Lets talk used water.

[Rockadile]

I see a great deal of new people setting up tanks with what they call "established water from a friends tank"

I think a few things should be talked about on this subject because I feel there are some misconceptions on this.

There is no such things as established water, what you are getting is used water that basically has been stripped of most of the good elements needed in a tank such as calcium alk, mag, etc.

There is little to no biological pluses from using used water as everything that is established is found in the live rock and sand, very very little is found in your water column, this is why we do water changes and or dose supplements.

IMO when you are starting a new tank be it a first tank or an upgrade you should use all new water this is going to start you off with a nice balance of essential elements and not what I consider nothing more then toilet water.

 

[ritter6788]

I agree with this 100%. I just went through this on our local forum with a nice lady that was trying to set up a new tank. She had dead rock and Petco told here to buy natural sea water and her tank was ready to go. Also a local member trying to sell her a pair of Clarkii clowns and an anemome told her to get some used water and that she could put the clowns and anemone right in. The only way I found out and stopped her was that I was giving away some damsels from my mantis tank and she said she wanted them and asked me how many she "needed to start her tank". There's a website about Rose Bubble Tip anemones that goes into great detail about keep them. She mentions setting up new tanks and having no need to cycle because she uses established water from her other tanks.

The funniest one was a guy on Craigslist that was selling "aged water". He only changed his water every 3 years and his old water was up for sale.

 

[Rockadile]

Unfortuneatly this is not that unusual. I feel people are confused as to where the biological organisms live. If it was the water we would have no need for sand and rock or other media for it to grow on.

 

[mainereefer]

really? why would you put toilet water in your tank. fish and corals pooped there ewwwwww

 

[bige]

I think most of the information new hobbyist have is from old timers. They did things that way and it worked dad gum it. It's once they realize things are working that they start doing research to find out most of how they started was wrong. That's how it happened to me. My current tank was empty when I got it. But I also had my clowns in a bag. Put water in and added clowns. The same day. I was told to wait 3 days to add corals. That actually worked. But not recommended.

 

[Rockadile]

I get what you are sating BIGE but from what I am seeing is people think there is a benefit from it. thinking it will shorten or completely eliminate a cycle. IMO at best it will help to jump start a cycle.

 

[Reefer Addict]

lol I'm always half expecting posts selling used water to say "stripped of calcium alkalinity and other pesky trace elements, with plenty of N03 and PO4 for your macro-algae!"

 

[ritter6788]

The Craigslist post is gone but it was copied on DFWMAS. This was actually someone trying to barter with year old tank water.

I have a five year old aquarium and every summer I like to change out 50% of the water it was a few years of hard work but but after 2 years I have a complete Eco system with h means I don't feed my fish. I have mollies that reproduce every few weeks and feed the fish and I have a lot of copepods that feed my sweetlips and gobies.

So my water is for trade need 50, 1 or 2 gallons for the micro bacteria will trade for reef salt, holly rock, salt water fish tank and aquarium items

Send me an email and tell me what you have but must be Equal trade gallon for pound or live sand also available from refugium , micro algae, mangroves. Etc.


I can also show you and guide you how to set up your tank

Check out my sweet lips he is now transforming to and adult it was hard but I can show you to raise fish like him and more

 

[Troylee]

I use old tank water on all my new systems... It's not about trace elements... It's about beneficial bacteria and for that reason it works great.... That's what dosing is for cal,alk,etc... Just my 2

 

[ritter6788]

I use old tank water on all my new systems... It's not about trace elements... It's about beneficial bacteria and for that reason it works great.... That's what dosing is for cal,alk,etc... Just my 2

I see no problem in using it but it's when new to the hobby people start up a tank with dead rock, sand, etc. and are told to add aged water and magically you can add livestock. If you start out with live rock and sand then you can add aged water and stock no problem.

 

[Troylee]

Aged rock and water yes... Sand no I always use new sand... Old sand will cause all sorts of havoc!!

 

[ritter6788]

Aged rock and water yes... Sand no I always use new sand... Old sand will cause all sorts of havoc!!

I agree. New, cured live sand and old live sand are two different things.

 

[Rockadile]

there is no beneficial bacteria in your water column. And there in lies the myth.

unless you consider phosphates and nitrates beneficial.

 

[Troylee]

Explain please.... How come people have cuts on there hand that get Infected all the time when they put there hands in there tank??? Not sure where you got your Info... The water has billions of bacteria good and bad...

 

[Rockadile]

I get my info from a lab. The amount of beneficial bacteria found in the water column is so miniscule it is hardly worth mentioniong. As far as people getting infections from putting their hands in the tank with cuts, really? its a usteril enviroment, you can get an infection from anything.

before you ask, I had my son who is studying to be a chemist take samples of water to test. While I can not understand the mumbo jumbo of his tech talk, the bottom line the parts per million were miniscule.

 

[Pappy]

Most beneficial bacteria is on the live rock and sand not in water column. Hence needing to remove old water and replace with new, also, to replace good elementz

 

[KJAG]

there is no beneficial bacteria in your water column. And there in lies the myth.

unless you consider phosphates and nitrates beneficial.

Rockadile, would be interested in seeing some of your cutting edge microbiology research on the the mythical beneficial bacteria claims.

 

[Rockadile]

But I am going to do my own simple test. I will be taking 2 5gal tanks and put 3 pounds of dead rock in each. both will have flow from a K 1 and a small heater. I will be using fresh salt water in one and used water from my tank in the other. I will test every day and log these tests results too see which cycles sooner. I am confident that the cycle will be close to the same amount of time showing that using old tank water has no benefit.

 

[KJAG]

Most beneficial bacteria is on the live rock and sand not in water column. Hence needing to remove old water and replace with new, also, to replace good elementz

Most? So not all? Any links supporting this? Also in regards to additives such as MB7: it immediately attaches itself to the rock and does not stay in the water column?

 

[Pappy]

Reef keeping 101 http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-04/newbie/index.php