Any Nanos using real seawater ?

[KC2020]

I'm curing if anyone here has or is now using real seawater ?

 

If so how was it collected and did you clean or treat it in any way before using it ?

 

What kind of water parameters did you find if you tested it before using it ?

 

Have you had any issues with hitch hiking algae or lifeforms ?

 

[seabass]

Some people do.  I visited an public aquarium on Vancouver Island that did.

 

51 minutes ago, KC2020 said:

If so how was it collected and did you clean or treat it in any way before using it ?

What kind of water parameters did you find if you tested it before using it ?

Have you had any issues with hitch hiking algae or lifeforms ?

I believe that it depends on how pristine the water is.  Most people won't collect it near the shore (or even near the water's surface), as that tends to be more contaminated (with fuel, runoff, sewage, ect).  Most convenient locations tend to be bad collecting points.  Typically people will use a boat and a pump.  You'd probably also want to avoid collecting after a rain or during an outgoing tide.  You'll also want to be conscious of red tide events.

 

There are various ways to filter ocean water.  You'll probably want to use a micron filter sock while you are collecting it.  After it's home, people often let it settle for several days or more (preferably in a dark environment).  I've read where some people will use chlorine followed by a dechlorinator (or a UV sterilizer) to treat ocean water before using it.  You might even need to adjust its parameters.  Therefore, many people who live close to the ocean still find it preferable to use a synthetic salt mix; while other people swear by it.

[KC2020]

Thank you seabass. Yes the collection method is key and the techniques you describe are to me 'best practices.'

But more importantly I'm interested if anyone is using in a Nano and having a better level of success compared to mixing their own water.

 

[seabass]

I think @growsomething uses seawater:  https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/410939-10-gallon-rock-wall/

 

I would think that others do as well.  I remember reading a number of threads about the subject over the years.

[growsomething]

Hi KC, I've only used natural seawater, except during red tide out breaks, so I can't tell you how it compares to synthetic.  Following the advise of others, I try to use it the same day or 2, knowing my collected water is full of phyto, plankton, etc.  Sometimes it is a week or 2, have never seen anything negative from waiting.

In theory there is a risk of introducing bryopsis but that is true of buying most anything (including cuc) and putting it in our tank.  The 2 little fishies guy (name escapes me) thinks it is in all tanks at some level anyway.

I don't filter and often collect little shrimp and sponges, etc, and don't worry about some sand in the bucket. 

Having said that, my tank is not a 200g acro thing of beauty, so buyer beware!

[KC2020]

Hey thanks for the reply @growsomething. It's interesting to hear you're using the water unfiltered. Oh and it's Julian Sprung, the 2 little fishes guy. He lives in the Miami area on the inland water way and collects water from the canal in his front yard.  He uses it in both his outdoor salt water pond and in his tanks. 

 

I'm getting natural seawater from a marine research facility. It's collected far from shore, filtered though huge sand filters and then stored in an underground tank. I'm just about to set up a Nano but I'm waiting for a week or so after we had heavy rains here. We have tremendous runoff from the mountains and agricultural land so best to wait after a heavy rain. I've done this for about 25 years and I've had excellent results. 

I keep water in 5 gallon opaque containers that are made for freshwater storage on a boat. When I'm going to use it I put it in a rubbermaid brute trashcan, aerate and heat it for 20 hours and then adjust alk and pH before using it.

[mcarroll]

13 hours ago, growsomething said:

I don't filter and often collect little shrimp and sponges, etc, and don't worry about some sand in the bucket. 

Having said that, my tank is not a 200g acro thing of beauty, so buyer beware!

Just to add on...

 

Paul Baldassamo (@Paul B) has his reef tank well documented on a couple of other boards and he's always been big on collecting seawater and other little critters that come with it too.

 

Link with video.

[KC2020]

I've read Paul's thread on R2R for decades and I've seen that video before. 

 

I particularly like how he  mentions that his tank has cyano on a regular basis and he does nothing about it.  Recent photos show he's content with a tank full of green hair algea.

 

Diverse biome ? Sure. But not one that will support much more than a few durable softies.

 

Lazy old guy whose tank is never clean and yet supports fish and the random critters he pulls from the Pacific ? Yeah that's him.

He's still got the infamous bottle in the tank. But it too is growing hair algae.

It's just not what I'm striving for in my Nano reef.