Salinity Question

Hello all....

I was wondering a simple question about the SG of my tank. I have a 20g w/ 10g sump. I read everywhere that the best SG for a full on reef tank is around 1.025. The guy at my LFS said that since my tank is so small, a higher salinity would allow for a lower oxygen/gas exchange, and it would be better to run mine around 1.022-1.023. Right now, it is 1.023 and has been steady like that for quite a whilw.

I'm just trying to figure out if I should very slowly increase to 1.025, or leave it where it is. I realize this may be a loaded question, and may just have to find out by trial and error. But I would really like to lose as little specimens as possible...thanks!

 

I would try raising it to 1.025 slowly you should not have oxygen exchange issues with a DT sump and skimmer especially if you do not have covers and you make sure your circulation agitates the surface.

 

I have a canopy over the DT and the sump is below. The ASM G-1 Skimmer is in the sump...

 

Lower salinity (1.023 instead of normal 1.025) does allow for higher oxygenation, I'm not sure exactly how much a point or two is going to change things though. If you have good flow in the tank and good surface agitation from powerheads/filters etc you should be fine I would think.

You can definitely try it, depending on what you want to keep some things might do better, some might do worse. The only thing you would need more oxygen for I would think would be more fish. If you stock the tank reasonably or on the low side I would keep the salinity at 1.025 for the coral.
What are you planning on keeping? I wouldn't personally put it under 1.024 if I was keeping corals but that's just me.

 

Since it is a reef tank, I would raise it to 1.025. Prepare a high salinity water (say sg. 2) in 2L bottle and drip it over a week. Measure your salinity daily and stop the drip when it reaches 1.025.

 

If you have a sump and a skimmer I wouldn't worry about oxygen exchange at all.

 

What I started doing today was using my salt water mix as top off water, rather than fresh water. The way I top off is really simple too....I have a specimen container which is pretty much the exact same amount that evaporates from the tank on a daily basis. So when I get home everyday, I fill it, hang it on the back of the DT, and then SLOWLY drip it into the sump....how does that sound for slowly raising the salinity???

 

That will work too. Slow and steady is the key.

 

It will definitely be slow...it pretty much takes at least 6-8 hours for about a quart of water to drip into the sump...

 

sounds fine to me trip