I ran my tank at 1.028 / 40 for well over six months before I realized I had not tested my Salinity for a long time. Now I do it every 60 days and keep it around 1.025 / 35. But the whole time I had it elevated I never lost any SPS or fish.
!!!HIGH SALINITY, AM I A ONE MAN GANG? OR ANYONE ELSE IN??
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I know people do fish only set ups at 1.023 and that will help with some with ich and issues but Idk about higher salinity
greg 45
Active Member
Adam I had some issue with the Milwaukee tester . I e mailed the company and they some of there distilled water and there own salinity product and it was still off. I went back to a regular refractometer with there test solution . Can you test your water this way and give a comparison. Thanks
L Sean Hubbard
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I'm the surprised fish prefer it. I've read that higher salinity causes their bodies to work harder, which is why hyposalinity is recommended when dipping, in order to reduce stress.
OP
OP
the thing is I've had lots of customers test my water with refractos as well when they received orders. asking the same question about why mine may be so high. As well I've tested others water that I've received, and it usually come in closer to 1.025 on the milwaukee. Not saying mines 100% accurate but the discrepancy is there
Caravanshaka
Well-Known Member
What's odd for me is that my water tests out 35 ppt on a refractomer and my milwaukee....but twice now I've had ATI ICP tests come back a hair over 33ppt.
blkhwkz
Well-Known Member
I tested mine last week and was at 1.029-1.030, SPS, clams and fish were as happy as could be. Tested on Milwaukee and a refractometer, was probably that high for 2 months since I tend to ignore my Apex salinity probe. I did lower it to 1.026 for a new batch of fish I was moving from QT. This is the 2nd time it has been at 1.028 or higher this year and everything is growing great.
I recently observed that my SG had crept up to 1.027 - 1.028 range. I like to keep it at 1.025.Not so curiously, this is another one of those subjects that I seem to find myself and explaining and repeating more often than others. Anytime I'll send over some system param's if someone ask's, the very first response, and usually alarmingly so, goes "Whoa! is that a typo, or do you really keep your SG that high?" Likewise, sometimes after orders are delivered, I'll get the same questions after my water has been tested, the customer often concerned their own testing equipment may be off, or if I do in fact keep my salinity "that high".
The answer is yes! And it's short and relatively simply story as to why, rooted solely in anecdotal observation and minimal reaction. Truth is, I have been running my salinity at roughly 1.028-1.029 for many years now, and my sps along with all of my fish have been loving it!
Essentially what happened (and this is exactly how I explain it to people) is that, when I'd fill orders, back in the old system, I'd sporadically pump water back into the system with the flip of a switch. Same thing went for skimmer cleaning. I'd flip that switch and replace an "unknown amount of water", with another "unknown amount of water". No measuring of any sort. Purely based on "feel" and whether my float valve was submerged or not. Mind you, I am not suggesting anyone follow my lead on that pursuit. Just explaining how I did it.
Well, one day many years ago, and it really was one of those "well one day" type instances, I couldn't help but notice that my SPS were looking good, and I mean really good, like that thick powdery looking flesh that I had never quite been able to achieve, in all my years. I saw deep coloration and bursting new growth at every node. It was remarkable! Over all things were just doing much better than I was generally used too. After simple rundown of some basic params, the only real blaring change from my norm of many years, was that rather than seeing 1.025 on my refracto it was closer to 1.027.
this simply will not do
So over time, with my rouge water replacement methods, my salinity had crept up. And upon this serendipitous revelation, seeing the apparent effects on my own tank inhabitants, I have been keeping it high ever since. Really, it's just that simple. I stumbled upon something that seemed to be a good thing, and I have been riding high ever since.
So what do you think? Anyone else keep there SG higher than the "norm"? And if so, do you think you have seen any improvement in coral appearance and over all vitality?
Or, am I just wasting good salt on a whim and an accidental coincidence?
Can't say how long my salinity was elevated but if there was any change in my fish or corals it was too subtle to notice
craigbingman
Community Member
If your measurement device reads in salinity as well as specific gravity, it is strongly preferred that you report the salinity. Salinity is the parameter we care about. Specific gravity would be an issue if you were concerned about buoyancy. Fish handle that on their own, and coral doesn't float. Salinity is what you care about.
craigbingman
Community Member
If your measurement device reads in salinity as well as specific gravity, it is strongly preferred that you report the salinity. Salinity is the parameter we care about. Specific gravity would be an issue if you were concerned about buoyancy. Fish handle that on their own, and coral doesn't float. Salinity is what you care about.
Running my mixed nano reef at 1.028 since day one as i use nutri-seawater and that's what its comes to me at out of the bottle...everything happy and healthy
tigertym57
Community Member
Not to get off topic but every test I've done through Ati labs has my salinity consistently at 31.64 and every calibrated meter I own has it at 35. I don't even worry over it anymore.
tnyr5
Tony
I take the opposite view and find the wide range liberating. It reinforces what I tell newbies: The things that are supposed to "matter" don't matter as much as they're supposed to matter, so watch your tank, feed your fish, let things decide where they want to be, be patient, and relax.
Reef Pets
Bioprospector
I feel that coral will adapt to their surroundings over time.
Introducing new coral to an environment that has high or low levels can sometimes be challenging.
This is why I feel hobbyist will say their coral is doing great but when they add new coral the new coral dies.
I’ve heard this many times over the years.
Years ago I had a bad test kit and was keeping my Alk around 5.5 for a long time and didn’t know it. The coral weren’t growing but the color was probably the best I’d ever had.
But I started getting reports of coral that I shipped were perishing shortly after introduced into a new system. They were use to the 5.5 and placing them in 8-12 was killing them rapidly.
Introducing new coral to an environment that has high or low levels can sometimes be challenging.
This is why I feel hobbyist will say their coral is doing great but when they add new coral the new coral dies.
I’ve heard this many times over the years.
Years ago I had a bad test kit and was keeping my Alk around 5.5 for a long time and didn’t know it. The coral weren’t growing but the color was probably the best I’d ever had.
But I started getting reports of coral that I shipped were perishing shortly after introduced into a new system. They were use to the 5.5 and placing them in 8-12 was killing them rapidly.
BradB
Well-Known Member
Red Sea levels might work better than Pacific levels. But if you undershoot Pacific levels, you are in the territory of people being cheap or feel hyposalinity is beneficial and I know you can run a reef tank that way. If you aim for Red Sea levels and overshoot, you end up at Dead Sea levels and turn your favorite fish into baccala.
Sangheili
Well-Known Member
Nearly every time I've had tank issues in the past 2years has been when salinity has crept up to and over 38ppt. IMO there is a fine line between 35-38ppt where things are great. Since I dose Triton my salinity is always slowly creeping and I have to remove water as a result. I've ran into the issue many times over the years.
It seems similar to temperature IMO. Running an acro tank as close to 82ish degrees you can will give the best growth. But if you press it up to 85+ you'll see RTN real fast. I wish I would have saved it, but I read a scientific paper a couple years back that looked at growth rates of stony corals in the wild in different ocean climates, and the takeaway was roughly going from 74 up to 81 degree water == double the growth rate. It was a linear increase with temp up until 85ish. Obviously it's a balance as most fish prefer colder on the scale, and the closer you get to the 85+ danger zone the less buffer you have when catastrophe strikes like power loss or AC failure (for those in hot climates).
Lastly I will add: Your salinity testing equipment is absolutely critical. Nothing out there beats a consistent quality refractometer. I have had conductivity probes and Milwakee digital refractos both lie to me and be wildly off when compared to a consistent refractometer. Now a days I test with known-good consistent refractometers and double check when I get Triton results (there is a way to calculate salinity from ICP results). Calibrate with refracto solution!
It seems similar to temperature IMO. Running an acro tank as close to 82ish degrees you can will give the best growth. But if you press it up to 85+ you'll see RTN real fast. I wish I would have saved it, but I read a scientific paper a couple years back that looked at growth rates of stony corals in the wild in different ocean climates, and the takeaway was roughly going from 74 up to 81 degree water == double the growth rate. It was a linear increase with temp up until 85ish. Obviously it's a balance as most fish prefer colder on the scale, and the closer you get to the 85+ danger zone the less buffer you have when catastrophe strikes like power loss or AC failure (for those in hot climates).
Lastly I will add: Your salinity testing equipment is absolutely critical. Nothing out there beats a consistent quality refractometer. I have had conductivity probes and Milwakee digital refractos both lie to me and be wildly off when compared to a consistent refractometer. Now a days I test with known-good consistent refractometers and double check when I get Triton results (there is a way to calculate salinity from ICP results). Calibrate with refracto solution!
rockskimmerflow
Well-Known Member
@Battlecorals I'm glad you mentioned you use the milwaukee digital refractometer as I have had a number of customers with them and every one has read 1 to 2pts higher than my calibrated refractometers I bring to consults. Maybe you have an anomalous one that is inline with stanard manual refractometers, but Id wager you are running closer to the 35ppt or 1.026 that most of us shoot for. I think its just your rock stable husbandry that caused those coral to kick into overdrive. Ive never had sps respond much differently in tanks with higher than 35ppt salinity personally. Have seen issues with 1.022 or lower, however. Interesting topic of discussion for sure!
Velcro
2500 Club Member
Lab grade conductivity meters with nist traceable calibration fluid are way better than refractometers.
Bmezz
Active Member
All very interesting- I have a LFS that has the absolute most beautiful corals- rare and colorful all types and nice sizes. "The Reef Lounge" in Anaheim California.
he keeps many of his tanks at 1.023. Im trying that now and jury is still out. alkaline at 7.9, mag at 1350 calcium at 450. I did just notice i needed to add strontium. Any comments regarding Strontium? does everyone typically measure and add this?
he keeps many of his tanks at 1.023. Im trying that now and jury is still out. alkaline at 7.9, mag at 1350 calcium at 450. I did just notice i needed to add strontium. Any comments regarding Strontium? does everyone typically measure and add this?
I had the redsea refractometer and purchased a calibration solution of 35 ppt for it in order to calibrate it. I began getting frustrated with constantly calibrating the dang thing so I bought a milawakee digital read meter. On the calibrated redsea refractometer I would get 35 ppt 1.026 specific gravity, then I tested on a calibrated milawakee to see the difference and my specific gravity read 1.030! I was left confused!? I sold the redsea and stuck with the Milwaukee as many people suggested this meter. I slowly dropped my specific gravity to 1.026 and I notice things perk up.. now after dosing two part for sometime my salinity creeped up to 1.028-1.030 and things are happy too?! Honestly I don’t have any issues with 1.026, 1.028, or 1.030.. changes over time is probably the key to preventing many problems that could have sprung. Stability and slow changes to the ecosystem is key for adaptation and health.
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