How important is it to have a higher salinity with coral/anemones?

[Weboh]

For the past month, I've been trying to get my salinity up by doing small frequent changes with saltier water (a gallon or so, every other day). I found out why it's taken so long: My LFS hasn't been giving me saltier reef water. It's at 1.021.

The guy at my LFS says that corals can do fine in lower salinity and that he keeps his reef tank at 1.020. He says everything does fine in that tank and that he's found it good to have it lower because that way there's more leeway (if something comes up and he can't monitor his tank or top it off for awhile or whatever, the water can get saltier without going into 1.027+ territory and killing everything).

However, everything I've read seems to show that coral and anemones really do prefer higher salinity"”1.023 is minimum for zoanthids and 1.024 for BTAs. Is the guy at my LFS crazy? I should probably still try to get the salinity up before getting a BTA, right? (No, not by buying premixed water from them. I'm glad I found out it's so low before I had something in there that needed the higher salinity... I bought some Instant Ocean salt and will be mixing my own to do water changes with. Zoas don't need reef salt, do they? They'd be fine with normal Instant Ocean salt? The guy at my LFS said they don't, but I've learned not to take him at his word. )

 

[heathlindner25]

Why don't you keep your salinity somewhere that matches the ocean?

 

[Timfish]

From first hand experience over a couple decades with multiple systems and reading as much as I can on the subject I can confidently say corals and anemones do fine anywhere between 1.020 and 1.030. However, if you look at the rate of photosynthesis of zoxanthellae it's best at a salinity of 1.026 (38 PPT). I've also not seen any apparent affect on corals with a sudden 10% change in salinity although I would expect it to have some affect on the calcification rate.

 

[WLachnit]

Why don't you keep your salinity somewhere that matches the ocean?

Based on the first post, I think it's because the OP gets his water from the LFS.

 

[Xxero]

It doesn't matter that the LFS water is at 1.021. If you're wanting to raise the specific gravity, just top off your tank's evaporation with the 1.021 water (instead of fresh water) until it reaches the desired SG. :bigeyes:

 

[Ron Reefman]

The guy for the LFS isn't crazy... but not trusting what your LFS says is a very good idea.

Salinity of 1.027 or higher isn't going to kill anything. My tanks are in the 1.025 to 1.029 range most of the time.

Any coral can survive and even grow in regular old IO salt. Stony corals will do better in IO Reef Crystals. But you can add Ca, alk and Mg to regular IO and make it work perfectly. It isn't rocket science, but you need to understand what is going on in the tank.

 

[Cliving1]

I believe a consistent level is better than anything

 

[kmbyrnes]

Anything 1.023 - 1.028 will be fine. I tend to be 1.025 or 1.026. IMO, consistent is more important than specific.
The only time to trust your LFS is when they say 'That fish lives in water'. Otherwise, check for yourself and ask here if you are unsure.
I used regular IO for a couple of years and my tanks were just fine. I decided to try Reef Crystals and was amazed at the difference in my LPS and SPS. I switched back for a few months and definitely saw a drop in coral growth and PE.
So for me the few extra $$ per box is worth it. YMMV

 

[mcgyvr]

To a LFS lower salinity = lower yearly salt cost..
lower cost = more profit

 

[Shamous113]

salinity does affect the rate of photosynthesis of zoxanthellae, too low or too high for long periods of time isn't good for the health of the coral. Here is a in depth paper on the effects that small variations salinity have on coral health http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/181/m181p309.pdf

 

[JZinCO]

To a LFS lower salinity = lower yearly salt cost..
lower cost = more profit

I would buy that but I thought it was the ol' wives tale about lower end salinity and fish disease? Least that's what my LFS told me.

OP, I have gone between 1.20 and 1.30. And know others that have gone lower in a saltwater tank. I would buy the argument that high sg is kept in order to maintain greater concentration of Mg, Ca, etc. With a higher concentration more growth/uptake can occur before any one element limits growth.

Given that argument, because I keep softies, I feel that I can get away with lower salinity.

 

[anthonys51]

To a LFS lower salinity = lower yearly salt cost..
lower cost = more profit

i get so mad when people think its a money issue. its so stupid it hurts my head
how many gallons of water a month do you think they change or go though.

lets say they change 1000 gallons. the difference between 1.17 and 1.26 for 1000 gallons of water, i will say is one full bucket of salt. there cost 35 bucks a month, even if you duble that its 70 bucks a month

Do you have any idea what it cost to run a retail store. rent,electric, cost of good, labor, insurance, etc. Your looking at probable looking at 35- 50K a month minimum

do you really think they care about 70 bucks a month with all that cost

they do it because of diseases and there wholesalers ship the fish at lower levels.

just like when we qt a fish, we set our qt to match the water the fish come from, they do the same thing, can you image having to try to drip 300 fish at once.

 

[Sk8r]

Water chemistry is 9/10ths of this hobby. Get your own ro/di, mix your own salt water with a salt of your choosing and life will be less complex. Ro water from the supermarket coupled with a cheap tds meter (to be sure it's ro) and your own mixing pump can get you off this merrygoround and put you in control of your salinity.

 

[heathlindner25]

i get so mad when people think its a money issue. its so stupid it hurts my head
how many gallons of water a month do you think they change or go though.

lets say they change 1000 gallons. the difference between 1.17 and 1.26 for 1000 gallons of water, i will say is one full bucket of salt. there cost 35 bucks a month, even if you duble that its 70 bucks a month

Do you have any idea what it cost to run a retail store. rent,electric, cost of good, labor, insurance, etc. Your looking at probable looking at 35- 50K a month minimum

do you really think they care about 70 bucks a month with all that cost

they do it because of diseases and there wholesalers ship the fish at lower levels.

just like when we qt a fish, we set our qt to match the water the fish come from, they do the same thing, can you image having to try to drip 300 fish at once.

The fish stores I visit and are friends with the owners all mix salt for economical reasons.
They go through a ton of salt and it adds up quickly.

 

[Crooked Reef]

Actually my lfs does drip their fish when they get them in. I have seen pictures posted online as well as have been there hours before they opened and witnessed it personally. They check the sg and combine the fish in containers, predator fish separate as well as inverts separate and drip them.

 

[victorcan]

i get so mad when people think its a money issue. its so stupid it hurts my head
how many gallons of water a month do you think they change or go though.

lets say they change 1000 gallons. the difference between 1.17 and 1.26 for 1000 gallons of water, i will say is one full bucket of salt. there cost 35 bucks a month, even if you duble that its 70 bucks a month

Do you have any idea what it cost to run a retail store. rent,electric, cost of good, labor, insurance, etc. Your looking at probable looking at 35- 50K a month minimum

do you really think they care about 70 bucks a month with all that cost

they do it because of diseases and there wholesalers ship the fish at lower levels.

just like when we qt a fish, we set our qt to match the water the fish come from, they do the same thing, can you image having to try to drip 300 fish at once.

Im a business owner and I will tell you I don't skimp anything because of cost but I trim fat anywhere I can to save money, todays small business are getting harder and harder to compete with the big guys and or online sale, so while Id love to say its not a money thing, most times it is

 

[anthonys51]

The fish stores I visit and are friends with the owners all mix salt for economical reasons.
They go through a ton of salt and it adds up quickly.

Not talking about mixing salts. Talking about keeping tanks at lesser salinity to save money.

Plus your speaking in generalizations. Like a politician.

Let's do the math.
Pet store has 10000 of fish tanks
They do 20 percent water change a week
Plus add 30 precent for when they sell corals and fish

That's 5000 a week in water
25 cases of I/0 at 25 bucks a case 625

So Keeping your salinity at 1.017 instead of
1.025 will save you won't save them any real money. Save you 200 bucks. If your running 10000 of water system and trying to save 200 bucks a month. That's silly



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[anthonys51]

Im a business owner and I will tell you I don't skimp anything because of cost but I trim fat anywhere I can to save money, todays small business are getting harder and harder to compete with the big guys and or online sale, so while Id love to say its not a money thing, most times it is

I own a small business too. Money is always in consideration. But as a small business you can't compete with the big boy in price Only way you can beat them is in quality and service. So for a small petshop to keep there salt at 1.020 just to save 200 bucks a month while harming there Corals would be silly. Now most of us think our lfs are all stupid. Just like the coaches of our favorite sports teams are all stupid. But they did something right to get to where they are


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[victorcan]

I own a small business too. Money is always in consideration. But as a small business you can't compete with the big boy in price Only way you can beat them is in quality and service. So for a small petshop to keep there salt at 1.020 just to save 200 bucks a month while harming there Corals would be silly. Now most of us think our lfs are all stupid. Just like the coaches of our favorite sports teams are all stupid. But they did something right to get to where they are


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Anthony I am not saying they are doing that, they may just be stupid as you recommend LOL but I simply was responding to companies doing stupid thing for money all the time, again I want to reiterate I am not saying they are doing this just making a point of how difficult it is to run a business these days.. One of my favorites quotes by warren Buffett is "people don't get rich counting dollars, they get rich counting pennies" That being said I might be stupid judging a LFS for running such a low Gravity, maybe they've found the new method for incredible growth, health, and longevity ?? Or then again maybe just stupid.....

 

[anthonys51]

Yes I agree


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