Newbie question time

[cronos]

My wife and I started our first aquarium 6 weeks ago. We have no experience with fish and most of our knowledge comes from the Marine Aquarium problem solver by Nick Dakin, what ever information I can find on the web, and information from the posts on this board. Figured it was time to step forward and ask. One thing has been bothering me and maybe some of you can clear things up.
People at the store told me to keep the tank salt at 1.018 - 1.020 yet from reading I find it suggesting 1.020 - 1.024. I currently have it at 1.019. Should I increase it via waterchanges or leave it as is?
Incase you need some tank information here you go.
55 gallons
Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel 330
CPR Bak-Pak 2
3 Blue Damsels
2 Yellow Tail Damsels
1 3 Stripe Damsel
Thanks for any insight you may have.

 

[sod]

if you plan on having corals anoemies or any kind of eurothickins= star fish, urchins cucumbers(not sure what the word is) or gorgonians that you will have to have the salinity a little higher like 1.021-1.025 but if it is a fish only that the lower salinity will help the low salinity will put less stress on the fish i myself like it at 1.023 that way it can flucliate a bit and i dont have to worry

 

[kris]

1.019 is definately on the low side, but not harmful. I keep mine at 1.022 , yes you can increase it if you want like a point at a time each water change (so three water changes from now you'll be at 1.022) Any change made too fast will stress them out, and I'm sure from your book you've learned that stress is the main killer of fish. Good Luck you.

 

[otto13]

i keep all of my tanks at 1.023. "hint" if you have a high evaporation rate, you notice that your salinity level increases. so you may have 1.023 one week, and the next 1.025 the next.
otto

 

[fishgirl]

I keep al1 of my tanks at 1.023 as well. I deal with evaporation by adding small amounts of freshwater to keep it from going any higher than a point above at any time.