Natural seawater /water change

[Tautog]

Here's a question I didn't see addressed:
I use NSW purchased from a LFS, always have and my 29BC is 6 years old. NSW generally has alkalinity around 7.0-7.4. I recently started dosing 2 part ca/alk to bring my alkalinity up to 8.4 per the recommendation of many SPS keepers. If I do a 20-25% water change every 2-3 weeks, should I be dosing my new NSW to bring the parameters up to match what is already in the tank. I have mainly softies, but recently added a few montiporas and acroporas.

Yes, prior to the WC

 

[Paul B]

A change with natural seawater is fine. The salinity is likely fine to a tiny bit high. I'd measure it each time, but not all the other parameters.

Most importantly, use it quickly so it doesn't become anaerobic from dying organisms in it.

I am surprised everyone near the sea doesn't use that water. Guess where all your fish and coral come from?

Anyway, Randy is correct as most newly collected seawater will cloud up a bit for a few days, then get clear. It is perfectly OK to use as I have been doing that for years. But I normally, if I have time diatom filter the new water to remove all of that stuff along with seaweed which I get enough to make a nice Ceasr Salad, anchovies and all. If you diatom filter the water there is nothing in it to rot and the water stays crystal clear. I collected 30 gallons 2 days ago and finished diatoming it. When I collected it I used a pump that I just threw into the surf. It sat on the bottom so I got a lot of seaweed and sand which I didn't want.

 

[Acro maniac]

I am surprised everyone near the sea doesn't use that water. Guess where all your fish and coral come from?

Anyway, Randy is correct as most newly collected seawater will cloud up a bit for a few days, then get clear. It is perfectly OK to use as I have been doing that for years. But I normally, if I have time diatom filter the new water to remove all of that stuff along with seaweed which I get enough to make a nice Ceasr Salad, anchovies and all. If you diatom filter the water there is nothing in it to rot and the water stays crystal clear. I collected 30 gallons 2 days ago and finished diatoming it. When I collected it I used a pump that I just threw into the surf. It sat on the bottom so I got a lot of seaweed and sand which I didn't want.

Diatom filter? Ok google....

 

[PJNANO]

Yes, prior to the WC

Thank you

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Here's a question I didn't see addressed:
I use NSW purchased from a LFS, always have and my 29BC is 6 years old. NSW generally has alkalinity around 7.0-7.4. I recently started dosing 2 part ca/alk to bring my alkalinity up to 8.4 per the recommendation of many SPS keepers. If I do a 20-25% water change every 2-3 weeks, should I be dosing my new NSW to bring the parameters up to match what is already in the tank. I have mainly softies, but recently added a few montiporas and acroporas.

You can either boost the new salt water or boost the tank after the addition. It really won't matter which (or maybe not at all). The alk drop on the water change will be quite small.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just came across the article by Boomcorals on SPS care. The author suggested that alk be kept around 7dkh (oddly enough, that of NSW), which makes me wonder why I'm dosing at all and why so many reefers keep their alkalinity so high?

If you do not dose with SPS, the tank won't stay at 7 dKH.

Higher alk can give faster growth of some hard corals, assuming they have adequate nutrients. It is also a buffer against the real alk being lower than you seem to measure.

 

[Paul B]

I collect water here in New York and I have to add some salt. The salinity here is so low that I can probably keep kissing gouramies. I don't know the other parameters but it would be interesting to test it.

 

[PJNANO]

You can either boost the new salt water or boost the tank after the addition. It really won't matter which (or maybe not at all). The alk drop on the water change will be quite small.

Thank you

 

[PJNANO]

If you do not dose with SPS, the tank won't stay at 7 dKH.

Higher alk can give faster growth of some hard corals, assuming they have adequate nutrients. It is also a buffer against the real alk being lower than you seem to measure.

This is very helpful, Thank you.

 

[cracker]

I'm on the 1st coast also. Iv'e heard You can get NSW there & even drove thru to check it out. I hear one just helped themselves. however it's a long drive for me. I have been collecting live sand & pods though looking for a variety of benny bacteria's .

 

[reeferdon]

So I guess no one has a NSW established tank to show us.

 

[Paul B]

Not many people have a tank with 100% NSW. I collect water in the summer but here in NY I can't collect in the winter because it is to rough. Next week I will move right near the sea and I will use 100% NSW. My tank was started with all NSW but that was a long time ago. It is probably only 20% NSW now.

This is why I don't collect NSW here in the winter. It isn't the ice, it is the fact that the waves break over my head when I go here to collect and I hate that. Besides Dorithy Hammil keeps skating by and she disturbs me by doing all those axels and jumps.

 

[PJNANO]

So I guess no one has a NSW established tank to show us.

Actually, I have 2! Here is my BC29 FTS from April 2018

 

[PJNANO]

And here is my IM14 Caribbean tank

 

[PJNANO]

Not many people have a tank with 100% NSW.

Mine are 100% NSW. But I live in South Florida.

 

[reeferdon]

I see all the NSW tanks are Sofies and LPS.

 

[laverda]

I used NSW for years on all my tanks. A good friend of mine did as well. I set my current 300 NSW. Sadly the university system took over the local facility I used to get it at and shut it down to the public. Their excuse was that it was to much of a liability. Several stores and service companies got their water there as well. The next closest source is too far to justify the trip. There really is not anywhere I could just drop a pump in and pump it out easily and without a very long hose. I have not done a water change in a year so far, so its not a big deal.
When I did get NSW I usually checked added akl to match my parameters. It vary as would the salinity. The source was drawing from Newport harbor, not deep in the ocean like they do at Scripts. I always waited 2 weeks after a rain of any significance to avoid high nitrates and phosphates.
A lot of stores in so Ca use NSW from Scripts or Catalina(La Harbor).

 

[Paul B]

I see all the NSW tanks are Sofies and LPS.

I have about 3 or 4 SPS but I like LPS much better.

 

[PJNANO]

I see all the NSW tanks are Sofies and LPS.

I added my 1st SPS to my 29 this past year. The Montiporas are doing well and showing growth. The Acroporas not really doing much and very little polyp extension

 

[PJNANO]

I have not done a water change in a year so far, so its not a big deal.

Wow! A whole year without a water change. I do 20% every 2-4 weeks. Ha! I guess theres much to be said about larger systems.