Does NSW (like harbor bay / catalina) have zooplankton in it that SPS eat?

[Kinetic]

Does NSW (natural sea water) have zooplankton that SPS and other corals eat? Or just nutrients and minerals etc. that come with any synthesized salt mix? In other words, is there a benefit (however small or insignificant) of NSW regardless of price?

I know maybe salinity is not constant, may sometimes contain phosphates, levels may change, but say these factors were controlled as much as a salt mix, would NSW provide something that salt mixes cannot?

If so how significant? I'm guessing not much since I see people with old tanks who've always used salt mixes, but just curious.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

I pretty much doubt it. If they don't process it out, there would be minimal amounts and would likely be dead. In some older books, they even recommend letting collected seawater sit in the dark for several weeks to let stuff die off and settle out before using it in your tanks.

If you want to feed your sps... you'd want to feed a big bunch O' zooplankton anyway. Easiest thing to do nowadays is get a big bottle of Rotifeast and give your tank a squirt of it every day. Directions say 2-3 teaspoons per 100 gallons. No way there's that amount of food in NSW from the store.

 

[Kinetic]

thanks for the tip, I guess that's true.

I've seen great coral growth dosing phytoplankton (i know, sps doesn't eat phyto), I think it may have stimulated zooplankton population? hard to say but I am sure that when I dose regular phyto the polyp extension is great and I've never seen my corals grow faster. I wish there was a sure way to know though...

back on topic, I used to goto UCSB and they have natural sea water. The facility there basically pumps water through their system, always with new water. The water is free since their pumps are super redundant and a lot just goes back out to sea. The methods they use to filter the NSW is pretty hardcore, and from what people who work at the lab say, it's probably the best NSW you could use for a reef tank in terms of phosphate levels etc.

The tanks I've seen with the UCSB NSW have been amazing. Something about them definately sets them apart... may just be a coincidence though which is why I decided to ask this question.

For my little 32g tank NSW is the easiest thing to do right now. When my 98g is up I'll have to goto synthetic to keep the costs down =P

 

[GreshamH]

No Sea Pure (Half Moon Bay) won't. It's sent thru a micron filter, sand filter, UZ and ozone. Doubt any zooplankton would make it thru that Can't vouch for Catalina (Socal) but I bet the do the same. I highly doubt they'd do anything less actually.

 

[Sparkss]

I would have to agree with Gresham, All of those NSWs are filtered to remove bacteria, parasites, pests, etc (although there are old stories about those safeguards failing and people losing their tanks, but I don't know about the validity of those claims). Think about it, if zooplankton can survive, then how many other "bad" things would you be pulling from the bottom of the ocean to put into your tank. You really wouldn't want that. There are people that feel that certain trace elements and what not in NSW are what can set them apart from salt mixes, but then again, I am far from an expert on this, perhaps if you searched here on RC you might find some answers

 

[GreshamH]

I've known Larry, who owns Sea-pure (C-pure) which used to be Catalina Norcal, for around 10 years now. I used his NSW the entire time I was working in wholesale (at three seperate facilities).

 

[Kinetic]

so places like newalameda, do they use Catalina Norcal which is now Sea-pure? I remember Steve at newalameda told me they were using Catalina. I don't think they're using Catalina Socal ?

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I have been using the UCSB NSW for several years now. Our club also recently got a tour of their facility as well as a tour of the facility at Seacrop.

UCSB filters their water down to 20 microns thru huge, 30 year old, sand beds. That's all they use. Then it goes into a huge, 150K gallon holding tank. The system used throughout the universety for research, etc is a constant flow thru system. They don't treat the water as it goes right back into the ocean. Talking with the curator of the system, he hasn't had any problems in the 5+ years he's been running it. It runs 24/7 365. Never gets shut down. It's collected about 1/2 mile off shore.

Seacrop on the other hand filters theirs down to 1 micron. They use it throughout their facility. They get theirs from inside the Port Huenem harbor. They store it in huge tanks and use it as necessary. Their system is a closed system as they have to heat the water.

As for my tanks, I use it straight from UCSB. I drive up early in the morning, get a little over 300G and drive back home. I do a 50% water change on both tanks, 400G and 72G. I don't heat or treat the water in any way. the only thing I add to my tanks is Calc and alk. supliments. Seachem products for teh 72 and a calc reactor on the 400. My corals look a lot better, better poylop extension, than when I was using IO. I feed my fish in teh tanks 3-4 times a week, that's it.

I have had corals with tears in them quickly heal themselves in the NSW. I've introduced fish with Ich and had it disapper with no medication and none of the other fish get it. I received a adult Male Naso tang, 9+ inches long that had no streamers on him. About a week after being in my NSW tank, he started developing his streamers. The person I got him from had him for about 3 years along with a female that I also got.

I don't have any scientific data to prove anything. But just from my observations of my 7+ year old tank, switching to NSW made a big difference in my animals. They seem happier and healthier. I do honestly beleive that there is some stuff in NSW that cannot be replicated in ASW. I will not go back to ASW unless I move somewhere where I cannot get NSW.

 

[Kinetic]

Yes! I knew you'd show up on this thread eventually.

Yeah your tank, and the otehrs I've seen pictures of have amazing coloration, growth, health, etc. with the UCSB NSW.

I really wish while I was still there I got into saltwater =(

Thanks for the info on the UCSB NSW

 

[GreshamH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7646462#post7646462 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kinetic
so places like newalameda, do they use Catalina Norcal which is now Sea-pure? I remember Steve at newalameda told me they were using Catalina. I don't think they're using Catalina Socal ?

A question for the LFS really, not me. Give them a call and see

 

[GreshamH]

Knowing who Steve knows, I would suspect it's Catalina, not Sea-Pure.

 

[Elite]

blown63chevy, is there any LFS in Oxnard???

sorry for the Highjack Kinetic

 

[Kinetic]

I'm gonna get you phong!

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

We've got 2 really good ones here. Tat's and Aquatic village. They are both in Ventura which is on the other side of the 101 from me. About 30 miles away. There is also a Tat's over the grade in Thousand Oaks. It's geared more to the higher end but have an awsome selection. We also have Tat's warehouse here and the are direct importers so that's why they can get some good stuff. Tat is the owner of TAAM/Rio/SIEO. His Son's run the two stores.

Aquatic Village is owned by a couple who have been in the bussines a LONG time. They recently opened their store here after moving it from Santa barbara. Really nice folks.

We also have Seacrop here local as well. You can usually call in and order and then go down to the gate of the port and pick it up. Really nice people but they sold the bussines recently and so we will have to see what happens. Someone from New York bought it.

You plan on driving down or something?

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7646811#post7646811 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kinetic
Yes! I knew you'd show up on this thread eventually.

Glad I didn't disappoint you.

Supprised Paul B hasn't chimed in on here as he uses NSW from the Long Island sound. Been doing it for about 35 + years now.

 

[GreshamH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7650859#post7650859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blown63chevy
We've got 2 really good ones here. Tat's and Aquatic village. They are both in Ventura which is on the other side of the 101 from me. About 30 miles away. There is also a Tat's over the grade in Thousand Oaks. It's geared more to the higher end but have an awsome selection. We also have Tat's warehouse here and the are direct importers so that's why they can get some good stuff. Tat is the owner of TAAM/Rio/SIEO. His Son's run the two stores.

Aquatic Village is owned by a couple who have been in the bussines a LONG time. They recently opened their store here after moving it from Santa barbara. Really nice folks.

We also have Seacrop here local as well. You can usually call in and order and then go down to the gate of the port and pick it up. Really nice people but they sold the bussines recently and so we will have to see what happens. Someone from New York bought it.

You plan on driving down or something?

You forgot to mention how cool, and a nice guy, Tat is

So Mary sold?

 

[Elite]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7650859#post7650859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blown63chevy
We've got 2 really good ones here. Tat's and Aquatic village. They are both in Ventura which is on the other side of the 101 from me. About 30 miles away. There is also a Tat's over the grade in Thousand Oaks. It's geared more to the higher end but have an awsome selection. We also have Tat's warehouse here and the are direct importers so that's why they can get some good stuff. Tat is the owner of TAAM/Rio/SIEO. His Son's run the two stores.

Aquatic Village is owned by a couple who have been in the bussines a LONG time. They recently opened their store here after moving it from Santa barbara. Really nice folks.

We also have Seacrop here local as well. You can usually call in and order and then go down to the gate of the port and pick it up. Really nice people but they sold the bussines recently and so we will have to see what happens. Someone from New York bought it.

You plan on driving down or something?

Thanks, I was down there last week for couple days. Love the weather there.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I haven't actually met Tat yet but know his son's. We may be holding a club meeting soon at the warehouse and so I hope to get to meet him then. I know several of our club members have met him.

Yea Mary finally sold the place. They are moving to Colorado and her husband is going back into the construction bussiness. No more fish tanks. Supposedly the new owner is all gung ho about the bussiness and so our club has offered any help that we can provided. Got to keep the communication lines open. One of our members used to work there.

Dottie over at Aquatic Village said she wants to sell her store to and retire by the end of the year. From talking to her, it sounds like she still has a lucrative maintance bussiness up in Santa Barbara. Don't know if that goes with the store or not.

 

[Paul B]

Can't you guys just drive to a beach and pick up NSW?
I know the harbor is supposed to be polluted (never stopped me) but isn't there an ocean near California?
I even collect stuff you guys would laugh over and dump it in my reef. That rotten seaweed is loaded with copepods, amphipods, and bacteria. Yes bacteria, it is the stuff that cleans your water and eliminates wastes and nitrates. If you never add NSW your bacteria is all one strain by now. Not very healthy by any stretch. Certain bacteria work certain ways but you need a variety to do the job correctly and since they outcompete each other you need to add more periodically.
It's an ocean, all of your fish came from NSW. Many from some polluted harbor in the Philippeans. That artificial stuff we have to use sometimes is great for keeping stuff alive but for healthy fish in breeding condition that live 15 years use some NSW that has not been purified, nuked, evaporated or filtered.
And besides that, Have a great Fourth of July.
Paul

 

[raddogz]

I wouldn't put any of that nasty stuff at least nothing around here anyway (locally). eggghhh!