Filtered Sea Water vs Salt Mix

[Cuthahotha]

I'm sorry, If i knew how to search the site better I'm sure i'd find 100 posts on the subject. I'm probably sparking a religious debate to boot.

 

My LFS sells both Filtered Sea Water, and RO/DI water. (make thier own ro in the store).

 

So I can pick up either one for water changes. Now I understand from a convience standpoint, that picking up sea water is pretty easy. Making sure I have it on hand on saturday mornings is maybe a bit pre planning. And I pick it up in a 5 gallon jug, and end up wasting 1/2 of what I get because I don't want to keep it around till the next week. (~2-3 gallon water changes).

 

So I was thinking it would be easier in some ways to keep 2 five gallon jugs of RO on hand and just mix my own water on Friday night. Drop heater and pump in. Check sg in the morning and adjust as necessary.

 

Ok, the question is. Buy sea water, or mix my own. I see the hassle factor as about the same, and probably not much of a cost savings (till i get my own RO unit). All things considered equal, which is the best for the fish/corals?

 

What I get with purchased sea water is a bit of a crap shoot, but probably pretty safe.

 

Mix my own, adds to the likelyhood that something will go wrong.

 

Consistancy of the salt mix is probably a bit of a crap shoot also.

 

Assuming, a much larger tank in the future (just an AP24) would it make sense to use mix then, and if so does it make sense to deal with it now to build the habbit, when I'm only risking a couple of fish, and not corals.

[Weetabix7]

OUCH!!!!

STOP KICKING!!!!

 

I strongly feel that mixing your own is much wiser.

Since you are mixing it, you have control over the salinity, the quality, etc.

You know exactly what you're putting in the tank that way.

If you buy it premixed, you are at the mercy of the store, and given your already bad experiences with LFS's, do you really want that?

Mix your own.

[masterbuilder]

What she said

[neuwave]

i've used both. also depends on the location of the collection of the water and how long it has been stagnant. also ask them what kinf of filter they use on the seawater. If it's stagnant for more than a couple of days it has the potential to jump eraticaly with its parameters. The whole buy the pre-mixed depends on the store and how good they are at doing it and how long "once again" it is stagnant. so mix your own if u are decideding between pre-mix and mix ur own. But for natural sea water add extra calcium since it will diminish quickly. So Ask questions about how they store the water and how long its been sitting. Otherwise just mix your own. hope this helps

[Cuthahotha]

i've used both. also depends on the location of the collection of the water and how long it has been stagnant. also ask them what kinf of filter they use on the seawater. If it's stagnant for more than a couple of days it has the potential to jump eraticaly with its parameters. The whole buy the pre-mixed depends on the store and how good they are at doing it and how long "once again" it is stagnant. so mix your own if u are decideding between pre-mix and mix ur own. But for natural sea water add extra calcium since it will diminish quickly. So Ask questions about how they store the water and how long its been sitting. Otherwise just mix your own. hope this helps

 

I've actually found an LFS that is great, and right in town. Deep Sea Creations. Great staff, willing to answer any number to dorky questions from the newbie.

 

The LFS stuff is actually filtered sea water from Scrips Institute in La Jolla CA. Pumped in from off shore, runs through 2 thick sand filters. What we don't know is when the delivery folks pick it up, (like right after it rains and the ocean turns into a cess pool for a time) Nor do we know how long they have it before it's delivered.

 

One of the guys at the store has a 240 gal tank and goes down to scrips every few weeks and picks up his water there. 150 gallons at a time. The same guy highly recommends mixing your own. He doesn't feel like dealing with mixing up enough for his water changes.

 

So suggestions on salts to use? Stay away from? The lfs carries Red Sea Max Coral salt. And a couple of others I don't remember the exact name of. Oceanic?? and API?? maybe.

[sidviciousw]

I do believe mixing your own is better, more gauranteed source, but I have bought the pre mixed myself, I think it best to let mixed at home water sit around a week before I use it, so if I have been lazy and it's time for a water change I have bought premixed, honestly have not noticed a real difference other than the price.