Opinions on Natural Seawater use

[gpohly]

I work near the Scripps Oceanographic Institue. I have found out that they provide filtered nantural seawater free to the public. It is obtained by pumping in water from far offshore to avoid local shore contaminates, then filtered to remove "undesireables." I don't know the filtering mechanism, but the source spigot is connected to a set of huge plastic tanks and maze of industrial PVC plumbing.

Using this water for my reef seems to have a lot of pluses - this is the same water they use in their studies and the Scripps Aquarium; a LFS with a good reputation uses this exclusively for their tanks; it would likely be very consistent chemically; it is free and easy to get.

Any opinions on the use of this water for my reef? I checked the composition - great on all parms except alkalinity a little low, ~2.2, and salinity is higher than I have been keeping, ~1.026.

Would like your thoughts...

Thanks,
Glenn

Others have used this water over the yeares with great success. SG is that of natural Sea Water and the low calcium level can be adjusted with a good two part calc/buffer product. The price is right , it might be worth rigging up a decent size container for fetching it, Enjoy

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I thought I was me, but we were wrong
email: geeflipr@internetcds.com

[FishDaddy]

Glenn,
Its hard for one of us amateurs to argue with Scripps! That sounds like a great source of water and the price is right!
There are some cons to think about:
Using RO/DI and good salt mix, like Instant Ocean, will produce excellent and consistent results plus you can whip up a batch at a time of your convenience "in the privacy of your own home" without hauling heavy jugs back and forth. A lot depends on how much you use and the condition of your back!
Here is a comparison of NSW and commercial mixes done by Craig Bingman and Marlin Atkinson, bearing in mind that NSW does fluctuate: http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/a.../1/default.asp
If its convenient for you to use, go for it!
Dick

[FishDaddy]

Gee, Doug, telepathy again?
Dick

[Tralfaz]

Just Curious, but there is no reason he couldn't do both is there? (Use natural seawater, and make up his own from time to time).

I would think that you could create a nice little transport cart out of a big water jug attached to a hand cart for the same price as 1 bucket of salt.

Regards

Tralfaz

[Aquaman]

I interned over at Scripps last summer and I knew about the free filtered sea-water they provide to the public and they use in the exhibits, but I never used it in my tank mostly because I didn't feel like lugging the water around. If you are in the area often I would go for it, like you said it is free and they collect the water far from shore to avoid pollutants (Although there is still that possiblity that it isn't always pollutant free). Like mentioned earlier the Ca concentration will be lower than salt-mixes but that can be fixed.



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Aquaman

[KNUTE]

I use natural seawater for most of my changes and haven't had a problem yet although I have only been doing this a few months. I also use Instant Ocean when I don't have the time or the chance to get out on my boat. Right now I'm about 30ft from some of the coolest reefs I've yet to see off of the Hana coast and having a good time. This is what got me interested in reef aquariums in the first pace. When I pick up my water I try to get it from a few mi. out and keep it aerated for the 30min. it takes to get it to my tank.

[gpohly]

Thanks for all replies. Sounds like this stuff is a winner. What's driving me over the edge to try it is that I have rising NH3/NH4 levels, I'm sure to an unseen demise. This water is much easier to get in large batches than mixing, and bound to be less toxic to critters that the ammon. that's in their current water. Time for massive water change and reef dissassembly to find source. Ordered Nassarius snails and other more intense clean-up crew from Priemium Aquatics, but it's too cold to ship, so I gotta do all the cleanup myself.

I figure 30 gals/change per day for the next couple days (90 gal total system) ought to bring levels into line while I fix the problem.

Doug,

If SG of natural seawater is 1.026, why have I been keeping 1.023 at 80 degrees, which translates to the "ideal" salinity of 35? Am I under a wrong impression?

Thanks again to all; I'm with you guys, what Scripps is doing can't be all bad.

Glenn

[just an observer]

I am not an expert ,by any means,and dont claim to be .I do find it puzzling though to think that we can "make" better water than the sea can.Just doesnt make sense to me.

[Alice]

The water the Scripps Institute (and the Oregon Coast Aquarium here, for that matter) uses goes through a lot of filtering before it hits the tanks. The filtering process is more than likely what causes the lack.

~Alice

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Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too!

[Aquaman]

Just an Observer: I understand your confusion but unfortunately natural seawater is not always the best. In the past and still in many areas natural seawater is of great quality but many aquarists live in heavily populated coastal cities where the levels of unwanted pollutants and substances in the water could possibly kill off our animals. pollutants collect in water near shore but generally water far from shore is clean and safe for use.

It's sad that using man-made seawater is often better then natural seawater.

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Aquaman