Anemone question

[geckoejon]

The post you cite states that aquarist's salinity is approximately 1.0237, not 1.022 as OP here. That too is testing the bounds of tolerance IMO. 1.022 is outside of those bounds. In any event, to point to a handful of examples of success with unnaturally low salinities is not productive. It would be analogous to argue that it is ok to run around an empty field during a lightning storm with a lightning rod strapped to your head just because a few people did it and survived. The sound advice here is to raise salinity.

actually, if you read #46, that person states that he prefers to keep it between 1.022 - 1.024. that particular time that they tested it was 27, but you are seriously nit picking and reaching for straws now. before you were stating "show me examples". i show an example without even looking and you look for another way out.

unnatural yes, along with keeping a reef tank... we are using artificial lighting, an unnatural environment, unnatural water circulation methods, and ect... if you want totally natural, then return all of your livestock to the ocean and go diving. i thought we were discussing ways to successfully keep anemone.

that analogy is not even closely related. i think some people just like to think that they are always right no matter what and like to state as much without proof. i believe that would fall under the category of dogma

since you want to be persistent that your stated way is the only way, please provide some specific examples of it doing harm? so far you have stated theories, but not any proof...

 

[addictedreefer]

actually, if you read #46, that person states that he prefers to keep it between 1.022 - 1.024. that particular time that they tested it was 27, but you are seriously nit picking and reaching for straws now. before you were stating "show me examples". i show an example without even looking and you look for another way out.

unnatural yes, along with keeping a reef tank... we are using artificial lighting, an unnatural environment, unnatural water circulation methods, and ect... if you want totally natural, then return all of your livestock to the ocean and go diving. i thought we were discussing ways to successfully keep anemone.

that analogy is not even closely related. i think some people just like to think that they are always right no matter what and like to state as much without proof. i believe that would fall under the category of dogma

since you want to be persistent that your stated way is the only way, please provide some specific examples of it doing harm? so far you have stated theories, but not any proof...

Your continued confrontational tone and personal attacks are precisely the sort of behaviors you purport to discourage and necessitate the below response:

First, for your consideration, below are a number of links showing that salinities similar to those of OP can pose significant danger to a reef tank:

http://www.reef219.com/low-salinity-in-my-reef-tank/

http://www.reef219.com/october-3rd-updates/

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1865660

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1430877

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1655194

Second, your point that everything in an aquarium is unnatural is fundamentally flawed. Although it is true that the MEANS used to maintain our aquariums (e.g, artificial lighting instead of the sun, powerheads and pumps instead of waves, tides and currents, etc.) are not natural, the goal is to acheive OBJECTIVELY MEASURED CONDITIONS found in nature (e.g., PAR values similar to the sun at depth and random waterflow similar to that found on the reef). Those objective criteria are what drive livestock health - how one acheives them is irrelevant (a coral does not care if it is receiving energy from a metal halide bulb or the sun, as long as the light it receives is of similar intensity, spectrum and duration). Salinity is one of the most improtant of those objective criteria and therefore our goal (which incidentally is easily attainable) should be to mimic the salinity conditions found in nature.

As for dogma, I totally agree that there are many things in this hobby that are up for interpretation, such as whether or not to dose, add trace elements, feed corals/anemones or run GAC/GFO. That is not the case with salinity, which should not be allowed to fall below 1.023 or raise above 1.027. Individual aquarists may have preferences within that range, but it is beyond dispute that corals and other inverts will eventually suffer if kept in salinities outside that range long-term. Your arguments may be more persuasive if I was rigidly advocating a specific salinity, such as 1.026 SG, however that is not my position. There is a range of tolerance. 1.022 is outside of that range.

It is also beyond dispute that, at least initially (until things are stable and dialed in), one should regularly test alkalinity.