using nsw?

[playaslk]

hey guys. i live in encino (da valley!) and was wondering how many of you use natural sea water (NSW) to do water changes in you tanks? i realize that there is probably some pollution going on but from what i've read, chances of infection from it are low.

If anyone uses this method, please let me know where you get your water from?
catalina water, while nsw, isnt the answer because i have to pay 80c per gallon and hooking up 250 gallons of water isnt a cheap thing. (yes i know its not a cheap hobby, thanks for reminding me )

 

[joshik]

this would prob be closest?
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=541355

but it may or may not be open at the moment.

 

[Cymaster007]

I use NSW i have had no problems.

 

[playaslk]

where do u get the nsw?

 

[Cymaster007]

The reef in fullerton. Id check with the shops in your area and ask if they get water delivered from "Oceans in Motion" thats the good water I use.

 

[RandyFolds]

hey guys. i live in encino (da valley!) and was wondering how many of you use natural sea water (NSW) to do water changes in you tanks? i realize that there is probably some pollution going on but from what i've read, chances of infection from it are low.

If anyone uses this method, please let me know where you get your water from?
catalina water, while nsw, isnt the answer because i have to pay 80c per gallon and hooking up 250 gallons of water isnt a cheap thing. (yes i know its not a cheap hobby, thanks for reminding me )

If you are talking about going and scooping it out of the ocean, it's more work than it is worth. If you are talking about buying it, it is essentially standardized and equal in nearly every respect to synthetics.

The nearshore water quality is all over the place depending on whats going on with the weather and currents and the local industry. After working for a marine consulting firm for a lot of years and seeing all the water-quality data, as well as the data on bioaccumulation of pesticides and birth control and all sorts of other poisons everywhere in CA, I wouldn't even consider pouring it in with my babies.

Beyond that, you will need to store the raw NSW you collect in sealed containers for 2-4 weeks to allow the plankton and bacteria to die-off and settle out. Then you will need to decant the water off of the settled plankton (the layer is called mulm -- the more you know). Then, you will need to buff it back to reef parameters with calcium chloride and some carbonates.

All in all, a big PITA.

 

[Cymaster007]

All in all, a big PITA.

That makes it sound like a really big pain. Does scripps and aquarium of the pacific still use NSW? I wonder if they store it or buffer it.

 

[BeanMachine]

I filled my 150 gallon system with nsw from the Kerkhoff Marine Laboratory in Corona Del Mar. I since have changed water with synthetic so can't really comment on long term effects using it. My tank is doing just fine and it was much cheaper in the beginning to do it that way.

No harm in trying to save a buck!

I don't dispute what RandyFolds said (the more you know! haha ) but my line of thinking there would be that the water we get from these facilities has already been through their filter system and has been sitting most likely for longer than a couple of days to let all the mulm and other crap settle or dissipate as Randy suggested.

I also agree though that we have some pretty fudged up water out there in our harbors....

 

[RandyFolds]

That makes it sound like a really big pain. Does scripps and aquarium of the pacific still use NSW? I wonder if they store it or buffer it.

As Bean said, their water is passed through UV sterilizers and sand filters, which takes care of the settling out the mulm part, and they are pumping to secondary storage and then pumping to tanks, so the inconsistencies in pH, salinity, etc. are tempered by the constant mixing. In addition, they can stop their intakes during storm events when the water quality plummets and rely on their reserves.

If you have a truck and a way to move the water, the NSW feeds at the local marine labs are awesome, but as gas gets more expensive...well, you know.