Safe SG for inverts

[HOBrien]

So basically I am trying to figure out when I can move my inverts from my QT to the main DT based on the SG of my DT. I have a sea urchin, a few hermits, and a Sally Lightfoot that made it through the hypo I did on the DT and are still doing well as I am raising the SG back up but I am at a stand still on raising it up because of income restraints for the next month.

The Current SG is 1.014 in the DT and the SG in the QT is 1.018 and the inverts are doing great in there but I am needing them in the DT for some cleanup of the fishes messes.

Also on a side note would the Agar Algae I have in the QT be ok to move over to the Refugium part of the sump as well?

 

[greenbean36191]

Anything lower than about 1.024 is not safe for most inverts in the hobby.

 

[HOBrien]

I dont see how that is when they are doing just fine in 1.018 in the QT tank for the last 2 weeks.

 

[greenbean36191]

They aren't doing fine- they just aren't dead yet. Whether it has manifest itself externally yet or not, you are causing serious damage to the animals.

Most inverts are osmoconformers, which means their internal salinity is roughly the same as their surroundings. That's fine as long as they stay within the narrow range of salinities they evolved in. However, outside of that range their cellular functions go haywire. They have trouble regulating things like ion concentrations that allow their nerves and muscles to function or to eliminate waste. This is the basis of hyposalinity after all, only there it's taken to the extreme that the damage is severe enough to cause death within minutes to hours rather than weeks. This is also the reason that there are large die-offs on shallow fringing reefs during heavy runoff events.

 

[HOBrien]

Yes I do understand the whole concept of hypo and the affect it has on the inverts.

So pretty much what you are saying is no invert is ok in anything less than 1.024 which is higher than most people keep their tanks which is usually 1.018-1.022.

Also so since I wont be keeping my SG any higher than 1.021 I should get rid of all inverts and my LR and LS as well.........

 

[greenbean36191]

I'm not saying that no inverts are ok at salinities below 1.024, but most reef invertebrates aren't. Most reef keepers keep their tanks at or above that level. Below that you can count on replacing most of your inverts, especially your clean up crew, regularly.

 

[HOBrien]

I guess when I do get the new bucket of salt in I will go ahead and raise it to where I used to keep my 120 at which is 1.025.