My pet store SG is 1.022 .. make it for me too ????

That is great to know, but wouldn't keeping the same or close to salinity of NSW be better for the fish?

 

Absolutely. Theories abound, but what they have adapted to over the past few hundred thousand years will always be best. If lower salinity was less stressful, why haven't they swam up a canal somewhere into brackish water?

 

Very good point indeed

 

I run all my brood stock tanks at 1.021 and grow out tanks 1.023 for a couple of reasons. One of the main reasons is for the health of the livestock and it is it's a little cheaper to maintain. When you are changing out 50+ gallons of water per week it adds up. There are lots of references to it if you google it:

Here is one from AquariastOnline:

And is you reed up on Hypo-salinity treatments for ich you'll find recommendations as low as 1.009 like in this article in Reefkeeping Magazine:

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part I by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

I run the grow outs a little higher so the fish will have an easier time adjusting to the 1.026 I'd expect they'll see when they enter a reef set up.

Most reefs are ran higher to ensure corals are getting the nutrients they need.

So yeah.. there are a lot of references to why fish only systems would be kept at a lower salinity and all the more reason why we as consumers of these marine animals should be well versed in acclimation so that we give them the best chance of survival in our reefs.

 

Thanks for the input Pickles. From how I am reading this there doesn't seem to be evidence of a lower salinity being detrimental (doesn't quite mean its not). Most of the frozen foods we feed our fish are packed in FW to help the fish remove salt from there bodies. Also I am not sure what the ratio is as far as people who are running reef systems/fish only. I myself would not purchase fish from an LFS who is keeping tanks at this low of a salinity. I fear the added stress would lower my chances of the fishes survival.(maybe/maybe not) I am also a firm believer in keeping my tanks as close to the animals natural enviroment as possible. If it ain't broke don't fix it.lol
As far as Ich I think most of us know how I feel about that particular parasite. It has NEVER been an issue in any tank I have owned but for those who haven't seen it heres a link as to why I believe most people have problems controlling this particular parasite in there systems.
http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/simple-rules-avoid-ich-126326.html

Also this particular line doesn't sound as if its backed by any reliable research.
This will mean that the fish hopefully will not fall foul of parasites so easily,

 

So if this is actually correct then evolution has no impact on SW fish.I.E. if high salinity was a problem in nature these fish would have migrated up FW streams long ago or changed there bodies to adapt.
I have a hard time believing altering a fishes natural enviroment(one in which it has evolved over thousands of years) would be beneficial in any way.

 

Except their food source (krill, brine shrimp, etc.) is in the ocean, so why leave (wild creatures go/stay where the food is). And freshwater is just the opposite (they would have to fight to keep salt in their body as freshwater has less salt in it than their cells- meaning they would have to evolve completely new cells to do this).

Dispute it all you want, but if you spend the time doing the research, you will see there are people way more knowledgeable than me who agree with lower SG (not too low) being less stressful on fish (fish only systems). Lowering SG DOES NOT work with reef systems, as the corals and inverts can't handle it.

 

Lol kevin! I just now saw it. I hate being right and not knowing why. It seems like cheating.

"You are a god among insects, don't ever let anyone tell you differently!"(Magneto)

Thanks for the science behind my factoid!

 

Thanks I will.lolLots of people have lots of theories about lots of things.I will ask again if anyone knows of an actual scientific study that shows reducing the salinity is beneficial??

 

+1

Lots of people agree with lots of things that have no actual scientific backing.

I'm not claiming to be an expert on the subject, but what I do know is that in my 38 years in the hobby, I have always kept my tanks at 1.025 - 1.026 and I have never had a single fish contract ich or show any signs of stress from it's environment.