How to: Add Fish to Your Aquarium - Drip Acclimation

This video shows you how to drip acclimate your fish before adding them to your aquarium. this method works for saltwater or freshwater setups. Very easy to do and can save you a lot of headaches later. Thanks for watching.

Additional tags:
aquarium large tank fish glass water diy how to build a acrylic fish tank aquarium tank diy do it yourself acrylic glass how to tutorial construction build filter wet/dry wet dry easy cheap effective efficient aquarium design filter filters fish over flow gallon homemade large gallon gal liter plastic pump style sump tank trial fish tank aquarium acrylic saltwater freshwater coral nemo clown aquarium glass acrylic plumbing overflow how to diy bulkhead water pump sump wet/dry gph how to build aquarium how to build a acrylic tank how to build a glass tank how to build a glass aquarium how to build aquarium fish tank overflows drilling Designing building and installing filtration. Equipment selection installation instructions water educational discussion howto repair construction saltwater reef nano huge ocean Mad Hatter's Reef Madhatterreefs

[MediaTruth]

nice... i understand more now. i'm going to try this method.

[mikemcnamee]

I've always been baffled by people that do it this way and I see it way too often. Sure the drip method can be great IF the container you drip into is sitting in a sump so that the water temperature stays the same. With this method you let them acclimate to tank temperature for half an hour, then back down to close to room temperate for a half hour and then bam! All the sudden they are thrown into tank water 3-5 degrees warmer. I worked for a few years at a large saltwater fish wholesaler and learned that by far, the most important parameter for successful acclimation of the overwhelming majority of fish is temperature.

I've been in the saltwater reef tank hobby/business for 14 years and I dont do anything aside from a 15 minute float before netting the fish into the aquarium. Over thinking the acclimation process and doing it for an hour is often far more stressful than just being dumped in the tank. Extremely delicate fish, expensive fish, crabs, urchins, shrimp and other inverts are the only animals I ever do anything other than temp acclimate.

[shechshire]

Sounds right although you have to remember that some fish or invertebrates are more sensitive so it's better to take at least an hour - two hours with those especially considering how much they costs.

[InfoDoradon]

It depends. I used to maintain a Discus tank at 90F and my room was typically 70F or cooler in winter time. It is fine only if you drip to a bucket for a short time.

[JohannVollrath]

Are there any size limits to the fish you add to an aquarium?
Because i am wondering if i could add a jack trevally to my aquarium.

[Vitdo]

Hey glad I subscribed. Quick question about fresh water dipping. Have you done that before mang?

[mattmeyer]

Quick question, having the fish not be in heated water for a period of time as I acclimate, will this add stress to the fish or corals?

[InfoDoradon]

Dripping into a bucket is considered to be "the" method but there are several fundamental issues: 1) Temperature might not equalize if the surrounding temperature is very different to that of the aquarium, 2) water used to transport the new inhabitants might not be enough to fully cover them once they are poured into the bucket, and 3) you better watch the bucket when it gets full. The conclusion is that it is hard to control and is a high stress procedure.

[MadHattersReef]

@kennygonebonkers on the same note people need to do thier homework before buying fish (seeing what the fishes needs are and what are good tankmates). Just tonight i saw a vid of a 12 gallon Nano Cube with a Yellow Tang, Hippo Tang, Hawkfish, 2 clownfish, 2 bangaii and 2 Blue-Green chromis. Very Irresponsible.

[jerryebner]

The question is I never add water from the Local fish store. But Let's say I put some Star Fish in the tank and what I read you never expose them to air so how would you not let some of their water in that case?

[epiccichlid]

would a bucket be better cause then you can get more tank water in there?

[shechshire]

1) the water's temperature is going to be the same if they're obviously both in the same room. 2) just use what ever container you have that will accommodate the water sufficiently for the fish. Like in this case he used a one gallon plastic bottle.

[MrFanaticism]

So I put the fish in the water with the bag first and then I drip acclimate after around 20-30 minutes?

[christianrozier]

can you do the same thing for fresh water

[MadHattersReef]

@toso1t0so1 If they Look anything Like mommy that would be awesome!

[shechshire]

Umm... Dude, water is always two degrees cooler than it's surrounding.

[MrMoneyTree]

love the vid man, wish everyone who ever buys fish watches this vid first!, check out my freshwater setup :]