Acclimating from 30.8-35ppm salinity?

[SirenBethany]

LFS told me they test salinity daily and their water was 35 ppm. My new tank is at ideal parameters and sitting at 35ppm. I got one Blue Damsel to help jump start the nitrogen cycle (with the addition of API quick start, double dosed- I have a 29g and dosed for a 60g tank as I've read numerous times that being the suggested technique).
PROBLEM is: salinity of LFS water with damsel tests 30.8ppm! I lowered my tank a bit to 34.8ppm and have acclimated the fish to 31.8 ppm over the course of 4 hours and than stopped adding water for the night. Process so far: Fish was floated first for 30 mins, I opened the bag and tested parameters of LFS water and compared salinity to my tank. I then used a baster to add 3 squirts of my water to the bag to increase salinity slowly. I did this several more times waiting 20 mins or so in between additions. As the bag got too full I dumped out about half the water to make room for additional water from my tank. I added additional water gradually till I reached 31.8ppm. I then looked up how tolerant fish are to increases in salinity (eye roll at myself) because I knew it had to be slow and the difference in salinity is so great. I stopped adding water and wanted to wait for the fish to acclimate as it was a fast increase in salinity already. So the fish was left overnight to acclimate to that increase in salinity. Problem two is the poor damsel is still in the open floating bag because I dare not throw him/her in my tank or it'll die. I just don't want the fish to die in the dang bag either. I will be setting up a 10g QT tank with lower salinity, that's all I can think to do at this point to keep the damsel alive while slowly increasing salinity to my tanks specific gravity. Suggestions please?

 

[therootcause]

Deep breath while we gather some information.

Are you testing water with a floating hydrometer? If not, with what? Could it be that the fish shop is actually at 35ppm and it's your water that is well above 35ppm? Let's first verify the results of your testing to determine the true values of each. Are you testing the fish shop water at tank temperature?

 

[SirenBethany]

Yes, the bag and tank are at the same temp. I had another LFS test the exact same tank water and mine was at 35 ppm in a refractometer. I viewed it with my own eyes. I am using a digital salinity tester and I took it to the first shop, I tested their coral frag tank she didn't let me test the holding tanks which are a different water column. Even their coral tank tested a bit lower, but I don't remember what that read. And it's not the same water the damsel came out of. They used a big fancy expensive Milwaukee salinity tester at the first shop and when I mentioned mine testing 35 ppm at the 2nd LFS she stated some RODI could have been on the lens. I want to get my digital probe in their holding system water. But the probe has been consistent the last several weeks since purchase. I have a basic refractometer in route from Amazon.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I usually take about 5ish hours to acclimate fish with that salinity difference, I've haven't lost a fish yet. I've acclimated damsels in 3-4 hours, they can take it. Some LFS's keep it even lower salinity than that, I've gotten fish at 1.019, I still take 5ish hours to acclimate.

I think your doing great and being very patient and no need to panic, but IMO you can go faster if you want.

 

[therootcause]

Yes, the bag and tank are at the same temp. I had another LFS test the exact same tank water and mine was at 35 ppm in a refractometer. I viewed it with my own eyes. I am using a digital salinity tester and I took it to the first shop, I tested their coral frag tank she didn't let me test the holding tanks which are a different water column. Even their coral tank tested a bit lower, but I don't remember what that read. And it's not the same water the damsel came out of. They used a big fancy expensive Milwaukee salinity tester at the first shop and when I mentioned mine testing 35 ppm at the 2nd LFS she stated some RODI could have been on the lens. I want to get my digital probe in their holding system water. But the probe has been consistent the last several weeks since purchase. I have a basic refractometer in route from Amazon.

This is one heck of a word scramble and wasn't helpful. It is not uncommon for an LFS to keep fish at a lower salinity. Bring the fish up to your tank salinity over the next two hours, net it, and toss it in.

 

[jda]

Most of this is already out of your control.

Put the fish in a bucket with the LFS water. Get an airline and allow water to drip unti the water is 2x or 3x what you had in there before - tie a knot in the airline if you have to.

That is about all that you can do.

 

[Tarponwriter]

LFS told me they test salinity daily and their water was 35 ppm. My new tank is at ideal parameters and sitting at 35ppm. I got one Blue Damsel to help jump start the nitrogen cycle (with the addition of API quick start, double dosed- I have a 29g and dosed for a 60g tank as I've read numerous times that being the suggested technique).
PROBLEM is: salinity of LFS water with damsel tests 30.8ppm! I lowered my tank a bit to 34.8ppm and have acclimated the fish to 31.8 ppm over the course of 4 hours and than stopped adding water for the night. Process so far: Fish was floated first for 30 mins, I opened the bag and tested parameters of LFS water and compared salinity to my tank. I then used a baster to add 3 squirts of my water to the bag to increase salinity slowly. I did this several more times waiting 20 mins or so in between additions. As the bag got too full I dumped out about half the water to make room for additional water from my tank. I added additional water gradually till I reached 31.8ppm. I then looked up how tolerant fish are to increases in salinity (eye roll at myself) because I knew it had to be slow and the difference in salinity is so great. I stopped adding water and wanted to wait for the fish to acclimate as it was a fast increase in salinity already. So the fish was left overnight to acclimate to that increase in salinity. Problem two is the poor damsel is still in the open floating bag because I dare not throw him/her in my tank or it'll die. I just don't want the fish to die in the dang bag either. I will be setting up a 10g QT tank with lower salinity, that's all I can think to do at this point to keep the damsel alive while slowly increasing salinity to my tanks specific gravity. Suggestions please?

You don’t need to acclimate very long moving from 31 to 35. Especially for a hardy fish like a damselfish. I’ve acclimated from 25 to 35 in about 2 hours. Just keep removing a bit of water from the bag then add tank water to replace it. It is not good to keep the fish in the bag overnight, ammonia will build up in the bag and that’s much worse than a salinity difference. Temperature is important, which is why we float the bags in the tank to acclimate.

 

[JayM]

If you only have the one fish, drop the salinity in your tank and just raise it slowly over the next few days.

Unless someone smarter than me thinks that’s a bad idea for some reason.

 

[Nano_Man]

Drip it till your reading in the bag is the same as your tank and if you can keep your bag floating in your tank so the temperature is the same then net the fish and release and dump bagged water turn lights down or off for less stress on the fish and put lights on tomorrow morning. All will be good

 

[SirenBethany]

If you only have the one fish, drop the salinity in your tank and just raise it slowly over the next few days.

Unless someone smarter than me thinks that’s a bad idea for some reason

 

[SirenBethany]

Damsel is finally in the tank I lowered our tank salinity to 33.9 and bag was at 33.6 so I said after almost 20 hrs in the large bag it was time to just go for it. Water was dumped and fresh tank water added to acclimate the fish which also gave it fresh saltwater with no nitrites or ammonia ect. Fingers crossed it'll be ok.

 

[F4u-SuperCorsair]

Petco keeps its salinity at 1.020 and I would drip them for 2/3 hrs. There are videos on how to make a quick drip system.