salinity levels

[frozenguy]

i am doing a reef tank....should my salinity be at 1.022 or at 1.018?????
or if not those two, what should the be at?
i'm gonna have a few clowns, a tang and an angel....maybe a small eel...

 

[frozenguy]

well, i'm actually getting a 90 gallon tank soon....so.......

 

[frozenguy]

but in any event, you think 1.022 is sufficiant? maybe even 1.023 or 1.024?

 

[tracklighter]

Frozenguy,
As Jwtrojan said, please wait on the tang until you have your 90 gallon tank up and running and CYCLED.
Remember what I said not too long ago: there is a lot of stress involved with catching the fish and moving them to another tank. It is not as easy as moving a puppy to a bigger yard.
I would reconsider getting an eel (even if you do get a 90 gallon) for a reef.

 

[frozenguy]

i'm not getting the fishes now..........
i'm just preparing myself for when i do.....
besides the fish, what salinity levels do i want?
anyways, why if i get a small tang, cant i put it in a smaller tank? i mean, its not like it gets big within 3 monts.....it takes years....

 

[bang guy]

Sure, a small Tang will fit in a small tank. However it will be constantly stressed and it's life expectanct will be decreased at LEAST 90%. They need swimming space... even the small ones... actually... especially the small ones.
Keep your salinity at NSW levels... that's 35 - 36ppt. Everything will be healthier, live longer, and breed more often.

 

[killafins]

Don't add ur tang for like a week or two!!! the longer u wait the better off u r!! 1.024 should be sufficient.

 

[frozenguy]

1.024 seems high!
so i should add more salt if i am at 1.022/1.023??

 

[frozenguy]

so, what is the best way to bring the salt level up?
you say top it off with salt water? but not to just add salt? why is that?...there isn't anything in the tank either......its just live rock......

 

[waterwolf]

I have had good luck with corals keeping it at 1.023

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by frozenguy
1.024 seems high!

I don't understand. How can a level significantly BELOW the level of the ocean they came from seem high??

 

[frozenguy]

no need to be like that.....i dont know what level the salinity of the ocean is....sorry......its just i heard that for a fish only it should be 1.018.......

 

[bang guy]

Oh, I wasn't being snotty... really...
The ocean salinity levels vary from 35ppt to a little over 36ppt (red sea is 36+). This equates to a S.G. of about 1.025 - 1.027 at a temp of 82 - 87F. These should be our targets for reef tanks.

 

[simm]

I keep my reef right at 1.026 but my FO I keep at 1.022.

 

[saltwaternewbie]

SO WITCH IS IT! 1.024, 1.023,1.022,1.025 what should i keep my reef tank at when i start it???? I hear a lot of things like this one place says 1.024, some will say 1.022 which is the best level to run your tank at

 

[simm]

You would be good with 1.022. All the other levels are personal prefs. I would go with 1.024 because some inverts and corals like a higher salinity. 1.022 for FO is good because most fish can tolerate a lower level of 1.022. Thats why in this hobby you need to research, research.

 

[fishguy56]

Let's see from reading all of this my REEF will be 1.025!!!

 

[fender]

It is a matter of preference and things will do "ok" at 1.022 or so.... but as Bang said, if you want your reef to be close to natural sea water and have a healthier, happier occupants 1.025-1.027 is best. Period. Not much to really discuss.
EDIT: I just realized this is a REALLY old post

 

[hatessushi]

I keep mine at 1.025 for reef with inverts, fish, corals and such. 1.025 is perfect so go with 1.025. Are you going with 1.025? I would.

 

[hatessushi]

ROFL!!! it is an old post...