Water changes

marie · #1 10-16-2007, 04:24 AM

Corals are actually hardy creatures that can take all kinds of abuse temporarily (inluding sitting in a stainless steel sink for 3 hours and then having a cold coffee bath, can anyone say acidic

) but the key word is temporary.
It's making them live under foul conditions for a long time that does them in. They are wild animals and like all wild animals they can't afford to "look sick" or they will be eaten so they "look" healthy until they are just about dead

Aquattro · #2 10-16-2007, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marie

Corals are actually hardy creatures that can take all kinds of abuse temporarily

I once pruned my tank and put some less desirable acros in my back deck in July (shaded area). I changed my mind on one of them about 2.5 hours later and put it back in the tank. I had it for years afterwards. Yes, a healthy coral can put up with a lot. And since they really like water, giving them clean fresh stuff shouldn't cause a problem.

Delphinus · #3 10-16-2007, 05:59 AM

I've noticed that when I've ordered frags and they come overnight in a little baggies, I've had more success (less mortality from shipping stress) when I've just taken them out and put them in the tank. Temperature, pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, whatever whatever, surely all hugely different, and yet they live better than when I do a slow drip over a matter of hours and have everything slowly temperature matched.

Now, having said that, there are things I'd still do a drip on. Clams, urchins, shrimp ... But corals ... yeah surprising but the slow drip doesn't really help them. Take them out of the cruddy water and put them in good water faster and they recover faster. I think the "smoke in the house" analogy is spot on. If the fresh air kills you then you were done for already.

Sebae again · #4 10-16-2007, 06:36 AM

Congrats. on 8000 posts!

Delphinus · #5 10-16-2007, 06:38 AM

Oh my

do I ever need to get a life!!

Sebae again · #6 10-16-2007, 06:44 AM

Just think of it as a lifestyle.

PoonTang · #7 10-17-2007, 02:32 AM

Some creatures will tolerate larger changes of certain parameters than others.
You had better know which and how much if your going to do a large change or run the risk of killing things.
Marie...do you drip? and why?
Essentially acclimating is a series of small water changes so as not to shock the creatures.