Natural Seawater
- Thread starter x_burt
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I would go for it. If I was worried about pollution and parasites, I would whack it with bleach and carbon before using. You'll have to hold it and warm it up anyway. I would get a tour of a local public aquarium, if you have one, to see how they do it. In my experience with public aquariums, you should be able to find someone there who is willing to show you their behind-the-scenes if you ask some reasonably intelligent questions. One possible downside might be your loss of plankton in the NSW (but water temperature differences would kill them off in no time anyway).
Side thought - with the volume of NSW you are considering, you might be able to run an "open" system if you're collecting the NSW often enough! No testing, no skimmers, no additives, no yada-yada.
Good luck with your NSW efforts!
Side thought - with the volume of NSW you are considering, you might be able to run an "open" system if you're collecting the NSW often enough! No testing, no skimmers, no additives, no yada-yada.
Good luck with your NSW efforts!
captainsmitty
Active Member
One of the issues with using NSW is where its collected from. In our area (San Francisco Ca.) it is collected in our harbor Pillar Point. This is inside the harbor and about as far from the mouth of the harbor as one can get. I work on the ocean for a living and watch this truck back up to the bulkhead for its collection. I am also an avid scuba diver. But, there are times when I won't dive in the harbor due to the pollution. The fecal matter diesel and oil in the water is bad along with the other waist. There are chemicals from human pollution and bad bacteria's. Both of which could potentially wipe out your tank. I have often considered taking water from off shore. But it seems to me to be a big pain to transport. I have used ASW since i started my tank (9 years ago).
HeadStrongGrafx
Active Member
I live in Destin FL. I get soooooo nervous about pulling water from the gulf that I haven't done it yet! I would love to use the NSW being I live on the water and can collect it easily. I'm just scared there will be pollutants that will crash my tank. Those of us that us NSW, do run GFO and Carbon ect... Also the water here in the summer heats to about 85-89 degrees and my reef is stable at 77 degrees with my chiller. Would this cause a major issue? I'd really love to hear from others in the area and more info on using NSW from people ACTUALLY using it rather than peoples opinions that aren't using it!!
HeadStrongGrafx
Active Member
However I won't be collecting today or tomorrow I'm about to be dealing with a tropical storm. Lol
Aussie paul
Active Member
I've got a pump and filter on my IBC and circulate it for storage. My plan is to switch to a sand filter full of live sand and run my NSW through it. I have never used salt mix and never will as far as I'm concerned if it's good enough for fish in the wild it's good enough for my fish and coral in my tank
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I think you need help collecting your NSW and analyzing the results! My wife and I love the Fort Walton/Destin area. In fact, we are planning on purchasing a condo on the beach in Fort Walton as soon as the last child graduates college in 5 years.
HeadStrongGrafx
Active Member
The gulfarium is about 15 mins from my house and they run the whole exhibit off the water from the gulf. I'm gonna go over there next week once these tourist leave and really talk with them and see if I can't get a behind the scene look at filtration.
HeadStrongGrafx
Active Member
Btw... This is a pic I just took from my deck. No storm yet.. It's relatively calm right now.
Spiveysreef
Community Member
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[I agree,every time I see a, no don't use it it's contaminated comment it's from someone who has never tried it. I have talked to several ppl that use it for years now and have never had a problem. The ocean is so big it would be really hard to contaminate it.
Benders Bay
New Member
When I lived in So Fl I always used natural sea water.Starting with a rope a 5 gal bucket and Pickle barrels. The place I used was Hillsboro inlet. Back then you could back up to the sea wall and do it. I evolved to using a 12 volt bilge pump wrapped in a filtering material. I Would take the water back transfer to barrels and let it sit for 2 weeks. never had a problem. One guy who collected water there used to fill a water bed mattress in this way. When people asked what I was doing I would tell them I had a cold fusion set up at home and this was how I paid my electric bill
Bracka345
Active Member
Where I live pollution isn't a concern as we have little marine traffic. Only traffic is a few dive boats. When I collect my water I will get it from outside of the reef and not from the shoreline.
jsker
Reefing is all about the adventure
My big question is how long will the water store. If I am changing 16 gallons 60.5 liters a month and I have 100 gallons 378 liters on hand how long will that last being stored. It seem that most who are using the NSW are closer that an hour from the ocean and just can pretty much run down and grab what they need. I would also say with NSW one would not have to dose the trace elements or as much using NSW.
OP
OP
x_burt
Smells like fish...
Where I live pollution isn't a concern as we have little marine traffic. Only traffic is a few dive boats. When I collect my water I will get it from outside of the reef and not from the shoreline.
Do you house swap?!!
OP
OP
x_burt
Smells like fish...
Another friend, not the photos earlier, collects 6000 liters at a time and has it sat in his garage with circulation pumps.
He hasn't had any problems so far and that lasts him months!
