Adding a few gallons of ocean water to my tank?
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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Various types of plankton (zooplankton, phytoplankton, etc.) All the sorts of things you see under a microscope in "pond water".
Paul B
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Thats one reason I use NSW that I collect myself and dump in my tank with no treatment.
Ive discovered dosing sodium silicate significantly improves pod poulation. Did you notice an increase when you dosed it?Various types of plankton (zooplankton, phytoplankton, etc.) All the sorts of things you see under a microscope in "pond water".
The official "does reef tank water or ocean water transmit useful amounts of cycling bacteria" thread
of course we aren't making a poll, 99.9% will immediately vote NO and post the Dr. Tim's video that plainly says after you close the bottle bac ad that reef tank water doesn't have any cycling bac to offer But does the .1% know something the 99.9% doesn't? you decide collectively as a team...
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I wanted to have a quick link thread the next time someone asks if reef tank water or ocean water transmits useful bacteria. most people agree that without sterilization any water will have bacteria, but Im meaning rather significant help amounts. enough that if tested, use of old tank water upcycles dry surfaces faster than just made up new saltwater from a bag and no feed, no bottle bac (which is already charted to about 4 mos in marine systems, the unassisted cycle)
I use Red Sea salt sometimes as a study claimed Red Sea salt had bacteria and other things from the ocean.The official "does reef tank water or ocean water transmit useful amounts of cycling bacteria" thread
of course we aren't making a poll, 99.9% will immediately vote NO and post the Dr. Tim's video that plainly says after you close the bottle bac ad that reef tank water doesn't have any cycling bac to offer But does the .1% know something the 99.9% doesn't? you decide collectively as a team...
I wanted to have a quick link thread the next time someone asks if reef tank water or ocean water transmits useful bacteria. most people agree that without sterilization any water will have bacteria, but Im meaning rather significant help amounts. enough that if tested, use of old tank water upcycles dry surfaces faster than just made up new saltwater from a bag and no feed, no bottle bac (which is already charted to about 4 mos in marine systems, the unassisted cycle)
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Agreed!
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but in the past have used diatom filters, UV etc - to get rid of those things. it does not seem consistent. or repeatable as a discussion
Mywifeisgunnakillme
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I'd do an ICP test on the source of the sea water. If it's within a range you're comfortable with, go for it, maybe run it through a UV before hitting the tank for concerns like parasites (i've read public aquariums sometimes run UV when using ocean water...)
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an ICP test done on day 1 - which takes 7 days to get back - may not suggest at all - what your'e getting when you actually take the water. On the other hand - if you collect the sample on the water on day 1 - and the water and day 1 - and wait for the results - you're likely losing any benefit you got from collecting NSW. There is no proven benefit to collecting water - people in the midwest have kept awesome reef tanks for decades without 'ocean water'. - IMHO - that alone proves - its a non-issue. If you want to do it - go ahead.
Mywifeisgunnakillme
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I would say the primary benefit is free water that matches, well, natural sea water parameters regardless of micro critters... You can get a ICP a lot quicker than seven days, fyi.. The UV would be to kill such critters--which are not necessary... Australians use ocean water quite a bit, and some have a lot of swear words to describe what they call synthetic salt water.
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Yes - then - why not just use the NSW - obviously - things are living (hopefully) where the water is collected? Again - many people here would disagree - they feel the 'critters' are the most important thing in NSW. (I disagree with that)
Mywifeisgunnakillme
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The only critters i add to my tank, major exception being things i can't see on live rock and corals, i (want to) add purposefully, e.g., cultured phyto, pods, and bacteria for temporary usefulness and existence in the tank.
One benefit of collecting ocean water is your not wondering if your salt mix got the composition right or not. Is the chloide to sulphate ratio right? Did they get proper magnesium and calcium levels? If i could do water changes with ocean water id prefer that besides any microorganism benefit.
Mywifeisgunnakillme
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Unless the water parameters change with the tide?...
Well yes thats another complexity lol. And rain too in shallow water would alter salinity. Id still use it. In fact id boat out there, fill up my 130 gallon plastic tote and if salinity was acceptable id use it unfiltered! Yes but if i notice something off id probably suspect the ocean water.
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my understanding ( as someone who does not do this) - is that people that do - go out far into the ocean to avoid variations/pollution. Otherwise - if they are not - they could be getting anything from sewage to perfect water. Or?
jfoahs04
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It’s obviously a gamble as you can’t possibly know everything that’s in the water, but I’ve generally enjoyed the results so far with my very young NSW reef. I just filter macro stuff through a sock, drop a heater and pump in to bring it to temp, then add it. I collect from a jetty about an hour before high tide, and never during/right after rain. That’s my risk mitigation. Parameters are super stable, and it’s hard to prove but I think the microorganisms are doing wonders for my coral.
My one potential knock is that I’ve had a decent amount of algae. Nothing unmanageable, and I can’t tie directly to NSW (started the tank with cured live rock that had GHA, bubble algae, etc.), but it’s definitely noticeable. Time will tell, but so far, so good.
My one potential knock is that I’ve had a decent amount of algae. Nothing unmanageable, and I can’t tie directly to NSW (started the tank with cured live rock that had GHA, bubble algae, etc.), but it’s definitely noticeable. Time will tell, but so far, so good.
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