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What is the salinity of your tank?


Boret

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I was wondering at what value do each one of you keep the salinity on your reef tanks.

 

Mine is 1.0256 specific gravity or 34 ppm.

 

I have had it as low as 1.022 and as high as 1.027 from what I see on my record book for the last year.

But overall I try to keep it just a hair below the 35 ppm mark in my refractometer.

Before I do a water change I measure it and it is always below the 34 mark, closer to 32/33 (probably due to salt creep). I keep the salinity of the new water at around 36/37 to get the tank back to the aforementioned 34. I do small water changes (5-6% total volume) every 2 weeks.

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1.025 to 1.026 - SPS dominated reef.

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1.025

I was wondering at what value do each one of you keep the salinity on your reef tanks.

 

Mine is 1.0256 specific gravity or 34 ppm.

 

I have had it as low as 1.022 and as high as 1.027 from what I see on my record book for the last year.

But overall I try to keep it just a hair below the 35 ppm mark in my refractometer.

Before I do a water change I measure it and it is always below the 34 mark, closer to 32/33 (probably due to salt creep). I keep the salinity of the new water at around 36/37 to get the tank back to the aforementioned 34. I do small water changes (5-6% total volume) every 2 weeks.

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i try to keep mine at 1.025 but it varies between water changes it fluctuates from 1.024 to 1.026.

 

+1 just cause I can't always tell the refractometer's actual line of demarcation

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I mix my water to 1.025, but tank fluctuates slightly between 1.024 and 1.026. When I had no corals I mixed my water to 1.020 (though I was using swing-arm hydrometers at that time.... who knows what the level actually was?)

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It seems the majority strives for the 35ppm mark.

 

I've read that you are less prone to infections at slightly lower salinity, you use less salt (save some $$) and many retailers and vendors keep their livestock at around 32-33 so there is less shock for new fish. It could be all a bunch of BS though! :)

I imagine that lower salinity will also affect the number of Ions and therefore give you lower Ca and Mg levels.

I think I will try to go up to 35 from 34 and try to maintain it there for the next 6 months to see how it affects my tank.

 

Keep the numbers coming!

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...and many retailers and vendors keep their livestock at around 32-33 so there is less shock for new fish. It could be all a bunch of BS though! :)

 

35ppt for me.

 

Fish spend a long time in the ocean, a short time in the commercial pipeline, and then a long time in our tanks. It would seem the best way to minimize shock overall is for "retailers and vendors" to keep their holding tanks at 35ppt, just like the most oceans and most tanks.

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35ppt for me.

 

Fish spend a long time in the ocean, a short time in the commercial pipeline, and then a long time in our tanks. It would seem the best way to minimize shock overall is for "retailers and vendors" to keep their holding tanks at 35ppt, just like the most oceans and most tanks.

 

Good point!

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Anyone got a list of where the various LFSs keep their salinity, including divided by fish-only systems and coral systems, as well as any difference between a LFS's QT tanks vs selling tanks? Might give us something more to consider when choosing where to go for livestock.

Edited by treesprite
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Dr. Mac once told me he keeps his fish only systems real low. I think he said 1.015 or 1.019.

invert system 1.023

fish system 1.013

coral system 1.025

display tank 1.025 1.026

FOWLER 1.019

 

Home tank 1.025

 

ALL HAVE ATOS to keep them consistent

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Thanks John for the detailed information. Would you care to explain why the fish system is that low? Hypo-salinity to fight diseases? I have read this online:

Hyposalinity or OST (Osmotic Shock Therapy) is one of the most effective, non-chemical ways to rid fish and an aquarium of saltwater ich and other parasitic diseases
Is that the reason? Thanks!
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Thanks John for the detailed information. Would you care to explain why the fish system is that low? Hypo-salinity to fight diseases? I have read this online:

Is that the reason? Thanks!

Correct, most protozoan can not live in hypo salinity, overall fish health is better for short term. Although my experience has showed several months at that low salinty is not good on the fish, we move them around to our coral systems if they dont sell in the first few months.

 

John

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