through this material before getting started. 

Tools needed:  Styrofoam shipping or other sterile containers, Scissors, Airline tubing

Open your box, pull out the styrofoam container, and set aside all the contents.

Place the container near your aquarium making sure it is on a surface lower than your aquarium so that a siphon will be possible.

Use scissors to cut the top of the bag ¾ open.  Holding the top of the bag and the bottom corner of the bag, gently pour the water and marine life from each bag into the container.  *Tilt the container slightly to allow fish to swim freely. 

Invertebrates should be acclimated the same way but in a separate container.  Snails, Cleaner Clams, and Anemones are shipped with little to no water.  They should be floated to temperature, and then drip acclimated.  Anemones should always be acclimated separately. Corals should not be drip acclimated.  They should be floated to temperature, and then carefully placed into the aquarium.

Using a piece of airline tubing about 8ft in length (you can always cut it down), take one end of the tubing and tie a simple knot leaving approximately 6 inches beyond the knot.  At the other end of the tubing, use a rubber band to fasten a small piece of live rock or other small weight.

Use the blade of your scissors to cut a small hole about two inches from the top of your acclimation container.  Be sure not to make the hole too big.  It should allow the tubing to fit snug and not fall out during acclimation.

Thread the knotted end of the tubing through the acclimation container so the 6 inches are hanging through into the container and the knot sits right on the outside.  Take the other end of the tubing that is now attached to a small piece of live rock, and place that end in your aquarium careful not to set it where it will suck up sand.

Now you will be ready to create the siphon.  The easiest way is to pull out the knotted end, loosen up the knot, and suck air through the tubing until water starts to come out of your aquarium.  Quickly tighten the knot and place the tubing back through the container as it was before. 

Adjusting the knot will determine the flow rate.  It should remain at a steady drip, but not a flow of water.   When the suggested time is up, net the marine animal out of the acclimation container and gently place it into the aquarium.  Discard the water in the acclimation container.

Do not use an air stone to increase oxygen.  It negatively affects the PH and can cause more harm than good.

Acclimation time should be approximately 45 minutes to an hour or the equivalent of turning the water 3 times to where your bucket now holds mostly aquarium water.