The Natural Water Experiment

Jamo7 · Jul 20, 2019

So I live in the PNW (Port Angeles Wa) and myself and a buddy of mine have been doing offshore crabbing lately, so while out boating I was looking at the water and it’s crystal clear saltwater other than seaweed and occasional bird poop etc. So I asked on R2R if anyone used the natural water, I got some responses but not much, so I decided to set up a test tank in the garage and check this water out. Today I harvested the first 5 gallons of the 20 gal tank I plan to test in (harvested around 6ft from the surface sonar read:140ft depth to the bottom. off the very end of Ediz hook here on the straight of Juan de Fuca) I just added the water and put in a heater to bring it to Tank temperature (water runs between 52-56 degrees here) so I plan to test the water for as many things I can add some rock down the road and maybe introduce some livestock way way down the road if everything seems to check out. Any comments are welcome (NO Dolphins will be harmed in this experiment.... I don’t think anyway) Next 5 gallons of water harvest will take place tomorrow. After that I will start testing parameters.

KrisReef · Jul 20, 2019

It couldn’t hurt to pour the water through a sock to remove seaweed or other debris that might be out there to keep that out of the tank.
The ocean water in San Diego is low in Dkh, magnesium and calcium so I would suggest that you test your ocean parameters to see if you need to supplement it to match tropical reef waters? Gl

Bryson.bobby · Jul 20, 2019

Curious how this experiment will result. Following!

rkpetersen · Jul 20, 2019

The biggest issue with using natural seawater is that you never know what hitchhikers it's bringing along.
Could include any number of microscopic parasites and/or larvae and spores of nuisance corals and algae.
The water around here is actually thick with life; you can really see this when scuba diving, as the vis is nothing like in tropical waters.
OTOH, it's possible that most organisms that live in Puget Sound water won't do well at the higher tropical water temp.
This could be good if it kills off unwanted hitchhikers, but bad if there's a lot of die off which could generate ammonia, nitrate, etc.
You can always filter seawater through a 1 micron filter sock, but this is so tedious it's probably easier to make your own water.

Jamo7 · Jul 21, 2019

Got another 5 gallons in today and heating. Still crystal clear. I will test salinity, nitrite, nitrate, Ammonia , hardness, ph.... I think that’s all I have, Later. Once it gets to temp. Next 5 gallons will go in tomorrow (rain or shine or wind. crab pots legally have to come out of the water) I put a old power head in there to keep the water moving at least.

Jamo7 · Jul 21, 2019

rkpetersen said:
The biggest issue with using natural seawater is that you never know what hitchhikers it's bringing along.
Could include any number of microscopic parasites and/or larvae and spores of nuisance corals and algae.
The water around here is actually thick with life; you can really see this when scuba diving, as the vis is nothing like in tropical waters.
OTOH, it's possible that most organisms that live in Puget Sound water won't do well at the higher tropical water temp.
This could be good if it kills off unwanted hitchhikers, but bad if there's a lot of die off which could generate ammonia, nitrate, etc.
You can always filter seawater through a 1 micron filter sock, but this is so tedious it's probably easier to make your own water.

No seaweed this water is clear as if it came from the tap, I don’t live near the pudget sound I’m in between Canada and Washington on the Olympic peninsula. Much clearer “ocean” water although not on the ocean. Not a ton of boat traffic and the water comes in and out with the tide. I’m the blue marker on the picture.

Jamo7 · Jul 21, 2019

Salinity 1.026

Will see what happens with tomorrow’s water addition.

Steve Bullington · Jul 21, 2019

I used to by the Pudget sound, and used ocean water in one of my tanks....but that tank was for critters I used to take out sound...I caught a beat up octopus ( giant type ) it was on my fish line. It Was only apple sized. I kept it untill he didn't look so beat up, had feed it crabs. Then let it go...but I can attest for critters in the water. NOT A GOOD IDEA TO USE "REAL" OCEAN WATER. All sorts of hitchhikers will be in there. You want to control your environment as much as possible.....

Jamo7 · Jul 21, 2019

Jamo7 said:
No seaweed this water is clear as if it came from the tap, I don’t live near the pudget sound I’m in between Canada and Washington on the Olympic peninsula. Much clearer “ocean” water although not on the ocean. Not a ton of boat traffic and the water comes in and out with the tide. I’m the blue marker on the picture.

And I also can’t spell Puget lol [emoji23]

Jamo7 · Jul 21, 2019

Steve Bullington said:
I used to by the Pudget sound, and used ocean water in one of my tanks....but that tank was for critters I used to take out sound...I caught a beat up octopus ( giant type ) it was on my fish line. It Was only apple sized. I kept it untill he didn't look so beat up, had feed it crabs. Then let it go...but I can attest for critters in the water. NOT A GOOD IDEA TO USE "REAL" OCEAN WATER. All sorts of hitchhikers will be in there. You want to control your environment as much as possible.....

Kept for the critters and octopus but did you heat it to tropical tank temp and use it there? (Not that I will but that’s the experiment) right now it’s just a tank with water. And that’s awesome you nursed a giant back to health those guys are cool I fed one a 5” rock crab once he swooped around it before the crab could hit the bottom.

Steve Bullington · Jul 21, 2019

Jamo7 said:
Kept for the critters and octopus but did you heat it to tropical tank temp and use it there? (Not that I will but that’s the experiment) right now it’s just a tank with water. And that’s awesome you nursed a giant back to health those guys are cool I fed one a 5” rock crab once he swooped around it before the crab could hit the bottom.

Kept it cold like the sound

Jamo7 · Jul 22, 2019

Additional 5 gallons added today
Salinity still at: 1.026
Temp: 78

And my garage smells like the beach.

Jamo7 · Jul 22, 2019

Alk 120 ppm

Jamo7 · Jul 24, 2019

Test tank is 3/4 full. Needed the powerhead for a water change in my DT so I put an old filter in there to move water. Still just a tank of water, I’m going to put an old light above in the next couple days and add some rock to see if any algae grows. I won’t be able to test water tonight or tomorrow but hopefully Friday or Saturday I can. My crabbing buddy went fishing in Alaska so I won’t be able to fill and do a minor water change until next week!

Harrkim120 · Jul 26, 2019

Can't wait to see what comes of this. [emoji16]

Bryson.bobby · Jul 28, 2019

Any updates?

Jamo7 · Jul 29, 2019

Bryson.bobby said:
Any updates?

Tomorrow. Today was not a good day for my DT spent a lot of time on that. So test tank is still just water in a tank.

Bryson.bobby · Jul 29, 2019

How’s the aiptasia doing? Did you decide on how you’re going to treat it?

Jamo7 · Jul 29, 2019

Bryson.bobby said:
How’s the aiptasia doing? Did you decide on how you’re going to treat it?

My heater malfunctioned in my DT raiding the temp to 97. Got it back down to 80 throughout the evening so now I’m waiting to see what happens, hence no time for anything else at this point but! Hopefully the temp killed off the Aiptasia... tbd. My fish are alive, all corals look rough...

Bryson.bobby · Jul 29, 2019

Dang, that sucks! I honestly think the high temp could have caused the aiptasia to reproduce...a lot...because it felt it was in danger. I hope not though. Glad your fish are alive