To use or not use Natural Seawater

:fish1: Hi, I started my system with NSW and every water change is with NSW, but I go out in my boat to collect it which is offshore of the upper Florida Keys and usually in the Gulfstream. Never had a problem with the water and I usually catch a fish of two for dinner, also it's a lot more fun to collect the water than to sit in the fish room to mix up salt in a container. :fish1:
 
I've collected from several areas in the SF bay area (offshore, surf, and estuary). The only problem that I ever had was low salinity after rains.
 
I use sediment filtered NSW from my local university. I just bump up the dkh. Never had a problem in 2 years
 
over here In San Diego we are lucky enough to have Scripps Institute of Oceanography and also the Birch Aquarium. they collect water from the ocean and pipe it through 3 sand filters and then you can use there hose to fill your buckets. I along with plenty of san diego reefers have been using this water for numerous years along with the aquarium itself. there are times in which you don't want to collect but that's a no brainer(algae blooms, red tide, after storms, etc.) the calcium and alk is alittle low but that's not that big of a deal for most..
so here its been tested and used so I believe in the NSW.
 
I will try it but will have to find a place locally that gives me good water. It seems that my biggest challenge is going to be developing a system that will work for me. Location, timing and storage seem to be the biggest hurdles for me. I would rather collect my own that buy some from the lfs.
 
PaulB would probably never do something like that. If you read his posts he generally goes the more natural route.

Sure he would.

I use some NSW and if I lived just a little closer to the beach I would use nothing but NSW. It is by design better than fake seawater because it is, well it is, "real" sea water. My tank was started with NSW in 1971, as fake seawater was not invented yet. (If Randy had a fish tank then, he would have invented it)
Actually the guy who invented STP for cars was a fish Geek and he invented Instant Ocean.
Anyway to prepare for NSW I first roll up my pants, then I wade out here with a bucket making sure no pretty girls are looking because you don't want to appear to be a Geek, even though we are.
Then you carefully lower the bucket into the water.
That's it. Then before it warms up I strain it through a coffee filter, T shirt or towel to get rid of the tiny jellyfish or Loch Ness Monster fry. After it warms I test the salt because here in NY it is weak. I don't know why but it is.
I use my 20 year old swing arm hydrometer but you can go to a lab and use one of their $5,000.00 hydrometers if that makes you happy. Then dump the water in your tank and go out to dinner and have a nice glass of Merlot knowing your fish are happy :bum:



There are a lot of variables like rain, pollution, bacteria, salinity, and algae on the surface.

Yes this is true, there is probably some rain in the water so strain out the rain also. :lol:
 
"My tank was started with NSW in 1971, as fake seawater was not invented yet."

you are kidding right.....I had a tank in 1970 and there was plenty of artificial salt on the shelves of the lfs.
 
Sure he would.

I use some NSW and if I lived just a little closer to the beach I would use nothing but NSW. It is by design better than fake seawater because it is, well it is, "real" sea water. My tank was started with NSW in 1971, as fake seawater was not invented yet. (If Randy had a fish tank then, he would have invented it)
Actually the guy who invented STP for cars was a fish Geek and he invented Instant Ocean.
Anyway to prepare for NSW I first roll up my pants, then I wade out here with a bucket making sure no pretty girls are looking because you don't want to appear to be a Geek, even though we are.
Then you carefully lower the bucket into the water.
That's it. Then before it warms up I strain it through a coffee filter, T shirt or towel to get rid of the tiny jellyfish or Loch Ness Monster fry. After it warms I test the salt because here in NY it is weak. I don't know why but it is.
I use my 20 year old swing arm hydrometer but you can go to a lab and use one of their $5,000.00 hydrometers if that makes you happy. Then dump the water in your tank and go out to dinner and have a nice glass of Merlot knowing your fish are happy :bum:
I'm more a Cab or Pinot Noir man myself, but to each their own :D
 
you are kidding right.....I had a tank in 1970 and there was plenty of artificial salt on the shelves of the lfs.

In New York we only had "Lampert Kays Marine Magic" But I used Natural. Maybe where you live you had other ASW

I'm more a Cab or Pinot Noir man myself, but to each their own
We had Pino Noir tonight on our boat. Nice night
 
I use nsw exclusively in my tank and even though my tank is new and i don't have many corals the hammer and zoas are doing great and i will continue to use it even when i get sps corals. I'm lucky enough to life right next to ocean and fake salt is expensive here, so nsw is the best option for me.
As long as you collect it on the in coming tide and not get any surface water you should have no problems.
 
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