What Salinity Is More Harmful To Corals?

[reeftankdude]

Which salinity is more harmful to corals 1.020 to 1.025 or 1.025 to 1.030? I do not have a drip system. Should I set my salinity at 1.025 and let it go up to 1.030 or set it at 1.020 and let it go up to 1.025? Been looking for a simple inexpensive drip system, but cant find one. Thanks all

 

[vetteguy53081]

1.027 and above no good

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Just a stable control of salinity is more ideal, depends on corals and inhabitants you want to keep however avoid all sharp rises and drops in salinity

 

[Thor2j]

1.027 and above no good

So just curious. 35 ppt is the recommended level by most. That translates to 1.0264 and you are saying 1.027 is bad??

 

[afrokobe]

So just curious. 35 ppt is the recommended level by most. That translates to 1.0264 and you are saying 1.027 is bad??

i think anything above 1.027 is bad based on that statement. you can go up to 1.027

 

[vetteguy53081]

So just curious. 35 ppt is the recommended level by most. That translates to 1.0264 and you are saying 1.027 is bad??

1.024-1.025 has been industry standard for decades. Ocean salinity is 1.025 and considered universal number
1.027 is out of norm and reduces dissolved oxygen however high salinity often reduces heat stress if coral although high temperature should be controlled

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It cannot be correct that a sg of 1.027 is bad. Corals mostly thrive in 35-38 pot natural seawater in the ocean, which has sg = 1.0264 to 1.0287.

“Salinity grow in normal ocean salinity, ideally 35-38 ppt. However, some corals have been known to grow in the extreme salinities of the Red Sea, of up to 40 ppt.”

CoralGeography - coraldigest

www.coraldigest.org

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

1.024-1.025 has been industry standard for decades. Ocean salinity is 1.025 and considered universal number
1.027 is out of norm

That is not correct.
IMO, the old low recommendations were likely based on a misunderstanding of the difference between density and sg, and partly on cost.

 

[akau]

1.024-1.025 has been industry standard for decades. Ocean salinity is 1.025 and considered universal number
1.027 is out of norm and reduces dissolved oxygen however high salinity often reduces heat stress if coral although high temperature should be controlled

The ocean here is 1.028 so that's what I run my tank at so water changes are easy. Plus all my inhabitants are hand collected.

 

[damsels are not mean]

Which salinity is more harmful to corals 1.020 to 1.025 or 1.025 to 1.030? I do not have a drip system. Should I set my salinity at 1.025 and let it go up to 1.030 or set it at 1.020 and let it go up to 1.025? Been looking for a simple inexpensive drip system, but cant find one. Thanks all

Why do you need to let it go up or down? I can't imagine evaporation being so high that you can't keep it stable?

 

[gbru316]

Which salinity is more harmful to corals 1.020 to 1.025 or 1.025 to 1.030? I do not have a drip system. Should I set my salinity at 1.025 and let it go up to 1.030 or set it at 1.020 and let it go up to 1.025? Been looking for a simple inexpensive drip system, but cant find one. Thanks all

Siphon controlled top offs are around $10. Float/pump top-offs can be had for $40.

Either of those would be a better option than a drip system. You'll never be able to match evaporation because it changes with humidity, so at best you'd just be reducing the amplitude of salinity swings. Not eliminating them.

 

[reeftankdude]

1.027 and above no good

Cool. what is the lowest I could go.

Siphon controlled top offs are around $10. Float/pump top-offs can be had for $40.

Either of those would be a better option than a drip system. You'll never be able to match evaporation because it changes with humidity, so at best you'd just be reducing the amplitude of salinity swings. Not eliminating them.

links please

 

[gbru316]

Siphon ATO
Float switch ATO

 

[vetteguy53081]

Cool. what is the lowest I could go.

links please

1.023 with the exception of hyposalinity for treatment of disease which is 1.009

 

[damsels are not mean]

Siphon controlled top offs are around $10. Float/pump top-offs can be had for $40.

Depending on size of tank and evaporation there's also the classic milk jug next to the tank

 

[KrisReef]

The ocean here is 1.028 so that's what I run my tank at so water changes are easy. Plus all my inhabitants are hand collected.

I had a vacation planned to visit my old buddy Tangaroa in Rarotonga when your island closed for COVID-19. We had rented a cottage on the beach and I was eager to see the lagoon again but that option was lost.
I want a clam, can you help me? Or a blue starfish, ect.

 

[Ef4life]

I start to take corrective actions at 1.028, my reef tends to run at 1.026-.027, dosing 2 part Increases salinity over time

 

[KrisReef]

Which salinity is more harmful to corals 1.020 to 1.025 or 1.025 to 1.030? I do not have a drip system. Should I set my salinity at 1.025 and let it go up to 1.030 or set it at 1.020 and let it go up to 1.025? Been looking for a simple inexpensive drip system, but cant find one. Thanks all

I have used a gravity feed 5 gallon bucket that I added a 1/4 inch plastic hose fitting near the bottom that flows to a cheap eBay float shut off valve in my sump. I have had to replace the in sump float switch twice in 11 years, otherwise I just have to remember to top off the 5 gallon bucket (with lid) every couple of days during summer and once/ week in the wet season. Totally cheap and very reliable, no electronics to fail.

Edit: Forgot to mention, I can set the salinity to Rarotonga or LFS low salinity and keep it where I choose. It does not move. 150 gallon system, one sump, one gravity feed top off to a passive float switch in a sump with splash waves present, it still rocks steady.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

1.023 on a low to 1.026 optimal. Stability 1.025-.026 tbh.

 

[Uncle99]

It’s not the level that matters as much as the flux, flux creates instability in your chemistry which corals will not like much.
Haven’t seen much on the lower end but some super tanks at 1.027 and 1.028, however, the flux was zero always.