Using actual ocean water?

[evokid511]

just wondering if this would work for those of us who are on the coast? i go to the beach all the time and out on the boat and always curious if using actual ocean water would be better for the tank or worse for some reason?

[92awdGSX]

chances are there are pollutants and toxins in your typical coastal waters.

[evokid511]

chances are there are pollutants and toxins in your typical coastal waters.

 

yeah thats what i was thinking for beach and coastal but what about off shore water say a mile out?

[92awdGSX]

also your without sterilizing it you could be collecting nuisance algae spores that can bloom. I wouldn't recommend it.

[Degener8]

Alot of people do this. You have the rish of getting good and bad planktronic life in the water so its a bit of a gamble.

Definately Off shore is better.. I would never use beach water in my tank.

 

There is alot of people who use NSW from a LFS or self collected. I say go for it.. but keep a close eye on parameters and coral health. Have a QT tank ready incase something does happen to go wrong.. always a good idea NSW or not...

[Zo0k365]

I used to put ocean water in my tank and it was great. I had a rubber maid that I kept it in and I ran a canister filter with chemipure 24/7 and used it for water changes. Never had to watch parameters :

[evokid511]

I used to put ocean water in my tank and it was great. I had a rubber maid that I kept it in and I ran a canister filter with chemipure 24/7 and used it for water changes. Never had to watch parameters :

 

 

ooo cool good to know, think im gonna give it a shot then

[cheryl jordan]

In Ca we use NSW all the time, just drive down to the pier and they have a spigot, exculsively for aquarium use.

 

Used at a community college public aquarium with no problems.

 

 

[evokid511]

In Ca we use NSW all the time, just drive down to the pier and they have a spigot, exculsively for aquarium use.

 

Used at a community college public aquarium with no problems.

 

 

 

 

oo thats awesome! i gotta see if my pier has something like that, but i think i would trust water from further out more

[cheryl jordan]

The spigot is actully hooked up to a line that was pretty far out so no problems with off shore contaiments and such.

 

I agree the farther off shore the better.

 

[lakshwadeep]

Using water directly from the ocean may be a problem. Filtering the water (like sand filtration) before use can help.

[englishreefer]

set up a small closed loop system with a uv and im sure you will be fine, after all this is what coastal public aquariums use. If you can use two tanks in the system one collect then second as change water but constantly cycling all the better.

[evokid511]

set up a small closed loop system with a uv and im sure you will be fine, after all this is what coastal public aquariums use. If you can use two tanks in the system one collect then second as change water but constantly cycling all the better.

 

 

thats true i have a uv laying around so ill hook that ip also

[Reefmonster]

I wouldn't use an UV. I used to collect NSW from the tide pools in Ventura, and only used a HOT Magnum with a Micron Filter. My corals loved it. I made 5 gallon water changes per week using this method and vener had a problem. I think it's kinda like never letting your kids play in the dirt. If they play in the dirt they get exposed to all sorts of microbial life that they become more resistant to, and get less sick in the long-run.

 

My tank was the same...I also gathered some tidepool life, with a Dept of Fish and Game permit, for my aquarium...Worked well, too.

 

Good luck!

[Canoa]

how are you guys doing so far with beach water? is it doing well so far? What process did you follow? I would like to give it a try...

[johnmaloney]

i have used ocean water, it works... Inlets at high tide are better than beaches...Check out Chuck's Addiction, it has great info on water collection. Just remember that water changes locally and a moving tide is better than a slack tide, ebb tides are unpredictable usually half tide or better on a rising tide is your best bet. The water is usually calmer/clearer at night, all other things being equal when it comes to inlets.

 

oh micron sock + uv here, i think i would trust just the micron sock though if I didnt have the uv sitting around. it came with a tank setup..so why not i figure.

[evokid511]

ahh thank you sir!

[mdannyg]

sorry to hijack, but now i want some Ocean Water from Sonic.

[tyty]

usually half tide or better on a rising tide is your best bet

 

Agree

[coolwaters]

just dont get it from the golf of Mexico and your good...

 

there is a major aquarium in japan where they pump in ocean water about a mile off the coast constantly.

the one with a whale shark.

[Miami Reefer]

my LFS only sells NSW and i used it in my mixed reef for like 2 years. everything seems to be fine and nothing has ever really died

[DC5]

I'd have to imagine that if the origin of our reefs comes from the ocean where you will be gathering this water, that you will be fine.