salinity

MRICKEN1012 · 08/22/2007, 11:10 AM

Should salinity of a tnk w just coral, be higher then a FO tank? If so what should it be? And why is it higher?

MalHavoc · 08/22/2007, 11:18 AM

People often run lower salinities in FO tanks to keep diseases at bay. Invertibrates like corals prefer salinities closer to what you get in natural sea water (35-36 ppt, or about 1.025-1.027 specific gravity).

Mavrk · 08/22/2007, 11:30 AM

Be careful when using SG (specific gravity) to measure. It is temperature sensitive. I would get a refractometer and measure ppt if you can. 35 ppt is seawater. I figure if it is good enough for the ocean, it is good enough for my fish.

seapug · 08/22/2007, 11:34 AM

salinity is more than "salt." There are a number of minerals and trace elements that corals need at the correct concentration to maintain their health and color, but fish can get by with less. That's why reef tanks are typically run at a higher salinity/specific gravity (35ppt/1.024-26+).

CoppBandbuttfly · 08/22/2007, 12:12 PM

Glad someone start this question. I have a fish only tank. I maintain mine currently at 1.019. I was told by my LFS that low salinity will avoid parasites on fishes. Pls let me know if 1.019 is too low. If so what is the best level for fish only tank?

Coppband

Ty1e · 08/22/2007, 12:37 PM

i would say, IMO around 1.021

michaeljames · 08/22/2007, 12:47 PM

My LFS has FO tanks and Full Reef tanks, They keep The FO at 1.020 and the reef system at 1.024, not only to keep parisites at bay, but also to save money on salt!

barbra · 08/22/2007, 12:52 PM

If you are treating parasitic-ridden fish usually you can drop the salinity down to 1.010 without problem. Tangs can be a little unhappy about it, but most others do fine for short term treatment.

Keep in mind that LFS's keep fish for short periods and what goes on in their tanks is not always going to be a good long-term solution for the hobbyist.

bertoni · 08/22/2007, 02:48 PM

There isn't any evidence that the slightly lower salinity levels will help fish, although it does help with the cost of salt. I target 1.026-1.027 for all my tanks.

barbra · 08/22/2007, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bertoni
There isn't any evidence that the slightly lower salinity levels will help fish, although it does help with the cost of salt. I target 1.026-1.027 for all my tanks.

Lower salinity does not help fish, but it does hurt disease by breaking the life cycle of critters like Ich. In that respect it is beneficial to the fish.

bertoni · 08/22/2007, 02:56 PM

The treatment for marine ich required dropping the salinity to about 1.009. I don't think there's any evidence that the levels discusses for fish only tanks, usually around 1.021 or so, do anything useful for ich. Certainly, there's a lot of ich outbreaks in tanks at that salinity.

CoppBandbuttfly · 08/22/2007, 03:11 PM

Salt is not that expensive, and I still have half bucket left. I just want to confirm the ideal level for fish only tank.

Thanks all.

jthao · 08/22/2007, 05:44 PM

I would say keep the fowlr tank under 1.020. usually right around that number is perfect. I've done hypo for my tangs at 1.009 and they still don't die. But I don't recommend it. Just keep it at 1.020, imo. Reef tanks do pretty well at 1.025, which I believe is average because some like it a little lower and others like it a little higher, but I just keep mines at 1.025.

08/22/2007, 11:10 AM	#1
MRICKEN1012 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: michigan Posts: 662	salinity Should salinity of a tnk w just coral, be higher then a FO tank? If so what should it be? And why is it higher?

08/22/2007, 11:18 AM	#2
MalHavoc Infinitely Prolonged Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 10,850	People often run lower salinities in FO tanks to keep diseases at bay. Invertibrates like corals prefer salinities closer to what you get in natural sea water (35-36 ppt, or about 1.025-1.027 specific gravity). __________________ Jason "Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet. Because, ultimately, the empathic gift blurred the boundaries between hunter and victim, between the successful and the defeated." -- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K Dick

08/22/2007, 11:34 AM	#4
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	salinity is more than "salt." There are a number of minerals and trace elements that corals need at the correct concentration to maintain their health and color, but fish can get by with less. That's why reef tanks are typically run at a higher salinity/specific gravity (35ppt/1.024-26+). __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

08/22/2007, 12:37 PM	#6
Ty1e Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Calgary Posts: 620	i would say, IMO around 1.021 __________________ Tyson. Current Tank Info: 70 gal rimless

08/22/2007, 12:47 PM	#7
michaeljames Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Rochester NY Posts: 737	My LFS has FO tanks and Full Reef tanks, They keep The FO at 1.020 and the reef system at 1.024, not only to keep parisites at bay, but also to save money on salt! __________________ "This tastes like crap!" "Well here, try it with some selcon and garlic..." Current Tank Info: 180g RR AGA 2 x 250w SE MH 1 x 175 SE MH 2 x 6' Super atinic VHO Iwaki 100 return Reef Octopus Skimmer

08/22/2007, 11:30 AM	#3
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	Be careful when using SG (specific gravity) to measure. It is temperature sensitive. I would get a refractometer and measure ppt if you can. 35 ppt is seawater. I figure if it is good enough for the ocean, it is good enough for my fish.

08/22/2007, 12:12 PM	#5
CoppBandbuttfly Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 59	Glad someone start this question. I have a fish only tank. I maintain mine currently at 1.019. I was told by my LFS that low salinity will avoid parasites on fishes. Pls let me know if 1.019 is too low. If so what is the best level for fish only tank? Coppband

08/22/2007, 12:52 PM	#8
barbra Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Va Beach, VA Posts: 1,408	If you are treating parasitic-ridden fish usually you can drop the salinity down to 1.010 without problem. Tangs can be a little unhappy about it, but most others do fine for short term treatment. Keep in mind that LFS's keep fish for short periods and what goes on in their tanks is not always going to be a good long-term solution for the hobbyist.

08/22/2007, 02:48 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	There isn't any evidence that the slightly lower salinity levels will help fish, although it does help with the cost of salt. I target 1.026-1.027 for all my tanks. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/22/2007, 02:56 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The treatment for marine ich required dropping the salinity to about 1.009. I don't think there's any evidence that the levels discusses for fish only tanks, usually around 1.021 or so, do anything useful for ich. Certainly, there's a lot of ich outbreaks in tanks at that salinity. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/22/2007, 03:11 PM	#12
CoppBandbuttfly Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 59	Salt is not that expensive, and I still have half bucket left. I just want to confirm the ideal level for fish only tank. Thanks all.

08/22/2007, 05:44 PM	#13
jthao Super Saiyan Join Date: May 2007 Location: NorCal Posts: 2,522	I would say keep the fowlr tank under 1.020. usually right around that number is perfect. I've done hypo for my tangs at 1.009 and they still don't die. But I don't recommend it. Just keep it at 1.020, imo. Reef tanks do pretty well at 1.025, which I believe is average because some like it a little lower and others like it a little higher, but I just keep mines at 1.025. __________________ Elos 160xl \| Profilux 3.1Nex ultimate \| BK DC200 \| (5)Mitras 6200s \|(4) Vortech MP40QD \| 3155 ATO \| Schuran CaRx \| Carbon-Doser \| Red Dragon return \| 500G Starphire FOWLR \| BK SM200 \| (6) Tunze 6105