salinity

[Systemwizardinc]

is it ok to ave the salinity a little high in a reef I know in the wild at a reef it is higher :fish2:

 

[ryeguyy84]

How high?

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[Tripod1404]

I would say yes, within a reasonable margin of course. I keep it around 1.027. Some parts of red sea has sg around 1.031, though I have never heard someone keeping it that in an aquarium.

 

[mcgyvr]

Define a little high...salinity is not exactly the same in all bodies of water..

What is your reasoning for running higher levels?

 

[Uncle99]

Keep in mind, higher salinities put undo stress on fish as the higher the salt content, the harder it is for them to process (breath)

 

[Tripod1404]

Keep in mind, higher salinities put undo stress on fish as the higher the salt content, the harder it is for them to process (breath)

Its not harder for them to breath. Their kidneys just need to work harder.

 

[Uncle99]

Its not harder for them to breath. Their kidneys just need to work harder.

Less oxygen can be disolved in high salt concentrations.
just raise your salinity and watch your fish go to the bottom, sit, and pant like a doggy.

Many times we have lowered a customers salinity when their fish is stressed.
You can see the instant change in their breathing.

Raising salinity beyond normal has no functional value, and we keep only corals at 1.0255.
Fish all kept and/or transport in 1.019-1.020

 

[Tripod1404]

Less oxygen can be disolved in high salt concentrations.
just raise your salinity and watch your fish go to the bottom, sit, and pant like a doggy.

Many times we have lowered a customers salinity when their fish is stressed.
You can see the instant change in their breathing.

Raising salinity beyond normal has no functional value, and we keep only corals at 1.0255.
Fish all kept and/or transport in 1.019-1.020

Which is negligible for salinity differences we are talking about. The difference of oxygen solubility between full fresh water and 35ppt salt water is about 10%. You are talking about the difference between 35ppt and 40ppt. The change on oxygen solubility for that is equivalent to a change in oxygen solubility in response to 2-3C change in water temperature. Most aquariums are already 2-3C coolar than natural reefs anyways. At worse those would balance it out.


I have kept my salinity at 40ppt for years and no fish went to the bottom and pant like a dog. Neither does red sea fish that naturally live in a 41ppt sea, or fish that live in 38ppt Mediterranean sea does it.

In hyper-saline water, fish will die due to dehydration long before a negligible drop in oxygen. It is also why fish infected with gill parasites gets less stressed in lower salinity water. Those parasites damage the gill lining and cause osmotic stress and dehydration. Lower salinity water lowers osmotic stress, so it helps with that. Panting is a response to stress and pain in genera, it doesn't only indicate less oxygen.

 

[ThRoewer]

I would try to keep the salinity at the lower margin. It's not only better for the animals, especially the fish, but also for the wallet.

The only tanks where I try to keep the salinity high (~45"°) are the ones with my tigger pod cultures.

 

[Systemwizardinc]

it is between 1.027 and 1.029

 

[mcgyvr]

it is between 1.027 and 1.029

Its fine...1.025-1.026 would be slightly better