acclimating koi...the correct way?

[CazithKoi]

We are expecting some koi here shortly and just wanted to throw it past everyone on the correct way to acclimate fish...This seems like a basic question but I always here many different opinions from drip to mixing of waters, straight out of the bag into the water etc. We have a very high Ph due to heavy aeration and high Ph tap water...bag water is always high with high ammonia and low Ph ya figure so what to do?
I will go out on a limb and say what we normally do...Remove about 8-10oz of bag water add in "clean" water about every 3- 5 minutes...usually takes about 45min to hour to get the Ph close enough depending on bag water...slowly the ammonia dilutes as well....My worry is the initial dumping of HIGH Ph water in with high ammonia levels...but it has seemed to work well so far....Any opinions? Should I change my procedure?

[RookieKoiGuy]

Float the bag in QT for 20 min to get the temperature same.
Then put the koi in QT without any water from the bag.
A 45 min PH change is basically no different.

[RelaxZen]

Hi Rookiekoiguy,

What differnce of Ph can a koi handle?
Say the bag is 6.5 and the Qtank is 8.5 isn't this to much for the fish.
Isn't it better to lower the tank Ph to the same level as the bag with vitamin C or something?

greetings
RelaxZen

[PapaBear]

I'd lean toward that approach too. Depending on bag time the ammonia levels could be quite high, and the opening/closing/mixing could create the very problems you are trying to avoid. Stabilize the temps and dump the fish w/o the water is the way I'd go. If you are concerned about stressful responses you could aways add a touch of elbagin to the qt water first, or some "bag buddies" if you don't have elbagin.

[luke frisbee]

The pH in the bag is going to be WHACKED because of the koi metabolic waste, there is NO way to slowly transition the koi from Bag pH to QT pH.

Keep the bag closed till you are ready to get the koi out of the bag as soon as you open it. Float the bag for 20-45 minutes and then open the bag and hand remove the fish.

[CarolinaGirl]

yep...what Luke said. Leave the bag sealed and float them. Once the temp has equalized, open the bag and quickly get them out, discarding the bag water.

[RookieKoiGuy]

Originally Posted by RelaxZen

Hi Rookiekoiguy,

What differnce of Ph can a koi handle?
Say the bag is 6.5 and the Qtank is 8.5 isn't this to much for the fish.
Isn't it better to lower the tank Ph to the same level as the bag with vitamin C or something?

greetings
RelaxZen

Can't really answer the ? in those terms...to many factors like stress-the amount of ammonia from the bag might be more harmful than the PH difference...
Luke basically said what I did-float the bag and remove koi without any water from the bag....
You shouldn't have a problem.
There's always some risk...

RookieKoiGuy Grow out Form

[KoiCop]

Originally Posted by CazithKoi

Should I change my procedure?

Yes.

As several others have stated, float the bag to equalize temps then remove the fish from the bag, place the fish in your QT and discard the bag water.

It is not wise to try and 'balance' pH with bag and QT water -- and it would be foolish to try and drop the QT's pH to match the bag.

Best wishes with your new fishes,

[luke frisbee]

LOOK...
I also said do NOT open the bag till you are ready to immediately take the fish out of the bag.
the reason is that opening bag the bag starts a rapid change in water chemistry that will injure the koi.

[MCA]

I float the bag in the QT(not the pond!!!) if there is any serious temp difference. Then I put QT tank water into a show bowl. Then open the bag into the show bowl. Use a wet sock net (one that does not hold water) to immediately move the koi to the QT. This appoach minimizes water transfer from the bag to the QT and should minimize loss of slime coat. Then cover QT and begin QT protocol.

Clean sock net and bowl. If possible, dedicate a sock net and bowl for the QT and do not us them around pond except to move fish that have come through QT without any problems.