using seawater in my reef tank

I use both NSW and mixed salt water, have been using NSW for over a year now with no noticeable problems. In fact, my tank and the SPS and LPS seem to do better with NSW. Yes, there are countless microorganisms in NSW, which I believe feed the coral. The NSW I use comes from my LFS, and they obtain their water from a ship that travels miles off-shore and drops a pipe down several meters to pump the water. In-shop, they circulate the water until sale. I live on Miami Beach, and wouldn't add beach water to my tank because of the pollutants, but feel good about the quality of water from off-shore and below the surface.
 
And scripts uses SW that is continually recirculated.
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And they generously share it with keepers. There is a faucet by the pier where you can fill up your containers. It is the same NSW goes into the tanks up at the displays including the kelp "forest" display. If it is good for Scripts, it is good for anyone else too but they process it before they use it.
 
I use natural sea water in my 110 gal mixed reef. to be honest i have had much better success using water from the ocean than making my own. having the macro algae, micro algae, and consistancy with ocean water is hard to beat. i have never had a single problem with parasites,diseases, harmfull algae.
 
I did my first water change today using NSW after reading this thread last night. I did 25 gal on my 125, just waded out to chest level depth off of VA. Beach. I have been thinking about it for a while and it's not much further of a drive to the beach as it is to the LFS to get RO water and saltmix. Don't think I'll be going out there when the water gets real cold. Surprised that the salinity was only 1.020. Perhaps that had something to do with the tide as it was low and I know I should get it at high tide for now on. So added some salt, the PH was good and alk was little low at 7 dkh. That was good for me as mine in the tank was high. I'm on vacation this week and think I will do it again near the end of the week. Didn't really want to get a RO unit so this will hopefully be a good alternative for me.
 
I've never used anything but NSW from day one. I've never had any ill effects. I just recently added another 55 gal drum and now perform 110 gal changes every couple or so weeks and my tank's only 135 gallons. I use a 1500 gph pump to fill the drums and from the time I get there to the time I leave it takes about 20 minutes max to fill the drums. That's rolling out the hose and hooking the cables to the battery. I do use a particulate filter initially when pumping to the drums but that's it. Once home the water goes direct to the tank.

I turn off the recirc pumps and return pumps.
Then I use a garden hose to siphon about 25% of the water from the tank which leaves some corals exposed near the surface.
I use another garden hose to fill water in the sump. When the sump is full I turn the return pump on and pump water into the display. I keep doing this until the diplay and sump is full. Then I let the tank run as normal for about 10 minutes and repeat until the entire 110 gal's are used. You wanna see happy corals? The corals extend polyps like they're reaching for the stars. If corals could smile then that's how they do it.

Now for the common sense part. I don't collect water in the middle of a red tide like we had here last week. Nor when there's lots of bird activity during certain migratory times of year. Bird poop tends to not be good. Nor immediately following a rain storm, usually the next day is good. Nor during outgoing tide since I pump within an inlet. And lastly I dont pump if for any reason I pull up and the water just doesn't look right.

I know I overdue my water changes but sometimes I may go a month and other times when the water is pristine I'll do changes every 2 weeks. So they tend to balance out.
 
"Also natural seawater degrades much faster than synthetic"

HAHAHAHAHAA ... too funny

We get water at inlets when high tide starts coming in. That way you don't have to go miles out to get good water. Filter with UV then filter floss and or coffee filters, adjust the SG and your good to go !
 
I`m Also supprized. from what every one says it sounds like a question needs to be formed, Why isn`t everything in the sea dead? I`m just saying that it seems like people are saying " If you dont do this they will DIE!!!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11018597#post11018597 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davidryder
"Also natural seawater degrades much faster than synthetic"
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It's more or less a domino effect that occurs from oxygen depletion that causes a massive plankton die-off which then leads to a nitrate/amonia spike as your water jug enters into it's own mini cycle. You either have to use it within a hour or two, or store it in a dark place for several weeks at which time you would siphon off the clear water and then aerate it and add buffer. Using fresh seawater that's been sitting around in a sealed jug all day would more than likely negate any positive effects.

Actually, if you have access to a plankton net you can also do some quick collecting while you are filling your jugs or just plain skip the water and collect plankton only. You'll be amazed at the polyp extension you will see when you dump it into your tank.


Brett
 
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it seems a little rediculous that the real thing would be worse than our crude attempt at imitation.......i mean are we not just trying to recreate the real thing.....i do agree that aquariums are different than the ocean and i do agree that water can sometimes have pollutants in it.........but when i go fishing offshore i bring back some water...its just got so much natural plankton and stuff that we try to add to our tanks that i cant see it being a bad thing.......i mean what are you trying to make with salt mix and adding phyto and zoo plankton and stuff? the ocean
 
The amount of BS I see in this hobby sometimes is hilarious. Especially since I've only been doing this since April and I can spot it. I've been using NSW since day one and my SPS, zoas, and ricordia have been thriving. All I test for daily is calcium and alk and adjust using two part. When I do fresh water changes polyp extension is noticeably better soon after so obviously the SPS likes something in NSW. This is a guess but maybe it's the organisms that don't exist in fake sea water.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10921590#post10921590 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davidryder
Ok, next time I'm due for a water change I'm going to give it a try. :D
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can you either post in here or pm me with info on where you're planning on going to collect? I'm thinkin about this myself but i don't know if i should just go to the beach and walk out till i'm between waist and chest deep, or try to find somewhere else to collect on a tidal change, or what. i would be interested in learning from your experience if you don't mind sharing.
 
can somebody from the east coast of FL post test results for their NSW? I would like to get an idea of any differences between gulf water and atlantic water. I'll post results here when i can for gulf water.
 
IMO, natural seawater is good for large water volume changes, but synthetic is better for smaller weekly water changes...
 
i use NSW and stick it straight in the tank; no waiting. we have a "reef" where i can walk out 20 yds and hang over the edge, with 2 gallon tubs, taking water straight where the waves are crashing...


i get soaked, but it's quicker than driving to the LFS
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11079140#post11079140 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rlabriola
IMO, natural seawater is good for large water volume changes, but synthetic is better for smaller weekly water changes...
Click to expand...

I've been using NSW from the east central florida coast for years. I get 30 gals at a time and store it in a Brute trash can. I don't filter it or let it sit in the dark. I change 3 gals a day in my 75 gal reef and the corals and anemones love it. I don't believe in larger weekly or monthly water change but prefer daily smaller water exchanges to "feed" the reef what it needs not because I have to remove anything bad.
 
NSW is the best! 90% of the reefers I know in Florida use it and recomend it. I have never used a salt mix.
Here are some pics.
FTS.jpg
 
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