1.017 -to Low?

[shive]

hi,i have a 120 gallon with a yellow tang,blue tang,dogface puffer and a bird wrassel..my salt reading is 1.017..i'm real uncomfortable with that after reading some post..my kids in the tank are doing fine and have wonderful bright colors..the tank is about a year and two months old..looked back on my older records and my salt has always been this..should i slowly raise it or use the old adage if it aint broke,dont fix it? thanks for helping again

 

[stacyt]

If there are no inverts in the tank then it should be fine. Inverts need higher salinity than your fish. If you have any inverts then I would bring the salinity up very slowly to 1.024. Also what did you use to test the salinity? If you used a swing arm they can be off considerably. Try finding someone with a refractometer to check it.

 

[shive]

STACY, THANK YOU..I DID USE A SWING arm,but am going to the pet store in the am to get something drifferent to check it with..any suggestions?

 

[slick]

Get a refractometer. They are the best.

 

[stacyt]

I would also check the prices of the refractometer online. I've seen them as low as $60.

 

[doodle1800]

1.017 - set up for a year and 2 months and everything is fine?
I'd leave it alone.

 

[marinerock]

HEY SHIVE....
I HAVE A 125 AND APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO
I LOWERED THE SALINITY TO 1.015 BECAUSE I HAD
ICK IN THE TANK...I HAVENT RAISED IT BACK UP
BECAUSE THE FISH AND CRABS LOOK GREAT AND ARE
DOING JUST FINE....
THE LOWER SALINITY IS LESS STRESSFUL FOR THE
FISH AND AS LONG AS EVERYONE LOOKS GOOD AND
ARE EATING WELL....YOU SHOULD BE JUST FINE....
REGARDS....
MARINEROCK

 

[fshhub]

Definitely the lower salinity is ok, But that is only if there are no inverts, teh corals and shrimp need a higher salinity. At minimum 1.022 but 4 or 5 is much better.