Optimum SG for fish and coral reef tank?
 

I still get varying opinions on this. What should be the optimum SG for a fish and reef tank holding SPS and LPS coral @ ~77-78 degrees average? Has been 1.026, but recently lowered to 1.024.

you were already there at 1.026 (nsw)

You will get different readings from different meters. Ie. I.O. 1.026, Coralife 1.022. Same water different readings. I have both, that is my findings. But yes .024-.026 are good readings.

If you're using those crappy floating needle style hydrometers your readings probably aren't right anyway. 1.6 is a good value, and if you want accuracy invest in a refractometer, most of them come with a bottle of calibration fluid so you know exactly what the salinity is. J&L sells them for under $60 http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/t-...actometer.html

Varying opinions usually means there is no right or wrong answer here. There are a lot of people who have great success running salinity anywhere from 1.023 to 1.029. In fact, the worlds oceans varies as well. For example, the salinity of the Red Sea (where many of our common fish come from (Purple Tang, Sohal Tang, Golden Butterfly, etc..) averages 1.030. I think the reason that people gravitate to 1.026 is because it in itself is a reasonable average out of all the worlds oceans and seas. But again, a lot of people run 1.023 with great success so my opinion would be to pick a salinity somewhere in that range that you are comfortable keeping and maintain that.

1.025 - 1.026 is just right!

I had 3 countem 3 floater style hydrometers, all measured differently. I got a refractometer (very affordable) and was astounded to find all 3 of the hydrometers were bad. Yes I kept them in clean water when not using them.

My money was well spent on the refractometer.

Doug