Salinity is by definition the amount of salt (measured in g) dissolved in one kg of seawater for our hobby. These salts mainly include, sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate and calcium chloride… as well as the many others. By dissolving in water, the various salts break down into their individual components, known as chloride, magnesium,calcium, etc. Due to the continuous mixing of the oceans, the distribution of these elements is almost identical everywhere, but the salinity may vary.
(For a better understanding, we recommend the video Ocean Currents of W wie Wissen (german tv show): To Video
The concentration amount of the different elements depends proportionally on the salinity, ie the element levels rise or fall with differences in salinity levels. In the literature, often only the element concentrations for a salinity of 35 PSU are recommended (eg, calcium 421.7 mg / l). These levels should not be taken as a guide.
In the sea as well as in aquariums we find different salinities, where corals and other sea creatures will optimally grow and thrive (31-38 PSU). For a proper assessment of a seawater sample, salinity must always be included. This applies to the droplet tests carried out by hobbyists, as well as to give an accurate laboratory tested analysis.
Use our tool to calculate the natural concentrations of the different elements for the entered salinity: