Newbie here, wondering what the ideal salinity/specific gravity level is and temp?

[zapawaf]

I'm sure this question has been asked a million times but I keep hearing and seeing different things, or people asking similar questions but in reference to coral tanks?
I picked up a 30 gallon tank a few weeks ago and was tired of it just sitting there so I went to a couple local pet stores and asked and then surfed the web here and seemed to get different answers.
What is the ideal salinity/specific gravity level?
At first I was told to keep it in the middle of the markings on my hydrometer, then I was told between 1.018-1.020 which would be completely different, and then browsing around here it seems people like to keep their reef tanks around 1.020-1.028.
That being said. I've had my tank cycling over a week, at 82 degrees at the moment with a SG level at about 1.022, so before I decide to add FW or SW I need to know where I should really be, because right now I'm not feeling confident

 

[bang guy]

Quote:
What is the ideal salinity/specific gravity level?
There is no such thing because the ocean temperatures and salinities vary depending on season and location.
My suggestion is to research where your animals thrive best in the wild and use the averages from that location.

 

[geoj]

I keep my tank at a Salinity around 1.024-1.027sg or 32-36ppt
The world map shows how the salinity of the oceans changes slightly from around 32ppt (3.2%) to 40ppt (4.0%). Low salinity is found in cold seas, particularly during the summer season when ice melts. High salinity is found in the ocean 'deserts' in a band coinciding with the continental deserts. Due to cool dry air descending and warming up, these desert zones have very little rainfall, and high evaporation. The Red Sea located in the desert region but almost completely closed, shows the highest salinity of all (40ppt) but the Mediterranean Sea follows as a close second (38ppt). Lowest salinity is found in the upper reaches of the Baltic Sea (0.5%). The Dead Sea is 24% saline, containing mainly magnesium chloride MgCl2. Shallow coastal areas are 2.6-3.0% saline and estuaries 0-3%.
So I don't get flamed I will say look in to what you keep and find the range and location and crosscheck them. Most will fall in to the same range an will do well if change to salinity is slow.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I've always kept all of my reef tanks between 1.024 and 1.026, regardless of the location of where the corals came from. Corals tend to adapt to different tanks and situations. Some corals do really well and grow quickly at some salinities and worse at others.
As far as temp goes, it's the same thing, it depends on the region. However, I find that a tank does pretty good between 78F and 84F. Some tanks that are species specific, such as coldwater NPS tanks, some jellyfish tanks, and catalina gobies. So, do some research and figure out what you like and then research their requirements for keeping the livestock that you have chosen.
There's no real one clear cut answer to it - and that is why you are getting mixed answers. lol