Recycling used water

[fazalt]

Hello

I've started a marine fish tank about 4 months ago. The tank is 240L.

here is the problem I'm facing;

I live in Sri Lanka very close to the sea. i do about 10% water change every other week. This is a nightmare because i have to fetch the water from the sea every time i do a water change because we do not have access to sea salt for aquariums.

I have 2 more 100L tanks. I'm thinking of storing the removed water from the main tank in to the spare tanks and let it age there for about 5 weeks. I'm planning to put live rocks and sea weed in the spare tank so that the plants will consume all the unwanted chemicals.

I'm hoping this ageing of the used water will get it back to it's original state.

Will this work?

Please advise

Thanks
Fazal

 

[jayball]

You will have an issue with element depletion if this is your only source of dosing (the water change). I have to say I wish I could use NSW for my water changes.

 

[fazalt]

Thanks Jayball

Is there a way for me to address the element depletion problem without having to fetch water from the sea?

Thanks

Fazal

 

[karimwassef]

Can you buy artificial sea salt mix by buying overseas?

If you can get normal salt NaCl, it's possible to get the additives overseas.

 

[Becks]

Can you not buy a 1000 litre icb, pump it from th sea and store it. There's no issue with with storing sea water in a sealed container.

 

[Reef Frog]

Actually storing sea water with all kinds of plankton & organic debris in it could be problematic as it decomposes. Running through an ultra fine filter system like a sand or diatom filter might help. Storing refrigerated might extend its life but seems like a huge waste of resources.

 

[fazalt]

Thanks a lot guys

 

[andamanocean]

Hi, fantastic another Asian Based Reefer!, where in Sri are you? we have a home being built up by Galle.

I am based in the region, to say the least we only have one LFS and due to it being foreign owned there is a lot of 'fines', 'bribes', 'court-cases' and 'extortion' so its a 'perhaps' he is opened today, thus i resorted to taking directly of the reef in the back yard (water) actually considering pumping in and out, but what i can say is that he heads down to a beach and pumps directly 2 tonne when he is open and stores in the container at the shop, and with a tap just pulls out the amount being bought or for his own.

I would suggest a similar concept at home, on admittedly a smaller scale.

Fill it up and it should keep you going for quiet a few months, have a pump in there turning over the water of-course, you will not require a chiller or heater, and make sure it is airtight... so no evaporation and UV system will likely be required...

Alternatively if you want i can have a word with my LFS and put you in touch perhaps he can begin posting Salt to you as you order (though i can obliviously do that) or e-bay it.

I don't believe there really is any reason to 'age' the water as it is 'old/aged' already.

 

[stephenhall1987]

If you can plumb all 3 tanks together, you could use the other 2 as large refugiums.

There are ways of keeping the water clean of nitrate and phosphate without doing water changes. The problem long term is the depletion of trace elements, and the buildup of other chemicals. They sell additives to replenish "all of the trace elements".

 

[karimwassef]

Trace elements are more expensive than just doing water changes.

 

[Prana]

I also live in Sri Lanka, Fazalt send me a private message,more that be able to help.

 

[karimwassef]

If I lived next to the ocean, I'd have a sealed underground tank ~ 5000 gal with circulation. Then I'd hire a water truck service for clean water transport from the sea. Or I'd rent a truck every three months. Then I'd have water for constant water changes.

 

[fazalt]

Hi andamanocean

Thanks for your response. I live in Colombo, in an Apartment. between the apartment and the beach there is a railway line. So pumping water from the sea is out of the question .

Your suggestion to get the salt from your LFS is supper. Please let me know his contact details.

I also need to get a few skunk shrimps maybe he will have?

Thanks

Fazal

 

[Horace]

If I lived next to the ocean, I'd have a sealed underground tank ~ 5000 gal with circulation. Then I'd hire a water truck service for clean water transport from the sea. Or I'd rent a truck every three months. Then I'd have water for constant water changes.

This guy thinks like a reefer