Water in San Diego

[TAHK]

Well, I am getting g back in the hobby and am thinking of the water supply in San Diego. The options are:
1. Scripps water (from the faucet at Scripps pier, prefiltered)
2. Mix my own.
3. Purchase “Catalina water” from the LFS.

years ago I got burned by using the water from Scripps, so this is the least attractive option for me.

does anyone know what the water quality in San Diego is coming out of tap and whether there is chlorine or chloramine in it?
Is Catalina water actually coming from Catalina Island, or is it just a name?
Appreciate any suggestions/opinions/answers.

 

[Brad Waddell Wrath's Reef]

Well, I am getting g back in the hobby and am thinking of the water supply in San Diego. The options are:
1. Scripps water (from the faucet at Scripps pier, prefiltered)
2. Mix my own.
3. Purchase “Catalina water” from the LFS.

years ago I got burned by using the water from Scripps, so this is the least attractive option for me.

does anyone know what the water quality in San Diego is coming out of tap and whether there is chlorine or chloramine in it?
Is Catalina water actually coming from Catalina Island, or is it just a name?
Appreciate any suggestions/opinions/answers.

I used to live in SD and the water from the tap is a no go for reef. You need a RODI and make your water. I was going to say Scripps but you had issues.

 

[KrisReef]

Lots of LFS now sell water.
I use an RODI fixture and mix my own, or get water from Scripps now and again.

Their hose bib has moved up the hill from the pier now.

Most of our water comes from the Colorado River or from the Aquaduct and it's packed with chlorine or chloramine, I don't know which/

 

[madweazl]

I used the Scripps water for two years before we moved with excellent results. What issue did you have?

 

[TAHK]

Sorry, let me clarify - I would of course use the RODI water if I were to start mixing my own again. I am interested in municipal purification technique so I know what to look for and what to try to filter. My understanding is that chloramine requires more sophisticated purification process than chlorine, which you can just wait out essentially.
I was mixing my own saltwater for 4 years with no major problems. Then I had to get some water in a pinch and went to Scripps. Had a massive algae explosion in the tank and never recovered.
probably had little to do with their water and all to do with my maintenance, but it is easier to blame the water supply...

 

[mborn]

Scripps water is no longer dispensed at the Scripps pier. It’s now dispensed at the NOAA Fisheries Science Center, slightly up the hill. I don’t use that water often though because the salinity and dKH are too low for the conditions I maintain. I normally mix my own with RODI water. I include a chloramine carbon filter in my carbon block lineup and have no problems producing 0 TDS water. Whereas, I always get 1 TDS, even with all new filters, unless I add the chloramine block. I’m too paranoid to use 1 TDS water in my system, lol. I tested the Catalina Water Company seawater a number of years ago and the PO4 was too high for me. It may be better now, but I would check.

 

[User1]

I personally have not used it but few reefers I know down that way use Scripps. No reason not to. If it is low you can buffer it up easy enough. Up North I will collect NSW from Monterey when I do diving. Never had any issues.

Note: while the bay area is closer to me I do not collect or use water from the bay although I'm checking with the State Water Resource Control board and Fish and Game to see if I can pull from Point Reyes which is cleaner.

 

[TAHK]

Thank you, mborn. What brand RODI system are you using? I am leaning toward the home made stuff...

 

[Crustaceon]

I’m here in San Diego too. You’ll either want to invest in an ro/di system or join the weekend line for ro/di water at aquatic warehouse or similar.

 

[35ppt]

I used to live in San Diego and when the reef club did a behind the scenes tour of Birch, Fernando, one of the curators there recommended against using the Scripps water for a reef tank and I agree. He said they always have to buffer up the salinity and alkalinity and you have to worry about runoff when it rains and algae booms etc. Plus the added effort of transportation and storage. IMO much easier to just make your own.

/And you know, the Scripps water is not processed at all. It's just got a sand filter at the end of the pier and that's it.

As for chlorine and chloramines, it depends on where in San Diego you are. There are several water processing plants and I don't know that they all use the same stuff. I would recommend visiting the website of whatever water provider you have in your area. There is always a water quality report that will say what they use. I will also add that if they use chloramines it's not a big deal. You just need to get better carbon filter or maybe add another carbon filter. But I'm sure there are people on here better equipped to help you pick an RODI unit than I.

/Also, If you're quarantining your fish/inverts it kind of defeats the purpose. And I'll never trust a LFS to make my water.

 

[jerrod]

Im in San Diego and have to use RODI. A few local stores will sell some pre mixed but there are also a few that all they're selling is scripps water as well. Many lately have been having luck with scripps water, for me its just not worth the drive. Check out sdreefs.com and you will see quite a few threads on scripps water I think someone even sent a sample in for ICP testing straight from there the scripps tap.