UCSB Santa Barbara NSW Natural Sea Water...
- Thread starter boarder
- Start date
audiowerks
AKA Werks
crusty (ray) i think you missed my piont. The sea water has served me well, i'm sure it works good for them, for squid and sea bass etc. etc.
I am just saying that we should understand what we're getting.
.....running our water through a sand bed is not going to change the amount of nitrogen or phosphate or mercury or ddt or arsenic. All I am saying is there is a reason our water are green with plant life, and a sand filter only removes particulates. If reef water had as much nutrients we would have algea reefs.
the natural nutrients would explain your success with sponges etc. and the sand filter would explain why their storage tanks are clear. if you were to stop the 800gph outflow and illuminate and areate that tank it would most likely spring to life too!
I'm only posting my opinions, logical conclusions and experiences.
that being said anyone reading should filter all the info in this thread and make their own choices.
because
until one of us buys a gas chromatograph or pays for a full lab workup on the ucsb water and ASW samples and water from reef locations around the world......ITS ALL HEARSAY! putting us at the same level as those discussing the loch ness monster and bigfoot.
and maybe we should be telling noobies that this "live water" is great to seed your aquarium and probably has more life than live sand or some of this live rock, but that there is the possibility that over time its sole use may cause problems as others experience suggest.
I am just saying that we should understand what we're getting.
.....running our water through a sand bed is not going to change the amount of nitrogen or phosphate or mercury or ddt or arsenic. All I am saying is there is a reason our water are green with plant life, and a sand filter only removes particulates. If reef water had as much nutrients we would have algea reefs.
the natural nutrients would explain your success with sponges etc. and the sand filter would explain why their storage tanks are clear. if you were to stop the 800gph outflow and illuminate and areate that tank it would most likely spring to life too!
I'm only posting my opinions, logical conclusions and experiences.
that being said anyone reading should filter all the info in this thread and make their own choices.
because
until one of us buys a gas chromatograph or pays for a full lab workup on the ucsb water and ASW samples and water from reef locations around the world......ITS ALL HEARSAY! putting us at the same level as those discussing the loch ness monster and bigfoot.
and maybe we should be telling noobies that this "live water" is great to seed your aquarium and probably has more life than live sand or some of this live rock, but that there is the possibility that over time its sole use may cause problems as others experience suggest.
Reefer Brian
In Memoriam
Nicely put James. Your evidence is quite true although I do see an argument coming from the NSW users. We may never know why some people don't have sucess using this NSW. All I can say is, you get what you pay for.....
I understand fully what you are saying.
I guess in my febele little mind, I'm questioning why the research that they do is not affected in the same way your tank is. maybe it's the type of research they are doing is why they don't have an adverse affect on their test. Who know? I'm not the one doing the research so I can't answer that.
Maybe at the colder temps of our local water, the excess/unwanted elements do not have the same impact as they do at higher/tropical reef temps. Who knows?
As with all things that I've learned over the last 18 years of having a reef tank and enjoying this hobby, what works great for one person, dosen't always have the same results for another person. Why this is so, I have no idea.
I do know, and have collabrated this with Paul B who is going on 40+ years with his reef tank, that things in our tanks go in cycles. Once you have an estabilished system for I'd say more than 5 years, you start to see the cycles. pauls seen it as well as myself. For him though, he's been in the hobby long enough to see the same cycle several times with more than 5 years between the cycle. Just some more info to throw into the mix. Could it be that the problem your having is actually one of these "cycles" that our tanks seem to go through over time? Who knows.
I guess in my febele little mind, I'm questioning why the research that they do is not affected in the same way your tank is. maybe it's the type of research they are doing is why they don't have an adverse affect on their test. Who know? I'm not the one doing the research so I can't answer that.
Maybe at the colder temps of our local water, the excess/unwanted elements do not have the same impact as they do at higher/tropical reef temps. Who knows?
As with all things that I've learned over the last 18 years of having a reef tank and enjoying this hobby, what works great for one person, dosen't always have the same results for another person. Why this is so, I have no idea.
I do know, and have collabrated this with Paul B who is going on 40+ years with his reef tank, that things in our tanks go in cycles. Once you have an estabilished system for I'd say more than 5 years, you start to see the cycles. pauls seen it as well as myself. For him though, he's been in the hobby long enough to see the same cycle several times with more than 5 years between the cycle. Just some more info to throw into the mix. Could it be that the problem your having is actually one of these "cycles" that our tanks seem to go through over time? Who knows.
Ian
I <3 Corals!
I posted this in the SPS forum...
Ive fought po4 issues, well, forever. A couple of times I got it down as low as .08 but its usually been at an average of .15... a month or 2 ago, I began using salt mix, instead of natural sea water, and for the last 3 weeks Ive been dosing Prodibio weekly and dosing Vodka daily. Now I only have one problem...
Its a little too low :lol: Thats fine with me!! Im much happier with it being a few hundredths low than a few tehths too high! I guess I can't pinpoint it to one thing but thats fine, Ill keep up on all three. Belive it or not, Ive already noticed better color and frags that are a week new are starting to encrust!! Stoked!
I used Prodibio for months and dosed vodka with the NSW and the lowest it ever got, with LOTS of effort, was .08. Still not optimum for SPS. Im sold on salt mix and RO/DI from here on out, and Im probably the closest to UCSB in this thread. If it was a good resource for anybody, it would be me first...
Ive fought po4 issues, well, forever. A couple of times I got it down as low as .08 but its usually been at an average of .15... a month or 2 ago, I began using salt mix, instead of natural sea water, and for the last 3 weeks Ive been dosing Prodibio weekly and dosing Vodka daily. Now I only have one problem...
Its a little too low :lol: Thats fine with me!! Im much happier with it being a few hundredths low than a few tehths too high! I guess I can't pinpoint it to one thing but thats fine, Ill keep up on all three. Belive it or not, Ive already noticed better color and frags that are a week new are starting to encrust!! Stoked!
I used Prodibio for months and dosed vodka with the NSW and the lowest it ever got, with LOTS of effort, was .08. Still not optimum for SPS. Im sold on salt mix and RO/DI from here on out, and Im probably the closest to UCSB in this thread. If it was a good resource for anybody, it would be me first...
dbreef
In Memoriam
if you really wanna test if the red tide is in full bloom there are 2 ways the non wet way is too watch the waves at night they will glow as they break and roll in its the phospates glowing, the second is available any time as a long time surfer or any surfer if you swim for 10 to 30 min's in the stuff your balls will itch like crazy from the stuff and you will understand the true discomfort of red tide....
Just to clarify, those are not "phospates" but rather bioluminescent dinoflagellates and do indeed indicate red tide as you said. Red tide can cause marine organisms to die due to either oxygen starvation or high levels of toxins from other reactions to the algae bloom.
It has been debated if this red tide affects water quality at the depth the pipes draw the water in the cove adjacent to UCSB. Talking with one of the chief marine biologist educators, it has no effect as they continue to draw water into UCSB during all times of the year, regardless of red tide events.
sixtygallon212
New member
I have never used NSW from UCSB because of all the tank crash stories I have heard over the years. Also my dad helped install the pick up line for the NSW system. Their is a outfall off of goleta beach and he told me that if the currents are right the NSW system can pick up nutrients from the effluent of the outfall.
Been using it for over 6 years and no tank crash here.
The debate can rage on for years, as it has. Just like anything else in this hobby, Your Mileage May Vary. If someone chooses not to use it, it's cool by me. I enjoy the trip, taking the kids to the SB Zoo, going to lunch or dinner at the Palace, and getting 80 gallons of NSW.
BTW: I hope nobody here is in the path of that fire in Montecito. My thoughts go out to those who have been affected.
BTW: I hope nobody here is in the path of that fire in Montecito. My thoughts go out to those who have been affected.
Reefski's
Active member
no tank crash but i had another Acro RTN yesterday. most are ok. maybe nothing to do with the water and i haven't done a water change in a couple of weeks.
this photo shows all the debris that has settled out after a few months of use of the NSW in my cistern.
i am going to be pumping this out today. it is a nice day to get wet.
upon Eric Borneman's recommendation i have purchased a 1 micron filter sock that i will be putting all the water through before adding it to the cistern.
we'll see what that takes out.
i am still have phosphate issues too. it is 0.50 ppm today.
who is using the water that is raising SPS?
Carl
this photo shows all the debris that has settled out after a few months of use of the NSW in my cistern.
i am going to be pumping this out today. it is a nice day to get wet.
upon Eric Borneman's recommendation i have purchased a 1 micron filter sock that i will be putting all the water through before adding it to the cistern.
we'll see what that takes out.
i am still have phosphate issues too. it is 0.50 ppm today.
who is using the water that is raising SPS?
Carl
Reefski's
Active member
the fires stopped me from going. i didn't feel like fighting hours of traffic.
i have never seen anthing in suspension in the water though. always looks very clear. i am thinking of doing the filtering as i pump it into the transport tanks.
is anyone using it for SPS?
Carl
i have never seen anthing in suspension in the water though. always looks very clear. i am thinking of doing the filtering as i pump it into the transport tanks.
is anyone using it for SPS?
Carl
Sharkbait1
New member
That does look pretty nasty. But even using synthetic salt you will get some stuff that settles on the bottom, especially if you have a huge cistern like that. The more water the more nastiness.
Sharkbait1
New member
Was there today at noon... only traffic was coming home with all the fire trucks and national guard. So stopped and had lunch then was smooth sailing
Reefer Brian
In Memoriam
Picked up a few gallons the other night(not to use just to test). Phosphates tested at .25, pH was 7.5 and Calcium was 380ppm.
NO BUENO.....
NO BUENO.....
Similar threads
