Why Acclimate
Shop water differs from your tank in temperature, pH, hardness, and TDS.
Sudden parameter changes cause osmotic shock and can kill fish within hours.
Floating Method — Basic
Float the sealed bag on tank surface for 20 to 30 minutes to equalize temperature only.
Works for hardy species moving between similar water. Does not equalize pH or hardness.
Drip Method — Thorough
Place fish and bag water in a bucket. Run airline from tank with knot to create 2 drops per second.
Over 45 to 90 minutes the bucket water becomes 90% tank water.
Best for sensitive species, wild caught, shrimp, and long-distance shipped fish.
Plop and Drop
Discard bag water, net fish immediately, place in tank.
Used by some advanced keepers for saltwater and to avoid introducing shop pathogens.
Still stresses fish but eliminates disease transmission.
After Acclimation
Dim lights for the first day.
Do not feed for 24 hours.
Monitor closely for stress signs.