What saltwater are u guys using?

[Abengochea]

I currently am using lfs store bought saltwater and am thinking of maybe mixing my own. I was curious what brand are u guys using, and also if you have to add any supplements to the water.

 

[frh674]

I also buy mine from the lfs... I think it would be too much work to mix my own :\

 

[ninjamini]

I have gone back and forth with the question about ocean water bought from the store vs mixing it. I always opt for the ocean water. I feel it has trace amounts of stuff that the synthetic stuff does not have.

 

[Abengochea]

yeah but do u know where they are really getting it from? what is also coming in with the collected water. I like the idea of mixing since u know what u are putting in it.

 

[ninjamini]

They collect it miles off shore and run it through a big UV.

 

[ReefWreak]

Yea most of the LFS will UV, strain, and let the water sit in the dark for a week or so when they send out giant ships a few miles offshore to get NSW. I've had no problems with my NSW from the LFS up in boca.

 

[DC321]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9015917#post9015917 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ninjamini
They collect it miles off shore and run it through a big UV.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9016038#post9016038 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefWreak
Yea most of the LFS will UV, strain, and let the water sit in the dark for a week or so when they send out giant ships a few miles offshore to get NSW. I've had no problems with my NSW from the LFS up in boca.

I do not believe they go through such a rigorous task for us.

I have switched to Reefcrystals with my own RO/DI setup due to a major tank crash caused by poor NSW delivery.

Good luck, though.

 

[jessp]

they go to the local bridge and pump it up during the incoming tide. usually in the keys.

i use it anyway lol

 

[DC321]

Up here they do it on any bridge they can find. Look over and throw in the hose.

 

[nyvp]

yes they go to the local bridge at high tide and that's all. I would say 95% of the NSW delivery guys do not filter or UV. There are very few that do. That being said I only do NSW changes. I do 300g every 4 weeks. For the price and time it takes to do it. Less than 5 mins it works for me. It actually comes out way cheaper than mixing. I also belive there are things in there that that isn't in the made salt.

 

[Abengochea]

I wonder how many of these lfs get the water from the same place

 

[gasman059]

I do the same /my service changes about 1/3 monthly sometimes half. I just dont have the time or effort to do it myself. no problems doing this for a while.

 

[wpbfishguy]

I don't trust any water that I don't mix myself and therfore use RODI and Oceanic Salt mix for the time being but I think I may switch back to using Tropic Marin

 

[NanoKat]

I used Reef Crystals for quite a while, but it got to be too much of a hassle to mix it. When Robert & Larrry started Eco Reef Aquarium in Pompano and I started going in there, I figured I'd just pick up natural salt water for changes and r/o for top off. I have two six gallon jugs that I fill about 2x month. The natural sea water changes in my tank every weekend (due to high nitrates, I decided to be very aggressive with the water changes until I got it down) have been very beneficial. I cannot say whether it's the natural water or the frequency of changes, but everything looks happier and is growing like crazy. I can see the benefits of both, but I am definitely leaning towards natural myself. Robert & Larry collect their water at an inlet on the incoming tide, so that the water they are collecting is clean...I can attest to it and so can my tank. They are also debating starting to carry premixed synthetic salt water, so I may do alternating if they do that...get the best of both worlds after all.

 

[dynastyreptiles]

Almost all of the salt water sold in dade and s. broward are collected in Hallouver cut. Incoming tide. Some are collected in the keys but thats more gas. They dont sterilize it. You shouldnt have any problems. We rarely or never get red tide.

 

[Fish2reef]

Seawater for me, but you bring a good point I started buying from Marine Scenes back when they were in Miami great quality and care but after they left I did not shop around or asked questions about how are the LFS keeping the water, we need to ask questions and express our opinion.

 

[Rogger Castells]

I alternate between a few brands, Instant ocean, seachem reefsalt & red sea salt.
I use to do the NSW and did awesome until one bad batch almost crashed the tank, the other issue I had with NSW was that I was getting it delivered and the temperature was never right, making my tank go through huge temp swings during water changes.

 

[rawbomb]

I really dont trust NSW you never know where they go to get the water and i know they do not filter, run the water thru a UV, and let it sit for 10 days. I use Reef Crystals and i would trust LFS water since i had a similar experiance to roger where a bad batch nearly crashed my tank.

 

[jeffbrig]

I use IO with RO/DI water. I stick with IO mainly because it's the most common salt, so I can get it anywhere. I think consistency from always using the same product can only be a good thing.

I hesitate to use NSW, because there's always some risk from trusting someone else to bring you clean water. Also, for a tank my size, you would need to have a large holding tank for water deliveries (like nyvp) to make it worthwhile.

 

[db_triggerfish]

I use IO salt mixed with Publix Purified Water the label says it is purified by reverse osmosis and ozonated. Since i am now going into sps with a new tank i have concerns about using supermarket brand purified water, any feedback welcomed.