Specific Gravity
- Thread starter hartog
- Start date
kris
Member
I hate to do it, but I disagree slightly. If you are still adding fish at this point keep a relatively low s.g. like 1.021 as this will reduce the water loss stress on your new fish. Once your tank is fully stocked slowly allow your s.g. to rise to about 1.022 to 1.023. I have never heard of going any higher than 1.023.
krazzydart
Member
Originally posted by Hartog:
What specific gravity should my tank be at?
yup...they are right...
the rock
Member
the rock says....
most pet stores/suppliers keep their salinity low as do most hobbyists because it lowers the chance of diseases running amok in your tank. but a healthy tank with corals and inverts and healthy fish that is stable should be kept higher as it will contribute to the health of those particular items. i believe the salinity in the Red Sea is even much much higher if that gives you any indication, maybe upwards of 1.035. so there, lol, an established tank much higher and healthier, a new tank or a inexperienced person lower than 1.024 and keep trying, obviously we can never make our tanks as healthy as the ocean and that is why the levels are so high, because of the health of the ocean itself, so in our tanks it need to be kept lower
most pet stores/suppliers keep their salinity low as do most hobbyists because it lowers the chance of diseases running amok in your tank. but a healthy tank with corals and inverts and healthy fish that is stable should be kept higher as it will contribute to the health of those particular items. i believe the salinity in the Red Sea is even much much higher if that gives you any indication, maybe upwards of 1.035. so there, lol, an established tank much higher and healthier, a new tank or a inexperienced person lower than 1.024 and keep trying, obviously we can never make our tanks as healthy as the ocean and that is why the levels are so high, because of the health of the ocean itself, so in our tanks it need to be kept lower
kris
Member
First, you must remember how the marine fish works.. He takes in water through the mouth and is constantly losing it through his skin and therefore excretes only salt.(totally unlike the freshwater which only takes water in through his skin and urinates constantly. Anyway the higher the salinity the harder he has to work to maintain his internal balance, in a sense it would be like someone raising the temperature while we were jogging, the hotter it gets the harder our bodies work to keep ourselves cool. Somepeople believe however, that the lower or higher than average salinity will prevent parasites, but in fact parasites will adjust just as well if not better than will our fish. I am firm 1.022 person. I hope this wasn't too confusing.
kris
Member
By no means am I saying that lower (low to me means under 1.022, with average being 1.022 to 1.024,) salinity = longer life in our aquariums. But when the stress level for your fish is high for some other reasons, like when you first get them, it is definately helpful to keep it on the low side (like 1.021-1.022) until your fish and your tank are fully acclimated and established in a healthy enviroment. Point is we both agree on 1.022 so who cares why??