Using Natural Sea Water?

[Zeal]

Hi, living in South Florida I obviously have access to so sea water lol. Was wondering if theres any real benefits that out weigh the risk of maybe using 5G of it in my tank. I have a 40G AIO.

Ive been reading that pollution could be an issue and maybe some parasites, I don't have a boat so I cant go out miles into the ocean, but there are a couple piers...

 

[WorldsSexiestGranny]

ive been using it for about a year now with no ill effects. the salinity of where you gather depends on the location. so some upstream will be a little lower. i just went to all of the easily accessible spots with a refractometer and logged the results. the closer to the shore the better. i have about 15 5 gallon buckets with lids and i just fill them up, put the lids on and haul them to my tanks. i run a 125 gallon reef and a 16 gallon biocube. sometimes if its really dirty i will let it settle over night and just not use the last half inch of water. every now and then i will see signs of oil and go to one of my other locations. deeper water has less sediment. ive tested the water and its all perfect. no elevated levels. this is in charleston, SC

 

[cgdcinc]

I’m here in South Florida too. Right now our beaches are shut down to swimming due to elevated bacteria levels in the water. I have never tried it but some people swear by it. Most of them collect it offshore from the Gulf Stream. I’m sure it has risks and benefits, if you can be assured it’s clean.
It would have saved me a ton of money if I wasn’t scared to try it! Lol.

 

[Zeal]

I’m here in South Florida too. Right now our beaches are shut down to swimming due to elevated bacteria levels in the water. I have never tried it but some people swear by it. Most of them collect it offshore from the Gulf Stream. I’m sure it has risks and benefits, if you can be assured it’s clean.
It would have saved me a ton of money if I wasn’t scared to try it! Lol.

Havent heard of this.. what beaches?

A LFS I visited I saw was selling it but I don't mind going and getting it myself, I was thinking maybe Dania Beach?

 

[cgdcinc]

I’m in Wpb. Lake worth up to Jupiter has been closed to bathing since we have had all this rain. Probably due to run off.
I would say it’s a gamble but some people do it to get different bacteria strains in their water. I don’t think I would do it if you have a bunch of colonies of coral. But just starting out would be worth a try.

 

[Luno]

I live on the east coast of Australia, near the Great Barrier Reef. For 10 years on and off I collected NSW. I would use a 1000L (260G) water container on a trailer. I would use a boat or kayak depending on what I felt like at the time, a bilge pump and 300M water line with a 225 micron filter sock over the hose. Get home and pump it into my 2000L storage tank this time using a 100 micron filter sock. And that's it store and use.

Couple of points from my experience.

- the filter sock part I didn't do original and once I did I never went back, kept little bits of Algae and anything else out of it.
- I wouldn't collect after rain fullstop unless your gonna go way out like km's/miles
- never had an issue, an outbreak or anything wrong ever happen because of my salt water.
- I saved an aweful lot of money
- if your gonna do it, spend the money get good storage containers, get a good pump and good lines and get filters and don't collect from the actual shore.
- find an unpopulated spot, not at the boat ramp!! It's where a lot of stuff gets dumped and fuel and everything else.
- where I live is some of the most beautiful coast lines in the world, our water is pretty clean and good. If your area isn't I wouldn't bother.

 

[Weedy Sea Dragon]

Where in South Florida are you? I know a few good spots to get water from from Miami to Pompano.

 

[User1]

I'll second what @Luno suggested. I'm in Northern California and will collect at times when I'm on my diving trips down in Monterey. I have to collect off a beach so in my case I locate non marine parks (collecting even sea water is a no no), then look at water conditions, then collect. pump it up to the truck which has 50 gallon drums and be done. Then home and transfer. The main thing to remember regardless of location in the states is to know the location and check water conditions. Depending on the mammal sea life there could be bacteria warnings. In Monteray Sea Lions can ruin a otherwise great beach dive day due to elevated levels

 

[Weedy Sea Dragon]

How long does it take you to go through the 50 gallon drums? I was under the impression you couldn't store natural sea water very long because the live organisms could die and potentially harm the tank when doing a water change.