Specific Gravity, panic or not?

[KevRoss]

I just tested the SG of my water and it read 1.019, books say the SG should be around 1.021 - 1.024, I can't get to a shop to get more salt for 48 hours, temperature is 79.5f, should I be panicing?
If I need to get the SG increased ASAP, is there anything I can do in the meantime.
I have a kleins butterfly fish, 2 x percular clowns and 2 x fire shrimp if the info helps.

[Reefland]

The fire shrimp might be a problem but your fish should be fine. Do you have a live sand bed? Live rock? Other Inverts?

[KevRoss]

The fire shrimp might be a problem but your fish should be fine. Do you have a live sand bed? Live rock? Other Inverts?

I have a crushed coral sandbed 1 - 1.5" thick, theres roughly 100lb of live rock and I have about 6x3" of greens polyps (they are on a purple base with bright green polyps, abit like a palm tree).

[Reefland]

What was your SG at before? Seems that you would notice a change in the inverts if it was a fast, significant drop.

[ibjmg]

what kind of salinity test are u useing?

[#99]

The fish will be fine but the invertes might be affected.
Matt

[DlBerlin]

1.019 will kill most inverts and corals eventually, some rather quickly. Reef tanks should be kept at 1.025
What are you using to test with? The plastic swing arm hydrometers are total junk.

[yankeebobo]

You will definately want to raise the SG. But since you are looking at only one more day (from today), don't top off the water. This will allow it to raise slowly as the water evaporates and the salt doesn't. Then, to increase it, I would SLOWLY add the mixture until you reach the zone you want.

[DlBerlin]

Yes you do want to change it slowly-forgot that. When Mine was low I used saltwater for topoff till it came back up.