Reef Stallion
Active Member
Having been in this hobby for over 20 years I remember how often recommendations for salinity have changed. When I started off the recommended specific gravity (SG) was 1.022-1.023. Recommendations were not to mimic natural seawater but to make it easier on fish by targeting a lower SG. Back then I didn't invest in ATO and don't recall even knowing about them. Being somewhat of a procrastinator I often didn't top off as often as I should and my SG rose. I soon noticed that at a higher SG my tank looked better. Things advanced in the hobby and things changed to SALINITY and measuring salt water in ppt. Natural reef keeping started to take hold and 35ppt was the go to answer for tanks. Hydrometers were out and refractometers were in. Now the hobby has "specialized" to the extent that we keep our tanks at the habitat that the animals we keep like to live in. Depending on what ocean reef the animal is harvested from we see different water parameters. To further complicate things, there is an inverse relationship between temperature and salinity. As the water temperature rises, the SG decreases.
As most reef addicts know, we like to keep the best of every reef. Although I admire the purist who keeps the "lagoon" reef or the "crest" reef, most of us mix and match all types of corals from all over the world and expect it to "work". I am no different. It is amazingly American to want to have the best of everything from everywhere. Our aquarium culture is no different, a reef keepers "melting pot".
So the question becomes "What are the specific gravity/salinity and temperature that leads to the best reef environment for the melting pot tank that most of us desire?
As most reef addicts know, we like to keep the best of every reef. Although I admire the purist who keeps the "lagoon" reef or the "crest" reef, most of us mix and match all types of corals from all over the world and expect it to "work". I am no different. It is amazingly American to want to have the best of everything from everywhere. Our aquarium culture is no different, a reef keepers "melting pot".
So the question becomes "What are the specific gravity/salinity and temperature that leads to the best reef environment for the melting pot tank that most of us desire?
