Salinity level by Temp of tank

[blade009]

How many of u adjust the salinity level according to the constant water temp you keep your tank @ ??

 

[swannyson7]

Most refractometers without auto temp compensation (ATC) are designed to be used at about room temp (20C~68F), while most hydrometers are meant to be used at the average temperature of our tanks (25C~77F). Refractometers should be kept inside the house (not outside where it may be cooler/warmer) and you should wait a few seconds after adding droplets onto the refractometer so that the water temp can equilibrate to the temp of your refractometer. If you're using a refractometer with ATC, this process should be followed during calibration, but isn't necessary after properly calibrated.

 

[blade009]

Maybe u didnt understand the question:
If u keep ur tank @ 83 degrees do u have a diffrent salinity than if u keep it @ 78 degrees. (See Link)
Seawater

 

[Netta Fish]

I have anyways wanted to know this too.. When ever Ido a change my water its either room temp because I forget to put a heater in my water bin or too hot because I forget I set the heater.. Does the temp really matter that much?

 

[blade009]

The question is if the fish and coral come from a area that the water temp is 83 vrs 78 degrees is the salinity level higher in that area?

 

[swannyson7]

The definition of salinity is such that it does not change as a function of temperature. What I think you're confusing is the way we measure salinity in terms of specific gravity. Varying temperatures lead to slightly varying densities of water, thus influencing our measurements of specific gravity. Although our tools for measuring salinity will vary at different water temperatures, the actual salinity does not change, just the results that our refractometers & hydrometers yield.

 

[bct15]

Salinity is the concentration of salt dissolved in water...this is a constant and will not change with temperature. What does change is the density, I believe specific gravity is inversely proportional to temperature. Meaning specific gravity (SG) will decrease as temperature increases. The devices we use to measure the salinity of our water actually measure the SG (density as simplification), for example hydrometers measure how much some item of a known SG floats in the water and is calibrated to indicate an SG based on the level the float comes to rest at an assumed temperature. If your water temp is higher than the assumed temperature than your hydrometer might read a little lower SG and if your water temp is a little lower than the assumed temp then you might read a slightly higher SG than the true SG. Then, a best estimation can be made of the salinity based off of the measured SG. The same principal applies for refractometers but a little different.

 

[whyzee429]

Red Sea excluded, do any of you know if the salinity of the oceans around the would varies that much between tropical regions and subtropics?
ie: Monterey Bay, Alaskan Coast, Bermuda etc.

 

[Russellaqua]

The salinity of the ocean does vary by location and time of year. Areas that receive a large amount of freshwater runoff (think of the Amazon River delta) will have lower salinities, and areas of high evaporation but low precipitation/runoff will have somewhat higher salinities. Here is a map from NASA showing the worldwide distribution of oceanic salinities. These measurements are for the surface of the ocean during a specific time period, and are in parts per thousand (per mil.) There will be some seasonal variation.

NASA - NASA's 'Salt of the Earth' Aquarius Reveals First Map

 

[whyzee429]

That's a pretty interesting map. Thank you!