Salinity--how high is too high?

EvilE · 06/25/2007, 11:09 PM

I keep my 55 at around 1.024 and my 5.5 is currently at 1.026, but the little nano's salinity gets very high easily, with evaporation, so it got me curious as to how high is lethal to corals and inverts and fish?? It was at almost 1.030 today!

I topped off the water and got it to 1.026.

drummereef · 06/25/2007, 11:18 PM

Don't know how high is too high, but quick salinity change is not good. How are you testing salinity, hydrometer or refracometer? That's going to be the hardest battle, along with temp fluxuation in a small tank.

EvilE · 06/25/2007, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by drummereef
Don't know how high is too high, but quick salinity change is not good. How are you testing salinity, hydrometer or refracometer? That's going to be the hardest battle, along with temp fluxuation in a small tank.

I use my refractometer---tell me more about this auto top off!!! I may need one! Thanks!

drummereef · 06/25/2007, 11:22 PM

I use one from http://www.autotopoff.com/products.html I use the double float switch for redundancy. It is basically a float switch that will turn on a pump, in a seperate reservoir, to top off your freshwater automatically.

If you want the best, get the Tunze Osmolator.

EvilE · 06/25/2007, 11:23 PM

whoa--I could have sworn you just mentioned auto top off?? Am I mistaken? Did you remove that before my post??

drummereef · 06/25/2007, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by EvilE
whoa--I could have sworn you just mentioned auto top off?? Am I mistaken? Did you remove that before my post??

Sorry, I re-read it and edited. Yes, I had mentioned an auto top off in the first post.

EvilE · 06/25/2007, 11:24 PM

Thanks friend!!

Sk8r · 06/25/2007, 11:24 PM

I keep my sg at 1.025, which gives me .001 leeway up or down in the safe zone.

Go slow when changing sg. Your fish's kidneys will thank you. They lived through one change; go easy on them restoring the balance.

EvilE · 06/25/2007, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sk8r
I keep my sg at 1.025, which gives me .001 leeway up or down in the safe zone.

Go slow when changing sg. Your fish's kidneys will thank you. They lived through one change; go easy on them restoring the balance.

I actually have no fish currently in the nano 5.5 just a bit of kenya branch, GSP, and a small shroom. Oh, and a snail.....no fish yet, I want to get it going well first!

drummereef · 06/25/2007, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by EvilE
Thanks friend!!

No problem. I just didn't know if you would have enough room in your nano for an auto top off device. If you did, it would make life a lot easier for you and your fishy friends. Same for your other tanks.

EvilE · 06/25/2007, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by drummereef
No problem. I just didn't know if you would have enough room in your nano for an auto top off device. If you did, it would make life a lot easier for you and your fishy friends. Same for your other tanks.

I will DEFINATELY look into it!! Here in Phoenix water evaporates at an alarming rate!!!!

drummereef · 06/25/2007, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by EvilE
I will DEFINATELY look into it!! Here in Phoenix water evaporates at an alarming rate!!!!

Oh, I bet. But believe me, a dry heat is much more comfortable than the sticky, 90% humidity we have here in the midwest.

alkataz · 06/26/2007, 06:55 AM

I use the level controller on the reefgeek site its great

greenbean36191 · 06/26/2007, 07:43 AM

There is no one lethal salinity since every animal's tolerance is different. Some start to have trouble once salinity drops below about 1.024, while others can go much lower. Generally a little high is not quite as bad as a little low. You can find reefs from 1.017-1.032, but the average range (where most reef animals will do the best) is about 1.025-1.026.

EvilE · 06/26/2007, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by drummereef
Oh, I bet. But believe me, a dry heat is much more comfortable than the sticky, 90% humidity we have here in the midwest.

It gets humid here in the summer too!! Usually between July and August--monsoon season

EvilE · 06/26/2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by greenbean36191
There is no one lethal salinity since every animal's tolerance is different. Some start to have trouble once salinity drops below about 1.024, while others can go much lower. Generally a little high is not quite as bad as a little low. You can find reefs from 1.017-1.032, but the average range (where most reef animals will do the best) is about 1.025-1.026.

Thanks!

sir_dudeguy · 06/26/2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Here in Phoenix water evaporates at an alarming rate!!!!

UNDERSTATEMENT!!

I havent looked at the autotopoff ones, but aquahub also has one for like...40 or so that i've been considering getting.

afelder · 06/26/2007, 09:04 PM

I use the tunze osmolater. It is pretty pricey but gives a lot of peace mind due to the redundant back ups.

06/25/2007, 11:09 PM	#1
EvilE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,944	Salinity--how high is too high? I keep my 55 at around 1.024 and my 5.5 is currently at 1.026, but the little nano's salinity gets very high easily, with evaporation, so it got me curious as to how high is lethal to corals and inverts and fish?? It was at almost 1.030 today! I topped off the water and got it to 1.026.

06/25/2007, 11:18 PM	#2
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Don't know how high is too high, but quick salinity change is not good. How are you testing salinity, hydrometer or refracometer? That's going to be the hardest battle, along with temp fluxuation in a small tank. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

06/25/2007, 11:22 PM	#4
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I use one from http://www.autotopoff.com/products.html I use the double float switch for redundancy. It is basically a float switch that will turn on a pump, in a seperate reservoir, to top off your freshwater automatically. If you want the best, get the Tunze Osmolator. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

06/25/2007, 11:23 PM	#5
EvilE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,944	whoa--I could have sworn you just mentioned auto top off?? Am I mistaken? Did you remove that before my post?? __________________ Targzissians Are Obviously Reptilian Current Tank Info: 55 gallon african cichlid FW, 55 Gallon mixed reef SW

06/25/2007, 11:24 PM	#7
EvilE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,944	Thanks friend!! __________________ Targzissians Are Obviously Reptilian Current Tank Info: 55 gallon african cichlid FW, 55 Gallon mixed reef SW

06/25/2007, 11:24 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I keep my sg at 1.025, which gives me .001 leeway up or down in the safe zone. Go slow when changing sg. Your fish's kidneys will thank you. They lived through one change; go easy on them restoring the balance. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/26/2007, 06:55 AM	#13
alkataz Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: New York Posts: 859	I use the level controller on the reefgeek site its great __________________ Hungry for knowledge, please feed!! 180 + 65 sump 2x25" CPR HOB fuge Euro CS12-1 Ozonizer Korallin C 1502 Delta Star 1/3 hp 2x250W 65K Iwaski, 400W 10K Ushio, 2x160W URI Super Actinic Current Tank Info: 2 Black & White Percs, Fire Goby, 2 Golden Neon Goby, 2 Red Head Goby, Clown Goby, Royal Gramma, 2 Blue Favivertex Pseudochromis, 3 Filamented Flasher Wrasse, 2 Green Mandarin, 2 Banded Possom Wrasse, 3 Blue Green Reef Chromis, Group of Mollies

06/26/2007, 07:43 AM	#14
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	There is no one lethal salinity since every animal's tolerance is different. Some start to have trouble once salinity drops below about 1.024, while others can go much lower. Generally a little high is not quite as bad as a little low. You can find reefs from 1.017-1.032, but the average range (where most reef animals will do the best) is about 1.025-1.026. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

06/26/2007, 09:04 PM	#18
afelder Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 1,160	I use the tunze osmolater. It is pretty pricey but gives a lot of peace mind due to the redundant back ups. __________________ Thought For The Day.... "In the Torah it says "love thy neighbor as thy self". The Buddha says there is no "self". So maybe you are off the hook." All animals are created equal some are more equal than others.~Orwell Current Tank Info: NEW 70 gallon rr with a 25 gallon sump Bermuda 3-C that skims rings around a RS80 and 2 koralia 4 & 2 tunze 6045 eheim 1262 return 6x39 watt t-5