I used ocean water! Whatcha think?

[spamreefnew]

i have used NSW in the past as well as local sand. no issues to speak of. the part i dont like is that you get some strange looks when you are collecting it around here does anyone know what the law states?

 

[rysher]

i was researching lighting and i stumbled on this thread, nice read.

NOTE: I am a complete newb, no experience whatsoever with regards to tanks SW/FW.

I'm going to use NSW. i live near PAtrick Air Force Base on the east side of Florida, right infront of the base is the ocean with plenty of rocks and small fishes of different color, i think it's the closest environment to a reef, i'll get my NSW from there. (if only i could also get some rocks)

I'll update this thread.

I have no idea yet on what water parameters are ideal, salinity, ph etc,,,,so i gonna research on those- i told u am a complete newb.

on a sidenote, maybe all i need to do is adjust the temp, since ASW is trying to replicate NSW parameters.

 

[chimmike]

Rysher, I grew up in Satellite Beach. I know they do water quality testing at the beaches in front of Patrick, might want to google those and see what they come up with in parameters. If you want to get water, you'd probably be better off getting it from Sebastian inlet, which sees tremendous current and water exchange every day.

alinity you really want to be around 1.024-1.026 for a reef aquarium so you could always dilute accordingly. Be careful though, with the cruise terminal there and so much history of military activity, who knows what's in that beach water. (not that it matters, I grew up going to second light nearly every other day during the summers and I'm still alive)

 

[JTL]

I live a couple of blocks from the Gulf in SWFL and have used nsw in the past but it was too much of a hassle to haul it back to the house. I also believe the quality to be hit or miss. I only did it for a short period of time but it would not take much to get some nasty bacteria and crash a closed system. There is no way I would use canal water, at least from the canals I have seen. Too many possible toxins from boats. Maybe the Keys are an exception but it would be interesting to see lab tests on the water which is something that could easily be done for minimal cost.

 

[chimmike]

the Keys seem to be an exception because most of those canals run from the atlantic side to the FL Bay side so there's constant flow and exchange.

 

[Girly Gears]

Anyone ever collected from the New Symrna Beach area? I have always wanted to grab some mud off the marsh out there too! It sounds way better to go to the beach, hang out, grab a few buckets of water and go home to do the water change!

 

[chimmike]

I definitely wouldn't grab the marsh mud. Too much bacteria or other bad stuff that could be in it to contaminate the aquarium.

Grabbing a few buckets of water sounds all well and good until you have to figure out how to carry several buckets full of water at 8lbs/gallon! haha.

 

[JTL]

I fell asleep before I finished reading this.
http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/research_monitoring/wqpp_white_paper.pdf

 

[signal_4]

I live in Corpus Christi on Padre Island in the canals and I have been using NSW for about 1.5 years... I just run a Mag pump from off the deck through the house and right into my tank for water changes. Everything in my tank looks great and loves the rich supply of phytoplankton. I have never had any problem with parasites,pollutants, or red tide... The only thing that I have to account for is temp and salinity. Temp really isnt a factor because my tank normally runs at 77-80 degrees, and in a 215g with a 40g sump a 30 % water change only drops the tank temp down about a degree or two when its cold. If the salinity is low then I just top off with saltwater until it is back to where I want it.