SG levels What level is best and why?

[Brenden]

I like I think most people keep there SG at 1.025. My LFS keeps theirs at 1.020 to "fight off parasites". I know 1.025 is comparable to ocean water. But what are the benefits of 1.025 as opposed to 1.020?

 

[Hara]

you said it best....comparable to ocean water and if we are trying to simulate a natural environment....

 

[seaham358]

I run my fowlr at 1.022 and all has been well for several years.. knocks on wood....
Uses less salt, not sure that I'm getting any parasite help by running it lower, its just where I run my fowlr.
Reef is at .025-.026 I used to run the reef at .o23 and the corals seem to be healthier at .025 then .023. They are growing very well after the raise in SG.

 

[steve-s]

My LFS keeps theirs at 1.020 to "fight off parasites".

Does nothing of the kind. Only lowered salinities in the 14-16 ppt range have any affect on parasites.

I know 1.025 is comparable to ocean water. But what are the benefits of 1.025 as opposed to 1.020?

Permanently there is no reason for it. With new fish, lowering salinity helps ease the stress of fish considerabley as it/they regain osmotic balance after the stress of shipping. It also has a great advatage of boosting the appetite of finicky/severely stressed fish which would otherwise refuse foods.

The LFS is helping the fish only marginally at the 1.020, lower is more beneficial, closer to hyposaline levels. This would be unwise to sell fish at this level but would be a great advantage if they had a rotation system where QT/treated fish where later rotated into the selling tanks after a proper period of hyposalinity and the required amount of time to bring the animal back upto reef salinities. The main benefit to the LFS otherwise is the saving on the cost of salt. What they spend on fixing the chemistry though may not always be a savings.

Cheers
Steve