Ocean water VS premixed saltwater

[surplusrifleguy]

I tried seaching and found a couple of threads but nothing that fully answered my questions regarding ocean water.

I'm live in Southern California. All of my local fish stores sell premixed saltwater and ocean water from The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego . My local fish stores sell the ocean water from a tank thats has a circulation pump running all the time, a UV light and a sediment filter.

They sell the ocean water for $1.00 a gallon and I have a small tank (34 gallons). Other than cost they all say that the ocean water is better. Is this true? Are there any risks involved when using ocean water? Has anyone tried both and prefer one or the other? I've noticed that sea water has a higher specific gravity than home mixed water. Why is this? Is the structure of ocean water stronger and do tank inhabitants prefer it? Thanks for any opinions.

 

[slakker]

I've never used it though I live in Vancouver BC. I've done research and to a certain degree, I think it makes sense that Ocean Water could be better than mix, after all, that's what we are trying to mimic in synthetic mix.

However, synthetic is so much more convenient, guaranteed no parasites, and pretty cheap. $50 for a 200 Gallon mix around here...

 

[HowardW]

<<< Other than cost they all say that the ocean water is better. Is this true? >>>

In some respects perhaps because ocean water in its natural state contains bacterioplankton and beneficial bacteria among other things not found in synthetic saltwater, however some places that collect and 'process' ocean water for sale may remove many of the beneficial organisms.



<<< Are there any risks involved when using ocean water? >>>

Yes, there can be depending on where it's collected and how it's filtered, etc. Ocean water collected near populated areas, public beaches, near boat traffic, may contain environmental pollutants or all kinds of other nasty stuff you don't want in your tank. Risks other than environmental pollutants may involve certain parasites, pathogens, etc.



<<< I've noticed that sea water has a higher specific gravity than home mixed water. Why is this? >>>

That standard used for NSW is 1.0264 and synthetic saltwater can be mixed to ANY desired specific gravity either higher or lower then NSW.


If you can get the Scripps NSW that's good stuff by all accounts, although you can keep a very successful tank using either NSW or making synthetic saltwater yourself.

 

[BigAl07]

Ocean Water is such a HUGE risk. Not only do you have to consider WHERE it's collected but when and how. To collect it properly it must be collected off shore and deep (say 500') other wise you're just getting run-off and potential pollutants from good ole Man-kind. Even remotely small amounts of pollutants that don't have much affect on the Ocean can/will quickly cause a huge upset in our closed systems. This goes even more so for a 34gallon tank. The solution to pollution is DILUTION! It's just not worth the risk. You may "get away" with using ocean water for months and months on end and then one day someone decides they are lazy/having a bad day and collect a little closer to shore or something and you get some "Extra" stuff in your water. The head aches and heart aches of a tank crash isn't something I'm willing to gamble on. It's enough of a gamble without throwing more variables in the mix. synthetic SW isn't perfect but it's more consistent and I'm sure that I'm not introducing any parasites or others critters into my system with it. Lastly SW is your least expensive component so why would you skimp here? Go big or say on the porch Just kidding but it was kind of funny to say it

 

[surplusrifleguy]

Ocean Water is such a HUGE risk. Not only do you have to consider WHERE it's collected but when and how. To collect it properly it must be collected off shore and deep (say 500') other wise you're just getting run-off and potential pollutants from good ole Man-kind.

I was told this water is collected from a valve, from Scripps that is connected to the pipeline thats feeds the Steven Birch Aquarium. The water is free to the public. I wonder where they pull their water from?

 

[HowardW]

<<< To collect it properly it must be collected off shore and deep (say 500') other wise you're just getting run-off and potential pollutants from good ole Man-kind >>>


Nah.......I don't of anyone anyone collects seawater at depths of 500' and that wouldn't be necessary anyways. It's more important where and how far offshore you go then how deep.

surplusrifleguy, The Scripps water is fine and I know a few very experienced people who use it regularly without issue.

 

[BigAl07]

<<< To collect it properly it must be collected off shore and deep (say 500') other wise you're just getting run-off and potential pollutants from good ole Man-kind >>>


Nah.......I don't of anyone anyone collects seawater at depths of 500' and that wouldn't be necessary anyways. It's more important where and how far offshore you go then how deep.

surplusrifleguy, The Scripps water is fine and I know a few very experienced people who use it regularly without issue.

I whole heartedly disagree. You want to get it from very deep to decrease the potential for surface pollution.

 

[Octoman]

I work in a marine science lab and I don't use their water because it is collected from a pipeline into the marsh. We use it in the lab to house species that we collect from local waters for observation. In fact, if we want to set up a controlled experiment, we mix artificial water from distilled or RO/DI because there are too many uncontrolled variables in the NSW. It would be virtually impossible to find a pristine water source anywhere close to shore in the US.

 

[leonick]

I've noticed that sea water has a higher specific gravity than home mixed water. Why is this? Is the structure of ocean water stronger and do tank inhabitants prefer it? Thanks for any opinions.

THe specific graity sometimes depends on the amount of rainfall within the week. After it rains he water I get from my LFS has a lower S.G. than when its summer time.

 

[BigAl07]

leonick you need to seriously look into a different water source.

Mixed salt water should always be about the same SG. It's man-mixed for Pete's sake. If the store that's mixing it can't control it better than that I'd go somewhere else.

Mark that's precisely why I wouldn't even consider using NSW in a closed loop system. Thanks for your input.

 

[Paul B]

I have been using NSW since the seventees from NY right near the city.
So far no problems. I guess my tank is about 10% NSW. If it were not so heavy I would use 100% NSW.
I do not go 500 miles out or 500' deep I collect it neaR shore on an incoming tide off a sandy beach or from my boat. I sometimes diatom filter it or I at least filter it through a coffee filter to remove tiny jellyfish which will only die in my tank. The water needs to be used right away of it needs some preparation for storage.
If it does not look good because of tidal conditions or Red Tide I bleach it, but that is for another thread.
I once started an entire LFS with 100% NSW that I collected.
Have a great Easter.
Paul

 

[lcstorc]

Well I don't have much experience in this one but I can say what happened to me. My RODI needs some works so we have been buying it from the LFS. He sells RODI and Ocean Water. One day we were out of salt and I sent my husband to the store for RO water and salt. He came home with the ocean water. Well after a lot of arguing, we used it exactly once about 2 months ago. I still can't get the chemistry right in my tank.

 

[burning2nd]

parasites, pathogens and unwanted algae's.

thats what i would be worried of.... maybe for a setup of a large tank... but your safer with Homemade.

you wont be transporting heavy buckets... and drivieng around. (adding more cost to the overall opperation)

My vote is no.