reefrubble
Premium Member
How many local reefers use NSW for water changes ? Let us hear from you. Ted:eek1:
Local NSW users
- Thread starter reefrubble
- Start date
I'm very interested because I'm getting ready to fill 1,000 gallons of tanks with water. I have some students whose parents are going to collect a bit of it. Never used it before except know one person in Hudson whose tank leaked all over one night and though most of his 40 fish died, he brought in tons of water from the estuary behind his house and he said his corals went nuts with growth...they loved it! His tank is thriving again!
Right here bud! All good! Almost zero cycle. Just posted my technique on another thread. I second the benefits. Been using it now for months and Ill never go back!!
I take my H2o from the Banana river Estuaries. Mid tide, about 4 1/2 to 5 ft of water is where I start to collect.
I use a trailor mounted tank that holds 800 gal. They use the tank for installing sprinkler systems has a mounted high pressure pump attatched to it and a fire hose (for lack of better descrip.). I dont know if its a custom setup or it is a commercial prebuilt standard bought unit but it hauls the H20 with eez lol.
I store the tank for a frined who owns the business and he lets me use it for this purpose.
Im looking into getting my own unit.
I take my H2o from the Banana river Estuaries. Mid tide, about 4 1/2 to 5 ft of water is where I start to collect.
I use a trailor mounted tank that holds 800 gal. They use the tank for installing sprinkler systems has a mounted high pressure pump attatched to it and a fire hose (for lack of better descrip.). I dont know if its a custom setup or it is a commercial prebuilt standard bought unit but it hauls the H20 with eez lol.
I store the tank for a frined who owns the business and he lets me use it for this purpose.
Im looking into getting my own unit.
Biscutz
New member
Biggie,
That sounds like a great unit you have there. Right now I'm forced to grabbing 5g buckets and filling them one at a time. My problem is the my boat is at my inlaws house in Gulf Harbors, so I have to transfer the water to my Jeep then back to my house. It's a journey that I think is worth the effort.
Ian
That sounds like a great unit you have there. Right now I'm forced to grabbing 5g buckets and filling them one at a time. My problem is the my boat is at my inlaws house in Gulf Harbors, so I have to transfer the water to my Jeep then back to my house. It's a journey that I think is worth the effort.
Ian
Yea, its worked out for me so far. Im looking for my own unit to transport and get my friends tank out of my garage to his dismay lol. Its convient to trailer it verse try and haul it in a truck bed for safety, spillage, and weight considerations. I know Tractor Supply sells various PVC tanks differnt sizes I may look there first. Finding a tank to haul it in isnt really the challenge its the trailer. Most reasonably priced pre-builts are on 2500 lb axles. Thats great if you only need to haul a small amount a short distance. Im building a 290 gal tank with a total system of over 500 gal. So a typical water change is gonna be around 50 gal.
To me its just not economical to transport anything under 500 gals. Factoring this all in Im lookng at over a grand to get anything close to keep things price worthy of doing. I figure within a years time after the purchases are over Ill have reclaimed my investment on a trailer, pump, hoses, and tank. And who knows if I ever jump out of the hobby some other reef nut might buy it all lol...
Heres waht Ive found for tanks, http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=4&paID=1034&sonID=157&page=5&productID=16777. Id most likely purchase the 525 gal Around $500 then some sort of custom trailer preferably a tandem axle with 3500# axles. Pumps are last I can hand cart it for the mean time or use a generator and any ole pump. Best case is using a high volume transfer pump.
alfa1023
New member
Ted,
I have used only NSW for initial tank fill and water changes for over a year now. Source of water has ranged from 30 miles out to as close as the bay inside of Anclote (due to last year's red tide - experimented with a second tank and local fish - I found that the red tide was existing north of Anclote and far offshore, but was not on the inside and close to shore - had zero losses in the main tank). I live on the water in Palm Harbor and use a Mag pump and PVC pipe to pull the water from about 6 to 7 feet below the surface. I have about 50 gallons in jugs that I fill each trip. My offshore fill spots are areas that we rountinely dive and that have decent coral growth (at least they do now, slowly recovering from last year's red tide).
Interestingly, I have seen no difference in tank conditions (growth/health of xenia, shrooms and zoas, and/or amount of algae) whether I use the "blue" water from 30 miles out or the "green" water from the bay.
When collecting water closer in, I time my trips to coincide with the extreme high tides for the month.
Jim
I have used only NSW for initial tank fill and water changes for over a year now. Source of water has ranged from 30 miles out to as close as the bay inside of Anclote (due to last year's red tide - experimented with a second tank and local fish - I found that the red tide was existing north of Anclote and far offshore, but was not on the inside and close to shore - had zero losses in the main tank). I live on the water in Palm Harbor and use a Mag pump and PVC pipe to pull the water from about 6 to 7 feet below the surface. I have about 50 gallons in jugs that I fill each trip. My offshore fill spots are areas that we rountinely dive and that have decent coral growth (at least they do now, slowly recovering from last year's red tide).
Interestingly, I have seen no difference in tank conditions (growth/health of xenia, shrooms and zoas, and/or amount of algae) whether I use the "blue" water from 30 miles out or the "green" water from the bay.
When collecting water closer in, I time my trips to coincide with the extreme high tides for the month.
Jim
reefrubble
Premium Member
Thanks for all that info Jim. I would like to keep this thread going as long as possible. We need to stock pile as much information as we can on this subject. How long do you store your NSW ,and just how do you store it? What do you test for,or if you test at all ? Do you do anything to the water before you add it to your system,or do you just dump it in? Ted
alfa1023
New member
Ted,
I try and do 10 to 15 gallon water changes a week - so I guess the longest I have stored NSW water for is about a month. I basically add it straight to the tank, except that I pour it through a filter sock to catch any debris that I might have picked up.
I have tested the water for the usual stuff and it always comes up within acceptable/desired specs. Calcium always seem to test out around 400, but that may be a function of my Salifert test kit and the tester (me).
As for storage, I keep the water sealed in the 5 / 6.5 gallon jugs in the garage.
Jim
I try and do 10 to 15 gallon water changes a week - so I guess the longest I have stored NSW water for is about a month. I basically add it straight to the tank, except that I pour it through a filter sock to catch any debris that I might have picked up.
I have tested the water for the usual stuff and it always comes up within acceptable/desired specs. Calcium always seem to test out around 400, but that may be a function of my Salifert test kit and the tester (me).
As for storage, I keep the water sealed in the 5 / 6.5 gallon jugs in the garage.
Jim
This NSW usuage subject has come up before and the storage issues. Thats how I got the nerve to try it int he first place. Most people Ive talked to have told me they stored it for months and just aerated it heavily and strained it and it was fine.
Commonly Ca is what is lacking and PH tend to drop over long storage periods.
I took it one step further tested for Phosphates, Iodine, Iron and the usual PH. Everything except the Ca came out near or better than perfect.
I got Ca readings of 320 alittle low. I dont have anything to test for Disolved O2 but Id expect it to be in line as well. Hope this helps.
Commonly Ca is what is lacking and PH tend to drop over long storage periods.
I took it one step further tested for Phosphates, Iodine, Iron and the usual PH. Everything except the Ca came out near or better than perfect.
I got Ca readings of 320 alittle low. I dont have anything to test for Disolved O2 but Id expect it to be in line as well. Hope this helps.
reefrubble
Premium Member
Hi Ian, Nice talking to you today. Now I get to put a face with the name. The only live stock I took home today was a rose milli frag. I had to get out of the candy store before I got in trouble. All of Johns stuff is premo ,and with 20% off live stock I wanted to buy everything. There is about 5 pieces I wanted really bad,It's a good thing my wife had the credit card. Or maybe it wasn't such a good thing. Ted
Biscutz
New member
Ted,
It was nice meeting you too! Pretty funny coincidence! I loved the light blue acro on the second to highest shelf all the way to the right. If I had money I would have loved to buy it, haha. Any idea what that was? I really want to wait until my current acro's start to color up before I buy anymore.
Ian
It was nice meeting you too! Pretty funny coincidence! I loved the light blue acro on the second to highest shelf all the way to the right. If I had money I would have loved to buy it, haha. Any idea what that was? I really want to wait until my current acro's start to color up before I buy anymore.
Ian
reefrubble
Premium Member
John told me what it was ,but I don't remember the name. I'm bad with names. It shouldn't take too long for your acro's to color up. May be a little more NSW is all they need. Ted
reefrubble
Premium Member
Ian, I need to do the same The first chance I get. I only go out during the week,less traffic out there. I know that would be difficult for you. Ted
reefrubble
Premium Member
I think that would work out ok . I have to plan my run around an incoming tide. I want to be out there ,and pumping just before high tide. Ted
reefrubble
Premium Member
Rob, I did 4 water changes with NSW 80 gal each. I'm going to start back using it. Everything in the tank loved it. I had very good PE and ,no problems with it at all. I run 80 watts of UV in my system,but I don't think that is necessary. Ted
Similar threads
