Ideal Salinity

gottalikesharks

New member
Like the title says what would you consider the ideal salinity in a mixed reef tank, my tank is cycling now, the salinity is at 32.9ppt or 1.025, I know how to easily raise or lower it but just want to get it right where it would be best before adding any livestock....
 
IMHO, anywhere in the 1.023 - 1.026 range is just fine. What is more important than the actual number is that it remains as close to your chosen point as possible with little fluctuation.

The same as Ca. Alk, and Mg, stability is what is most important.
 
For a mixed reef I would stay close to 1.026. With lower a salinity it is difficult to keep your calcium and alkalinity numbers high.
 
I think 1.024 or 1.025. 1.026 is ok---but as you know, evaporation is inevitable, which will cause the salinity to rise slightly before the ATO (autotopoff) cuts on and corrects it. So if you're all the way up to 1.026, evaporation can send the tank into slightly off territory. If you're at 1.024, it's LESS likely that any decent ATO will overfill and drop the salinity.

In either case, a sudden drop or rise in salinity of .002 is safe for most things, so the tank will take a little wobble in stride. Just keep it as stable as you can, and a well-functioning ATO is pretty well necessary.
 
As long as I can line up the water level somewhere in the green area of my hydrometer everything seems to be fine. I try to shoot for 1.026, but a little variation here & there never seems to hurt.
These corals/fish/invertebrates are a lot more resilient than one might think. GL.

 
I'm shooting for 1.026 and I have an ATO to help me keep it stable. I agree it swings a tiny bit even with an ATO but nothing like if I was trying to top it off by hand. I think it's more about keeping it stable than hitting a specific number. But 1.026 is an easy choice to me.
 
My Non electric, no sensor, no pump, automatic- DIY ATO keeps my ~320g system at 35.
I think most reef waters are 35 IIRC. What's that, about 1.0265-1.027?
 
My Non electric, no sensor, no pump, automatic- DIY ATO keeps my ~320g system at 35.
I think most reef waters are 35 IIRC. What's that, about 1.0265-1.027?

Do you have a thread about your ATO? Is it siphon-based? Sounds interesting. I didn't know what options there were and ended up with an AquaHub DIY (sensors, relay, pump).
 
Do you have a thread about your ATO? Is it siphon-based? Sounds interesting. I didn't know what options there were and ended up with an AquaHub DIY (sensors, relay, pump).

Well, yes and no. It's really gravity based.
When I think siphon, I think of something that that takes a fluid up and over something, and doesn't stop until the container is empty.

This is gravity based, utilizing 2 x heavy duty, fairly large float valves.
I know, I know- the haters will say, oh Float valves will stip, what if a snail.....

My RO/DI- the DI side goes to a plastic valve, then on to my resevoir- which is about 3 ft higher than my sump. The resevoir has a float valve to keep it at the level I want. (I also siphon a gallon out when I"m doing my dosing solutions) and then on to my sump- yep, another float valve.

For about 4 years- it has worked flawlessly. As soon as the sump level (my sump area alone is about 115g- in a 125g) drops at all from evaporation,
the DI water is trickled back in- it's on going thruout the day.

As I said, no pumps, no sensors, no electiricity, etc.

Engineers will tell you the more things you have in the system, the more they can go wrong.

** A heavy duty, plastic float valve can be found on Ebay for about 10-12$.
This system does not rely on the really cheapo floats that break when the water goes up too high, etc.

Some people can't simply use gravity.

I never have to 'fill' any containers or resevoits for my ATO- ever.
 
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