Minimum salinity
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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I'm not really sure, but I expect you can keep it,lower if you want.
The reason is cost?
The reason is cost?
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I had it as low as 1.010 and I had issues with live stock and algae growth.
Can only assume that bacteria started to die off at 1.010 and why I raised it back up 1.015.
Can only assume that bacteria started to die off at 1.010 and why I raised it back up 1.015.
redfishbluefish
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I'm scratching my head on this one. Am I missing something? We are talking about already cured and cycled rock....so no water changes needed. And unless we are talking about thousand and thousand of pounds of rock, what are we talking about in the cost of salt? So if you cut the salinity from 1.026 to 1.015, you're talking about 1%. So on that 200 gallon box of IO that cost $40, you just saved 40 cents. Wow! That calculation just cost more than 40 cents worth of brain power. 
So what am I missing??? 
As I think about this more....you're going to spend more in electricity for heat and flow on the rock at home. If you want to save money, is there a possibility to just leave it at the LFS.
So what am I missing??? As I think about this more....you're going to spend more in electricity for heat and flow on the rock at home. If you want to save money, is there a possibility to just leave it at the LFS.
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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How did you get 1%? Looks like 42% less salt to me to go from1.026 to 1.015. 
redfishbluefish
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Oops! I'm seeing it now. I did say, "what am I missing?" Obviously I'm missing a brain. I quickly used a change in SG as a direct correlation to cost. It doesn't work that way. You caught me Randy. Now I have to find Dorothy on her way to Oz so I can get a brain!
Just to clarify, 1.026 SG is 35 ppt, while 1.015 is 19.9 ppt. So we are talking about a 42-43% drop in amount of salt. Golly gee, there is a potential savings. I stand corrected. Thanks Randy for hitting me on the side of the head.
Just to clarify, 1.026 SG is 35 ppt, while 1.015 is 19.9 ppt. So we are talking about a 42-43% drop in amount of salt. Golly gee, there is a potential savings. I stand corrected. Thanks Randy for hitting me on the side of the head.
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rayn
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I'm not trying to be cheap here. I am just not ready to have my DT full and running.
Looking things over, I may just add it to my running coral QT instead. Easier then trying to maintain a low salt environment without it getting to low.
Looking things over, I may just add it to my running coral QT instead. Easier then trying to maintain a low salt environment without it getting to low.
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I never actually answered your OP....and here's my two cents. This is based on what I've seen....nothing I've actually done.
Hyposalinity for crypto is to hold salinity at 1.009 sg. They outright say that it will "kill" live rock. It obviously kills the crypto, and is not suggested for long periods with the fish because of the osmotic imbalance they experience. So bottom line, you don't want a salinity this low.
Now I know of many LFS's that maintain their tanks at 1.015-1.016sg...so we know that this works...for fish anyway. Although I've never seen live rock in any of the display tanks with fish, I've got to believe they circulate this same water through their live rock bins. The one store I saw the "back room," all the water to all tanks was the same.
So I'd say a safe level to keep live rock would be 1.015-1.016 sg.
Hyposalinity for crypto is to hold salinity at 1.009 sg. They outright say that it will "kill" live rock. It obviously kills the crypto, and is not suggested for long periods with the fish because of the osmotic imbalance they experience. So bottom line, you don't want a salinity this low.
Now I know of many LFS's that maintain their tanks at 1.015-1.016sg...so we know that this works...for fish anyway. Although I've never seen live rock in any of the display tanks with fish, I've got to believe they circulate this same water through their live rock bins. The one store I saw the "back room," all the water to all tanks was the same.
So I'd say a safe level to keep live rock would be 1.015-1.016 sg.
bobman
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If you are not ready for the tank to be running why buy live rock at all? Cant you turn it in for store credit till you are ready to use it? Then just pick up your rock on a later date this saves 100% on salt and everything else.
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rayn
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I am not buying any rock. When I moved the LFS set up a tank just to house my fish and some of my rock. Now that I am working on getting my tank up and running again, I have my fish back and basically forgot about the rock out there. I just don't want it to dry out
