Why 1.026?

[MTBake]

!!!HIGH SALINITY, AM I A ONE MAN GANG? OR ANYONE ELSE IN??

Not so curiously, this is another one of those subjects that I seem to find myself and explaining and repeating more often than others. Anytime I'll send over some system param's if someone ask's, the very first response, and usually alarmingly so, goes "Whoa! is that a typo, or do you really...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Jax15]

For those who are claiming that they have specific corals that do best at 1.024 vs 1.025 vs 1.026, I’m curious what instrument is being used to check the salinity and reach that conclusion? Almost all of the refractometers hobbyists typically use have a stated accuracy of +/- 0.001 sg — so a reading of 1.025 means only that the actual salinity is anywhere from 1.024 to 1.026...

Exact accuracy aside, it’s reasonable to think that if you aim for a higher reading on the instrument, it’ll be higher in actuality. So the question is less if 1.026 actual = 1.026, but rather if it’s better to keep your salinity a bit higher vs. a bit lower within the acceptable range.

I use an Apex, also have a basic refractometer. You’re right that neither are prob giving me the exact measure. You’re also right that this is largely anecdotal. It my previous build, I held at 1.025 and noticed my zoas performed a bit better than my SPS. Now I keep it at 1.026, and tend to notice the opposite. But, there’s a hundred different factors that have changed between the two builds, so who knows if that’s making that difference.

I’ll admit that for me it’s an educated guess.

 

[Back where it all began]

My zoas and some LPS at 1.028, they are absolutely happy and healthy.

Very nice!

 

[Back where it all began]

So based on what I’ve read from Randy etal, the most accurate measure of the nacl salinity would be at the mixing station and not in the tank as the other dissolved ions would ad to and alter the salinity reading.

 

[Back where it all began]

If so, then this brings us back to the idea that the nacl is only part of the equation and other Ions such as magnesium, calcium, strontium, etc are variables to be accounted for.