Low salinity at the LFS

[laga77]

I have had it with my LFS. Recently, I purchased a really nice, small, Tomini Tang from the LFS. In the past, the LFS has kept his "fish only" side at 1.018 -1.020 SG. The coral and invert side is kept at 1.022. This time when I got home the SG was 1.012 using a Milwaukee digital refractometer. After recalibrating the refractometer, this reading was correct. Luckily, I was able to adjust the salinity of the QT tank enough to make acclimation easier. This past weekend I was back in the store and talked to the owner about the low salinity. We argued about the levels of hypo salinity for parasite control, I am not a big fan of this, and about him running copper in the tanks along with the low SG. He states this is what works for him and he does`t get a lot of complaints like mine. I can believe this because I listen to the customers talk in this store and cannot understand how people can get into this hobby and know so little about it. Anyway, I will probably still get some corals from him in the future, but not fish. It is just too much trouble and too much risk.

 

[CHSUB]

very common for LFS to run low SG and should not be a problem for you or the fish!!!!

 

[Chad Vossen]

Low salinity is normal from the wholesalers, and common in the retailers. It's up to you to acclimate the fish to your tank properly. A good fish store owner/employee would explain acclimation to any new customer.

 

[billsreef]

At 1.012, it is low enough that a quick jump to full reef salinity could be stressful, and yet still a tad too high to be of any real value against any parasites. Also if a store is keeping fish at a salinity that low, they should really be advising their customers of this, IMO.

 

[laga77]

Like I said, I was able to drop the salinity in the QT and then acclimate to 1.026 over the next couple of days. The LFS is only saving money on his end and making more work for me, and no he does not tell his customers when he drops SG because he feels salt acclimation is not that important.

 

[Azedenkae]

Well the issue therein is that he doesn't explain it to the customer. I otherwise would always keep fish at a lower salinity too. Working in a LFS, I know for certain that for many places it is not about keeping costs down. Actually it's the reverse. We get salt water in really cheap, and it would be super cheap to just use said salt water to fill up our tanks. The amount of time, effort and extra water and calibration it takes makes it much more costly, but it is better for the fish. And so we do it.

We personally always explain it to the customers, and that is where my problem with this stands.

 

[snorvich]

At 1.012, it is low enough that a quick jump to full reef salinity could be stressful, and yet still a tad too high to be of any real value against any parasites. Also if a store is keeping fish at a salinity that low, they should really be advising their customers of this, IMO.

I agree. They do it to save money on salt. If you adjust your receiving water in quarantine then it is no problem.

 

[ca1ore]

Lots of things to get outraged over; this doesn't seem like one of them. My LFS always tell me they run 1.018 for their fish system, but it almost always ends up being more like 1.015. Just throw a bit of salt in the QT ATO and bringing up over a week or two.

 

[ThRoewer]

A lowered salinity is by no means bad for fish.
Back in Germany I was running most of my broodstock and larva tanks at around 1.017 kg/l.
Not only was it saving salt but also producing larger larva: larva have to osmoregulate too and having to pump less salt means being able to grow more with the same energy reserves.
I was able to raise my ocellaris and percula completely without rotifers. The larva would eat freshly hatched brine shrimp nauplia right away and could be switched to small frozen Cyclops around day 5.

 

[Icefire]

The problem is for people who don't QT, they end up acclimating a fish from 1.012-17 to 1.026 in less than an hour when it should be done over days.

I guess the LFS must sell more fish that way, for all those who don't make it past the osmotic shock.

 

[anthonys51]

my local fish store guy says the run it at 1.018. and he told me there isn't too much shock if you drip it from 1.018 to my tank at 1.025. he said fish can make that jump over 30 mins to an hour no problem. on here i hear different. who to believe

 

[snorvich]

my local fish store guy says the run it at 1.018. and he told me there isn't too much shock if you drip it from 1.018 to my tank at 1.025. he said fish can make that jump over 30 mins to an hour no problem. on here i hear different. who to believe

Well, in figuring out who to believe, follow the money!

:beer:

 

[anthonys51]

True. I own a pizzeria. And when people do catering I never recommend how much food to get on the lower end lol

 

[Zoodiver]

Low salinity is common practice and a very smart move for the health of the fish at the store as well as keeping over head low.
Also, telling someone how to do their job in their store is often received poorly and is typically viewed as unprofessional.

 

[snorvich]

Low salinity is common practice and a very smart move for the health of the fish at the store as well as keeping over head low.
Also, telling someone how to do their job in their store is often received poorly and is typically viewed as unprofessional.

I don't see anyone in this thread telling someone how to do their job. Do you?

 

[laga77]

I never told him how to do his job. I still feel 1.012 is too low. Everyone who has responded here has stated keeping fish at 1.018 is not a problem. There are different opinions at which SG to keep fish only tanks and thats fine. Twenty five years ago when I first started in SW, that is what we kept our tanks at. I have since changed my opinion on this. My point is that his salt level is so low. It adds to the stress level of the fish and/or my work in acclimating. Also as stated in my OP, the level of skill of some of his customers will not take into account this low SG. Especially since he doesn`t tell his customers. As a customer, I feel I can complain about his wares in a polite way if I see fit. Which is what I did, after all, I have been going into his shop for over three years and we are on a first name basis. Now, what happens if I keep my mouth shut? How low is it going to go? He has to know someone is watching.

 

[snorvich]

In general, for a fish only system, a slightly lower SG (e.g 1.018) means it is easier for fish to osmoregulate and if I were doing that, that SG is where I would keep it. Fish can be accepted at any reasonable SG as long as receiving water matches transport water.

 

[Zoodiver]

I don't see anyone in this thread telling someone how to do their job. Do you?

From the first post:

...We argued about the levels of hypo salinity for parasite control, I am not a big fan of this, and about him running copper in the tanks along with the low SG. He states this is what works for him and he does`t get a lot of complaints like mine...

He will run his salinity and meds as he see fits to maintain a profitable business based on what works for him. Walking into his store and arguing with him about it is why I made my comment.

 

[snorvich]

From the first post:



He will run his salinity and meds as he see fits to maintain a profitable business based on what works for him. Walking into his store and arguing with him about it is why I made my comment.

Thanks. I agree. As aquarists, we can accommodate virtually any circumstantial situation; it just takes understanding of what needs to be done to do so.

 

[Mrs. Music]

I was quite ticked to find a new fav road trip store always said they kept their SG at 1.020. Actually 1.010 was more like it. It was late, I was tired, had to work early the next day, and I had to stay up late fixing the QT SG. The QT was also housing a problem left handed hermit so I had to just hope for the best. STOOPID STORE!