Natural sea water vs/ making your own

[Bunnee911]

My veterinarian was a good friend of mine. He died from this a few years ago. Had diabetes and went swimming at Galveston. He died very quickly.

 

[Rjramos]

I been using NSW from day 1, no problems yet (touch wood). Have 6x2x2 600l tank with 300l+ capacity sump so it is economical and only have to put a pump over the garden wall on high tide so super convenient too.

Hampshire, UK! Glad to hear of your success! Your reef tank is beautiful! I've used NSW here in Miami with great results too! How far to open ocean from your beautiful backyard there? Do you filter this water at all?[emoji106]

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

We in San Diego use water from the Scripps pier. It only goes throug a sand filter.
It is uses at the birch aquarium and the Scripps research facility. They also sell it to put in the live fish and lobster tanks at the store.
They don't turn off the pumps . They only back flush the silica filters on a schedule.

And we swim in it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

My veterinarian was a good friend of mine. He died from this a few years ago. Had diabetes and went swimming at Galveston. He died very quickly.

It's a bummer about Galveston. They killed that bay years ago. I think it's also Texas city there that's pretty much all oil and gas pumps. Yuck.

 

[1979fishgeek]

Hampshire, UK! Glad to hear of your success! Your reef tank is beautiful! I've used NSW here in Miami with great results too! How far to open ocean from your beautiful backyard there? Do you filter this water at all?[emoji106]

Thanks.
It's from a tidal creek few miles up shore, I just pump it out on the high tide run through a micron sock and carbon then slowly warm it up and add. I don't like to fuss with it to much as I want to keep all the natural planktonic life. I understand the risks involved in using NSW and the collection site is not way out at sea, but it was a decision based on how healthy the area is. It has one of the few native oster beds left which are thriving and the tiny critters at the base of the food chain are abundant, certain times of the year the Amphipods come into the garden(house!) in their millions and we end up inch deep in dried pink tiny shrimp if they don't get back in the water in time, even have those giant aquatic woodlice crawling up the house walls. Fish wise we have Mullet, shoaling sea bass, flat fish and mackerel all common.
There are no sewage outlets anywhere near and minimal boat activity, the only issue I have is salinity can fluctuate on Spring/neap tides which I have to adjust for and after heavy rain it can be silty...so I don't collect for few days.
All I know is the corals are thriving and I am very lucky.

 

[cj in sac ca]

It's a bummer about Galveston. They killed that bay years ago. I think it's also Texas city there that's pretty much all oil and gas pumps. Yuck.

You are correct it amazing how dead the bay is! Sadly $ can buy eyes to look the other way from environmental inspections.