Salinity

[S.I.C.]

Does anybody have any idea why my LFS recommends 1.026 as my normal salinity when everything i read recommends 1.025 whichs the same as my local ocean?

 

Also, he says that 1.027 is OK as well?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Reefin'

[One Eyed Bunny]

Hypersalinity keeps harmful pathogens in controllable numbers. That's the only reason I can think this. I've always kept mine between 1.022 - 1.024. Never above never below. Does he sell coral?

[S.I.C.]

Hypersalinity keeps harmful pathogens in controllable numbers. That's the only reason I can think this. I've always kept mine between 1.022 - 1.024. Never above never below. Does he sell coral?

 

Yes he does. I have not seen him test his salinity so I dont know if he practices what he preaches.

 

Right now I keep mine between 1.024 and 1.026. Do you think in should maintain this or change it?

[lgreen]

In nature you can find marine environments that range from 1.020 to 1.030, all of which have thriving organisms, and in many cases different populations of the same organisms.

 

In the deeper parts of the ocean, the salinity tends to be lower as their is a large volume of water in comparision to surface area, so evaporation does not have as much an effect on salinity. On reefs though the water is shallower and the volume of water is smaller in comparision to surface area, so salinity is impacted quite a bit more by evaporation, resulting in most reefs having salinities a bit on the higher end (usually like 1.024-1.026, and even higher in the red sea).

 

Really though, your reef will thrive anywhere from about 1.020-1.030 and be fine. Most people take the middle ground though and go anywhere from 1.023-1.026. Some people also like to run fish only tanks a bit on the lower end, and some reef people like to run it more towards 1.026 as that is more commonly where natural reefs sit.

 

I typically run my tanks at 1.026.

[One Eyed Bunny]

One thing I've learned about reefing and marine fish keeping is to keep everything constant. Change is the ultimate killer in most fish tanks. If you've got fish in your tank now at 1.024 - 1.026 than keep it that way or figure a way to very slowly reduce the specific gravity to a more acceptable number.

 

It's better to have your salinity a little high than to have it change somewhat drastically and kill your tank.

[Travis]

I run mine any where between 1.023-1.026.

[S.I.C.]

Awsome marine biology lesson!

 

What is considered gradual. I think I lowered my salinity to fast. If its 1.026 I want to lower it to 1.025 I add distilled water until I reach it. I add about 6 onces of water at a time takes about 20-30 minutes total. Is that to fast? I have about 18 gallons of real ocean.

 

Thanks!

[adinsxq]

i'm at 1.020 right now

[lgreen]

I think it depends what you are doing. If you have an sps reef, I think the common rule of no more than 0.002 change per day is probably a g ood idea. If you have a bunch of soft corals or fish only though, I would probably maintain that rule for raising the salinity, but I haven't seen any ill effects from going faster while lowering the salinity.

 

I think it may have to do with the relationship between salinity and oxgyen. Higher salinity = less oxygen, harder for fish to breath, lower salinity = more oxygen, easier for fish to breath. It would make sense then that raising the salinity would be more stressful than lowering it.

[roxy25]

great info about the natural oceans

 

Right now I have mine @ 1.027 my tank is 12 inches high

 

I got that info from a book called Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman

[penguin69]

Does anybody have any idea why my LFS recommends 1.026 as my normal salinity when everything i read recommends 1.025 whichs the same as my local ocean?

 

Also, he says that 1.027 is OK as well?

 

Thanks,

Reefin'

You should be OK, but I like mine at 1.023 -1.025.

[travisurfer]

i keep mine around 1.023-1.025

[YeahitsK]

It seems like a lot of the time when I look at a tank of the month, whether at RC or elsewhere, the specific gravity is at least 1.025, often 1.026. In order to get the SG higher, you need to add more salt mix. The slight increase of salt mix necessary means a slightly higher concentration of calcium and trace elements since they are supplied by the salt, which may help the tank in general. That's my own personal opinion and explanation, so take it for what it's worth. I've seen a few really nice tanks around here with the relatively higher SG figures as well.

[Phixion]

My LFS said 1.022 - 1.024 is ideal as a higher number will mean an even higher number once you factor in evaporation, thus why going much above 1.025 normally is bad, because it can go up to say 1.035 depending on the size of the tank and amount of evaporation. Makes good sense to me. I started my tank at 1.026 salinity and I've sucessfully dropped it to 1.024 which is where I'd like it to be. The LFS also told me that the Pacific ocean around here is about 1.024 salinity, but that's not why I put mine at the same. What i did though to drop it was drop it anywhere from 0.005 to 0.010 at each water change. Seemed that's the best and ideal time to change it as it's easier to control the change then.

[roxy25]

My LFS said 1.022 - 1.024 is ideal as a higher number will mean an even higher number once you factor in evaporation, thus why going much above 1.025 normally is bad, because it can go up to say 1.035 depending on the size of the tank and amount of evaporation. Makes good sense to me. I started my tank at 1.026 salinity and I've sucessfully dropped it to 1.024 which is where I'd like it to be. The LFS also told me that the Pacific ocean around here is about 1.024 salinity, but that's not why I put mine at the same. What i did though to drop it was drop it anywhere from 0.005 to 0.010 at each water change. Seemed that's the best and ideal time to change it as it's easier to control the change then.

 

 

good info everyone I didn't realize once evapotration occurs the Salinity would rise. I might just have to drop mine to 1.024 or 1.025 I get a lot of evaporation since its topless

[Phixion]

good info everyone I didn't realize once evapotration occurs the Salinity would rise. I might just have to drop mine to 1.024 or 1.025 I get a lot of evaporation since its topless

 

Oh definitely. I don't know the exact amount, but I know if I don't keep my apartment cool enough inside, the evaporation can be rather significant (almost a half of a bottle of distilled water, the size smaller than the big 2.5g bottles) so since I'll need some serious top off when I get home today, and I'll test the water with my new refractometer before topping off and report back to her the differance. After my last top-off mid yesterday around noonish, my salinity was at 1.024 I go through a 2.5g bottle every 2-3 days it seems...

[roxy25]

Oh definitely. I don't know the exact amount, but I know if I don't keep my apartment cool enough inside, the evaporation can be rather significant (almost a half of a bottle of distilled water, the size smaller than the big 2.5g bottles) so since I'll need some serious top off when I get home today, and I'll test the water with my new refractometer before topping off and report back to her the differance. After my last top-off mid yesterday around noonish, my salinity was at 1.024 I go through a 2.5g bottle every 2-3 days it seems...

 

thats is the same amount of water I go through also

[Kellie in CA]

I have to top off about a quarter gallon twice a day. (It used to be a gallon a day, thank goodness it slowed down). My tank seems to love to be at 1.025 so I just let it be, it always comes back to that number no matter what I do!

[clifford513]

when I get home today, and I'll test the water with my new refractometer before topping off and report back to her the differance.

Good idea. I get chewed if I fail to report back to her Couldn't resist!

[S.I.C.]

My LFS said 1.022 - 1.024 is ideal as a higher number will mean an even higher number once you factor in evaporation, thus why going much above 1.025 normally is bad, because it can go up to say 1.035 depending on the size of the tank and amount of evaporation. Makes good sense to me. I started my tank at 1.026 salinity and I've sucessfully dropped it to 1.024 which is where I'd like it to be. The LFS also told me that the Pacific ocean around here is about 1.024 salinity, but that's not why I put mine at the same. What i did though to drop it was drop it anywhere from 0.005 to 0.010 at each water change. Seemed that's the best and ideal time to change it as it's easier to control the change then.

 

I tested Catalina Island 2 two weeks ago and it 1.025 at the surface.

[Phixion]

I have to top off about a quarter gallon twice a day. (It used to be a gallon a day, thank goodness it slowed down). My tank seems to love to be at 1.025 so I just let it be, it always comes back to that number no matter what I do!

 

If that's what it likes to be at, I wouldn't worry much then.

 

When I got home, chambers 3 & 4 of my AP12 were almost at the bottom, so LOTS of evap in the past 30 or so hours lol! Salinity before topping off was at 1.027, now it's at about 1.0235 (halfway between .023 and .024). So figure about 0.003 gain give or take one thousandth per half gallon of water evaporated. That's my ratio at least.

[bubblethumper]

I keep my tank at 1.026 (using a refractometer). I have an ATO that keeps it pretty much right there.

 

My LFS keeps their tanks at 1.028 and so I try to keep mine near theirs so that there is less shock when I acclimate purchases.

[Phixion]

This is so weird... Almost every LFS I've gone to here in the LA area including Petco keeps their tanks or water rather at 1.022 - 1.023 salinity. I've never seen one yet over 1.024. Anywho when I tested my Catalina Water it was about 1.025 also with a refractometer.

[BlueOyster]

This is so weird... Almost every LFS I've gone to here in the LA area including Petco keeps their tanks or water rather at 1.022 - 1.023 salinity. I've never seen one yet over 1.024. Anywho when I tested my Catalina Water it was about 1.025 also with a refractometer.

 

 

I keep mine between 1.024 and 1.026 only because i don't dose anything and it keeps those trace elements a bit higher