Saltwater from the ocean??

[zambavi]

Okay...one one hand it seems like a "duh" question: is it good to use salt water from the ocean in your reef? Of course that is where the stuff comes from...but wouldn't it make for a cleaner tank (talking algae here) to use RO/DI mixed with a nice Tropic Marin Reef Salt?
We went to a LFS today who told us that almost everyone in the area uses ocean water for their tanks (we are new to the area), but we are having our doubts...what do you guys on here think? Thanks for your help.

Jeff and Cindy

 

[Mr. Ugly]

I use tap water and Reef Crystals or Instant Ocean salt.

East Bay water district has pretty good water.

I used to run the water through DI columns, but don't even do that any more.

 

[northbay-reefer]

Ocean water is high in nutrient, so if you collect it, you need to run it through a good micron filter, some carbon and then UV or ozone before using it

 

[sfsuphysics]

Well if the LFS told you almost everyone uses ocean water he's full of it, now maybe instant ocean saltwater, but not ocean water. Problem with ocean water is that around here all the cities don't exactly make it too clean.

 

[LeviT]

Man, there has got to be tons of crap in that water. I mean literally Poo!

Norm, what do you treat your water with? I'm sure you have mentioned this in other threads but too lazy to look How long have you been using tap water? I wonder how much better or worse my tap water is.... all I can say is I don't drink it

 

[Gomer]

[quote author=Mr. Ugly link=topic=3330.msg37640#msg37640 date=1205477952]
I use tap water and Reef Crystals or Instant Ocean salt.

East Bay water district has pretty good water.

I used to run the water through DI columns, but don't even do that any more.
[/quote]


Hey Norm, What do you think of Livermore's Tap water for mixing with Salt? (of course use DI/RO for topoff)
http://www.ci.livermore.ca.us/wrd/pdf_files/Livermore_WQR.pdf

 

[GreshamH]

I used to use it in our fish holding system, but I enver used it for my reef tank. It's quality depends on the time of year, IE> winter is no time to use it

 

[tuberider]

There are many problems regarding using local NSW in reef aquariums.

The local purchased NSW comes from HMB, home to some of the most polluted beaches in the state due to agricultural runoff, cracked clay sewer lines, a healthy population of seagulls that go to the dump to eat, and then come to the beach to poo, and of course lots of boats. One of the individually most polluted beaches is known as Barbara's beach, home to Barbara's grease trap where you can get $20 fish and chips. It is about 100 yards away in the INNER harbor (there's an outer breakwall, and an inner breakwall, the inner breakwall is where all the slips are for the boats) that our NSW is collected. THERE IS NO "PIPE" going out into the ocean, they don't go out into a boat to collect it, it's all lies. The water is then trucked to a muddy lot, and run through some frankenstien filtration setup, and trucked off.

Let's pretend that the water here is pristine, when the water comes up to tropical temps it has a gravity of ~1.027-8, very low calcium, last time I tested it was ~320ppm (no joke), there's plenty of phosphate from the ag runoff due to Deniston creek that runs past over hundred acres of Brussel Sprout fields where they grow two crops a year it's non-stop. If that's not enough, during rainstorms the freswater intrusion can put a "slick" of fresh water up to a foot thick half way out to the jaws of the harbor.

Oh yeah, then there's this...

That's some pretty low Alk....

Good RO, or even good tap run through sediment and carbon is a much safer option.

 

[zambavi]

We agree with you...I can only see NSW being a good idea if it is taken straight from the depths of the middle of the ocean or maybe the GBR! We pickedup this NSW because we were in a pinch and needed water quick, but I think we will pour it out and go with our instincts! We have always used RO/DI mixed with Tropic Marin Reef Salt--our corals go wild when we use it... so we need to buy an RO/DI unit...anyone know where we can find one? Ebay?

I am surprised you guys use tap water with all of the chemical treatments they use to make it "drinkable" They are even finding residual traces of prescription meds in most tap water because it just cant be removed by the treatment process. We are of the mindset that when you are investing thousands of dollars, as most reefers do, why take chances?
Of course, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" so if tap is working for your setup, good for you

 

[LeviT]

That's why his coral grows so fast! All the drug busts that when down the toilet Once they hit a clean tank I get they'll go into withdrawel lol We have a group by with spectrapure that we are trying to send in but you have to be a member

http://www.bareefers.org/membership.html
;D

 

[tuberider]

AFA straight tap, I'm referring to those lucky people in Alameda, and some on the Peninsula, I get 150ppm TDS here if I'm lucky so it's RO for me. I agree don't take chances!

 

[seminolecpa]

mine ranges from 25-75 but I still use a RODI unit just to be safe.