ICP Analysis - Salinity

[redpine42]

Just got my first ICP analysis back. They recommend that I dose Iodine and Manganese. Also, raise my salinity. My salinity is 33 psu in my Milwaukee refractometer and 32.5 ppt in my Apex salinity probe, which is 1.025. Isn't that ideal? Should I bump up my salinity?

https://lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/b91640db50d639b3c046

Any other suggestions?

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

In general, no, 1.025 SG is not the recommended setpoint for salinity in the hobby. The hobby recommendation for reef tank salinity is usually 35 ppt, or 1.0264 SG.

Having said that, it's hard make the claim that any salinity we keep in the hobby is "ideal," mostly because salinity in the wild varies so much. Some reefs in the ocean have salinity ranging from 32 ppt all the way up to almost 40 ppt. The hobby settled on 35 ppt because it's a decent middle ground and is fine for anything we want to keep in the hobby. It's not mandatory though. Adam at Battlecorals runs his systems a ppt or two higher (36 - 37 ppt), and many other people run around 33 ppt or 34 ppt.

I personally run all of my systems at 35 ppt, but 33 ppt is likely okay too. Once you choose a number, just stick with it and keep it stable.