An aquarist must measu. Any fluctuation will trigger some effects. Where is the scientific proof? I also realize that lower salinity water holds more oxygen as does lower temperature water. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2761.1979.tb00146.x/full. Phosphate enters the aquarium primarily by feeding the fish and can accumulate at an alarming rate. Commercial salt mixes, designed for aquariums, are added to a freshwater source, most commonly tap water or reverse osmosis deionized water. Newb73 makes a good point. So I would lean more towards 1.022 to give a little buffer in case salinity … JavaScript is disabled. That's what I'm looking for, real benefits to lower sal. In addition, as water evaporates in the aquarium, your salinity level will rise because the salt ions remain in the water. You are using an out of date browser. Seawater contains organic and inorganic chemicals, and a wide range of trace elements. Seawater tends to have a natural salinity of 35ppt (parts per thousand), meaning that every kilogram of water has 35 grams of dissolved salts. Saltwater aquarium salinity is usually kept between 1.020-1.028sg. To compensate for evaporation in saltwater aquariums, the user must top off with freshwater frequently. However, does anybody really know how much impact? Salinity is often tested daily, particularly anytime saltwater is being made, an aquarium is being topped off with freshwater when performing water changes. It makes sense that fish would adapt to the conditions in which they've lived forever and that altering salinity to something lower or higher wouldn't miraculously make a fish healthier. Chloride generally exists in about 19,000 ppm and sodium commonly exists at 10,500 ppm, followed by sulfate (approximately 2,700 ppm), magnesium (roughly 1300 ppm), calcium (about 420 ppm) and potassium (approximately 400 ppm). When deciding your salt level, it is best to know where your aquarium species naturally come from and create an environment closest to its original habitat. For a simple fish only, I'd shoot for 77-78 degrees. There are a number of ways to perform salinity measurements in your aquarium. That’s why fish are much better able to deal with lower salt. He graduated New York University and received a graduate certificate in aquaculture from the University of Florida specializing in fish health. Lab Grade Dissolved Oxygen Probe …7.54 7.33 7.14 6.94 6.75 6.57 6.39 6.22 As an example, a tank with a salinity of 35ppt and a temperature of 78.8 degrees Fahrenheit can have a maximum dissolved … Marine fish are more sensitive to the quality of the water, so there is a lower room for error, but this should not deter beginners. Salinity is extremely important in saltwater aquariums as a salinity measurement is often the first parameter measured in making seawater. I believe the lower salinity myth was created to benefit wholesalers not fish. It has built in automatic temperature compensation and produces results in seconds. This corresponds to a specific gravity of 1.0264 and a conductivity of 53 mS/cm. When it comes to cultivating a fish-only tank there are two main types – community tanks and semi-aggressive tanks. For a saltwater reef tank with a mix of fish and coral you want the specific gravity to be 1.023 – 1.025. It may not display this or other websites correctly. For example, if we add sugar to artificial seawater, we will see that our salinity value will increase but we have not changed the concentration of salt in the water. Conductivity is a measurement of the dissolved ionic solids present in the water. Equipment Upgrade Considerations . I will keep my salinity at .25/.26 anyway just curious. It has built in automatic temperature compensation and produces results in seconds. Hanna Instruments offers our. That’s all the proof I need. Testers provide a simple and fast way to test natural or artificial seawater. The most widely used method for aquariums are hydrometers, particularly swing-arm models. The most well-known methods by marine aquarists include using hydrometers, refractometers and conductivity meters. Stability in specific gravity is an important factor. When starting out with a fish-only aquarium, it is a good idea to design your set up with the thought in mind that you may decide to convert the aquarium into a fish-only with live rock or a reef tank … Or maybe everyone does it and continues to because it doesn’t work. Not going to argue with you. And it’s some big cover up to save a few pennies on salt. According to NOAA, salinities in the world's reefs vary from around 1.024 s.g. to around 1.032 s.g. Saltwater tank salinity is only one major factor that can contribute to increased stress in newly caught saltwater fish - other factors include levels of dissolved oxygen, the space limitations of a glass aquarium… Added bonuses of using conductivity to measure salinity are that you no longer have a light interference, and the temperature compensation is of your direct sample and not as influenced by ambient atmosphere near the surface of a prism. These can be problematic as they do not compensate for sample temperature, need to be hydrated with sample prior to use and can be prone to inaccuracies. What I found was that most fish optomize osmoregulation at the salinity from which they come. It is common for aquarists to keep fish-only saltwater tanks at slightly lower salinity levels due to the belief that marine organisms are less stressed at lower salinity levels, this may or may not be true. That’s why the industry and hobbyists alike widely use this practice. This is done anytime saltwater is made, either when first setting up an aquarium or when performing water changes periodically. It is known that parasites can thrive at salinities above hyposalinity and even a few strains can supposedly exist at hypo levels. Freshwater contains very little salt ions and generally has a salinity of 0.5ppt. Or sign in with one of these services. If we measured the salinity of that sample with our HI98319 conductivity meter you’ll notice the value is largely unchanged. I read here and there that lower salinity is best for fish only tanks. If as a consequence of measurement or calibration technique you do end up with a low salt concentration in your tank or salt mix, a salinity of only 33ppt for example. Digital refractometers, or digital salinity meters, provide an easy to use, quick and accurate way to determine salinity in a saltwater aquarium. The Carribean and Florida … Want to grow your business and reach a wider audience? This is why temperature is so important to understand in order to have a successful aquarium. Brackish aquarium salinity: 0.5 – 30 PPT, depending on fish. 027 is ok. An earlier post on here stated that the natural ocean water SG is closer to 1.027 and we tend to run ours low in our tanks. Kevin may be reached at [email protected] or 401-450-6051. Saltwater aquarium salinity: 35 PPT. Thursday, March 4 @ 2pm EST. He is a passionate aquarium hobbyist who enjoys reef keeping and planted aquariums. Some aquarists like to keep fish only aquariums at lower levels (1.017+) to keep salt costs low and to reduce problems with parasites, which don’t survive as well in lower salinity. This tester can display your readings as parts per thousand (ppt), practical salinity units (PSU), or specific gravity (S.G.). Phosphate. I found nothing but the contrary when searching for some scientific proof. The waterproof tester ensures that you are protected from your day to day testing, and unlike with refractometers, you get no light interference. Just a lot of opinions. Is H2O2 dosing the secret to clean rocks? It is more important to be … As a general guideline, it is best to maintain a salinity of 1.026 (or 35ppt or 53 mS/cm conductivity) and know where your aquarium fish come from to distinguish what their natural salinity level is. I've seen people with success anywhere between 1.019 and 1.027 long term in FOWLR. It is common for aquarists to keep fish-only saltwater tanks at slightly lower salinity … You should then equally expect that the … We also make top of the line EC meters, which can support a high level of conductivity for accurate salinity analysis. It’s not 100% anything. More frequent water changes will help, but most synthetic marine salts only yield a KH of around 8. My issue is simply that I've seen no evidence that lower salinity is "better" for fish, unless it is part of an active treatment regimen (hyposalinity). New Corals... What to put and where to put it, New to Saltwater & Reef Aquariums? Although ranges can fluctuate over coral reefs for reasons such as evaporation or freshwater runoff. Just discovered my salinity is too high. I've seen people with salinity down to 1.015 and keeping that long term and the fish still doing "fine" (fine is in quotations because I obviously do not have constant access to assess his tank). It’s all about designing the right saltwater tank. Only freshwater will evaporate from the tank leaving the salt and minerals behind. I don't know if lower salinity is any "worse" for fish, but it isn't natural so I personally would stay away from it. Our edge (HI2003) is a conductivity/digital salinity meter with a four ring conductivity probe technology that allows the user to measure the samples from very low conductivity to very high conductivity, such as seawater. Monitoring the salinity of artificial seawater is crucial so as not to create saltwater with an improper salinity level, as it could stress marine life. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Anything from 1.020-1.026. Kevin used to operate an aquarium maintenance company and worked at local fish stores before working at Hanna. It makes sense that fish would adapt to the conditions in which they've lived forever and … Hanna Instruments offers our Digital Refractometer for Seawater Analysis (HI96822) which is perfect for saltwater aquariums as it can measure in Practical Salinity Units, parts-per-thousand (ppt) or specific gravity. Saltwater aquariums are usually maintained at a S.G. of 1.020-1.026, depending on the type of organisms maintained in the aquarium. Salinity is extremely important in saltwater aquariums as a salinity measurement is often the first parameter measured in making seawater. Maintaining a salinity and not fluctuating significantly throughout the day is crucial as saltwater aquariums, particularly reef tanks, do not benefit from extreme water chemistry deviations. Guide to Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Testing. re the salinity level of the water while adding salt to get within the ideal range. Plus, fish have blood, inverts, which include parasites, do not. Optical refractometers designed for seawater also have downsides. Freshwater Parameters The following chart provides acceptable water parameter ranges for different types of freshwater aquariums, brackish water aquariums, and ponds.The water parameters listed serve as a general guideline for maintaining each specific type of aquarium … No, that is … At that higher salinity (corals) it will be in this range. Have been in the hobby for decades and only trying to share my experience. The idea is to imitate the salinity found in the natural environment of the fish you keep. It is common to have inflated values with a refractometer due to the large number of materials which will affect the density of that water outside of the dissolved salt values. Number 5: Nitrite. The fifth most important saltwater aquarium water parameter is nitrite. Definitely not my intention to argue for the sake of arguing, just stating my opinion based on my research, experience, and logic (this is my second stint in the hobby). Reef aquariums or any aquarium housing invertebrates … Advertise today. Changes in concentrations of ions outside of sodium and chloride generally do not affect the salinity as these two elements make up such a large portion of saltwater. If you are using an refractometer, you should try and keep the salinity levels around 35 ppt. Starting a fish-only-with-live-rock (FOWLR) aquarium … Temperature in saltwater fish tanks is the parameter that is most often attributed to aquarium failures and “tank crashes.” Fish and other marine creatures have a difficult time processing oxygen and functioning overall at temperatures that are not ideal – this will lead to sick animals or worse dead ones. Ensuring appropriate water parameters and environmental requirements is fundamental to reduce tank mortality. Hi I am from Mumbai, India and have 8 goldfish in 2ft tank and shopkeeper gave me chlorine remover,anti-fungal solutions and some sea salt to pour in water 1/2 hr before putting fish inside to maintain good quality water for them, now I have checked TDS by my TDS meter and found it goes to 700-800ppm which have surprised me if this is ideal … FREE WEBINAR - How to Build Your Wine Lab. I ran a FOWLR for a year that was quite overstocked at 1.026 with zero issues with my fish. Our, Digital Refractometer for Seawater Analysis (HI96822). which is perfect for saltwater aquariums as it can measure in Practical Salinity Units, parts-per-thousand (ppt) or specific gravity. As a general guideline, it is best to maintain a salinity of 1.026 (or 35ppt or 53 mS/cm conductivity) and know where your aquarium fish come from to distinguish what their natural salinity level is. Unfortunately, I don't have access to this article any longer but scientific studies have been done showing reduces parasitic reproduction at lower salinities. The more salt in your water, the higher your readings will be. Have witnessed what i’v shared many times over, again and again. Even though calibration solution exists, determining salinity can be difficult and not always easy to read. As others have said Live rock is not needed for a fish only tank but is very beneficial by adding helping mainatin your biological filtration, and in my exsperience sometimes live rock can have little hijackers on them (crustaseans and such) When I had my fish only system I bought cheap (3.00 a pound)base rock, usually round and without definition, but helps with cyleing the tank. If you want to keep a fish only tank, with no live coral you can lower the specific gravity … Some organisms may be from geographic origins, such as the Red Sea, which have higher salinity levels, or brackish estuaries, which have lower salinity levels. … Contact us today to start your advertisement! I think it is also common sense. Seawater is a complex chemical solution that contains almost every known element at varying concentrations. Monitoring the salinity of artificial seawater is crucial so as not to create saltwater with an improper salinity level, as it could stress marine life. Most stores (and the ones I worked at included) kept salinity in fish only tanks at 1.020 and there seems to be no long term effect. Therefore, for every 1000 grams of water there are 35 grams of salt. Optical refractometers are often calibrated to a specific temperature range and if your sample temperature does not fit in that range, your results can be skewed. According to NOAA, salinities in the world's reefs vary from around 1.024 s.g. to around 1.032 s.g. Water in-between seawater and freshwater is usually defined as brackish and has a salinity of roughly 0.5ppt to 30ppt. Hanna's Marine Salinity Tester (HI98319) offers a pocket-sized temperature compensated testing solution, with a multilevel LCD screen that displays your salinity and temperature settings. You have higher oxygen levels with slightly cooler temps, and with a higher fish … For that reason, the ideal salinity level is thought to be 1.024-1.026 (in terms of specific gravity). Any solid reasons out there? hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(2134380, '336ebb1a-3569-4213-8024-c2edf77b13c3', {}); In addition to  salinity digital refractometers, there are salinity testers. Therefore only … In Today's video, we are going to take a look at salinity, specific gravity and the role they play in a reef tank. Additionally conductivity may also be used as a means to measure salinity, as the salts become ions when dissolved in water that can conduct an electrical current sensed by the meter and measured in mS. We also make top of the line EC meters, which can support a high level of conductivity for accurate salinity analysis. This is done anytime saltwater is made, either when first setting up an aquarium or when performing water changes periodically. I searched and read through a few published papers, and though these studies were mostly oriented around commercially raised fish, they cited that the best osmoregulation for saltwater fish in general, typically occurred at the salinity of a fish's natural environment. For instance, I was looking at the specs on a new bag of salt. I work at an aquarium and we keep fish only tanks between 1.017 to 1.020. Sign in with Facebook. otassium. Parameter Reef Aquarium Fish Only Nature (Coral Reef)* Temperature 76-83° F 72-78° F 82° F Salinity 1.023-1.026 (32-35 ppt) 1.020-1.025 1.025-1.027 (34-36 ppt) pH 8.1-8.48.1-8.48.0-8.5 Ammonia (NH … All of the LFS around me run their fish only tanks at a lower salinity to keep parasites at bay. He probably is referring to the quick transition from a cheap ass lfs's salinity parameters to good parameters in your aquarium. Digital refractometers, or digital salinity meters, provide an easy to use, quick and accurate way to determine salinity in a saltwater aquarium. As a general guideline, it is best to maintain a salinity of 1.026 (or 35ppt or 53 mS/cm conductivity) and know where your aquarium fish come from to distinguish what their natural salinity level is. Commercial salt mixes, designed for aquariums, are added to a freshwater source, most commonly tap water or reverse osmosis deionized water. Freshwater aquarium salinity: 0.5 PPT or less. Salinity is the measurement of all the dissolved salts in water. Anyway, it all depends on what you're trying to keep. NSW is 1.026, so a lot argue that is what all tanks should be run at. Hawaiian yellow tangs, for example, were found to prefer temps of around 74 degrees, but only at night. Temperature is important when reading salinity as the mobility of ions increases when the water becomes warmer or slower when cooler. Ya know, at this lower salinity ( fish only) levels will be in that range. If you plan to cultivate a fish-only saltwater tank it would be wise to invest in an aquarium water test kit so you can keep an eye on your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH levels as a means of evaluating the water quality. Chloride generally exists in about 19,000 ppm and sodium commonly exists at 10,500 ppm, followed by sulfate (approximately 2,700 ppm), magnesium (roughly 1300 ppm), calcium (about 420 ppm) and potassium (approximately 400 ppm). In a reef setup the salinity should be around … hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(2134380, '0783e10d-d6fe-4d00-a6b1-77d63385d71f', {}); When comparing conductivity to refractometery to measure salinity, the consensus among the scientific community favors conductivity. This is not a myth, or an angle to save money on salt for lfs. Or take the time to find “scientific proof” . I've seen this mentioned many times over the years. An aquarist must measure the salinity level of the water while adding salt to get within the ideal range. The average salinity in an ocean environment is 35 ppt (parts per thousand). For example, anti-caking agent in salt mixes, organic waste, sugars, potential non-ionic contaminants or uneaten fish food can increase the values produced on a refractometer but this would be less likely to occur on a conductivity meter like the HI98319. Anywhere from 1.022 to 1. This saltwater setup allows novice hobbyists to "get their feet wet" and become familiar with equipment, water parameters, fish… Some better than others, sure. … True, the lower salinity you go, it is likely that more and more parasite strains are affected as it is it is below what they encounter in nature. However, lower salinity levels means fish use less energy expelling the salt from their gills. The fish-only aquarium is a great setup for the dedicated beginner interested in marine aquariums. The problem I have is online vendors shipping fish at low salinities, creating more work for me to bring my QT's salinity up to my reef. 1.035!! It is not toxic to fish… I'm not sure if there is any real/tangible benefit to lowering the salinity specifically for fish only. It’s tried and true proven. For inverts and corals that make up a reef tank … Certain species of fish and invertebrates might actually die of kidney failure if the salinity is kept too low for prolonged periods of time. In response to Ronald's article, Richard Harker states in his "Reef Tank Temperatures--Another View" article, "A hobbyist who decides to increase the temperature of his or her tank needs to make sure that it is a stable tank … It is … Register Now. Some elements are more important than others in what defines salinity. Biologically fish will do better in lower salinity conditions because a saltwater fish is trying to keep it's osmotic balance in check by keeping salt … Sign in with Google Lower salinity makes it harder for most parasites to thrive, and lowers stress for fish. The predominant elements that exist are chloride, sodium, sulfate, magnesium, calcium and potassium. A marine tank maintained at 80 F and a specific gravity reading of 1.022 has a salinity content of 31.8 ppt. The claim is that lower salinity eases/slows osmoregulation. The Red Sea is much saltier than any other running 1.027-1.030, so a tank for those fish should be run at a higher salinity than one for Indo-Pacific which runs 1.021-1.025 or so. This is because there is non-conductive material in your sample which can impact the refractive index of seawater but not the actual salt concentration. No the proof is in the pudding because I’v done it, countless times, and it works. Post Here, Pic confirmation of false API ammonia readings. … Algae doesn't like it but neither do snails, fish breath easier etc. on a fish only system with no live rock you want to keep the salinity low as this reduces the ammount of possible parasits, 1.019 is fine for a fish only system. However, assuming a system isn't deprived of oxygen, who is to say that elevated oxygen levels are better for fish... and whether the additional oxygen is best created by reducing salinity, reducing temperature, or by reducing both, without doing some real research? Recommended salinity for FOWLR - FOWLR (Fish-only with Live-rock) - Singapore Reef Club - sgreefclub Hi all, For a FOWLR tank, I ve been told that its good to keep salinity below 1.020. That is why I gave you that range, because anything within that is fine. Just something that helps, is easy to do, and is perfectly fine in fowlr. Can inverts tolerate some lowering, sure.