Does anyone use NSW from the gulf on the west coast of florida for their tank?

redlinda1

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Hi everyone. Beginner here. i live on the gulf of mexico on the west coast of florida. I collect my water a 3-5 miles off shore for my 20 gallon tank. Does anyone else use similar water? My salinity is 1.010-1.012. All other parameters are ok. I dont understand why the salinity is so low.
 

capt.dave

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Following. I also use NSW, but in San Diego, and get mine from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. I have no idea how far off shore they collect it but it is filtered and is the same water they use throughout the research facility on UCSD campus and in the Birch Aquarium, which has some really nice reef tanks. Scripps has a faucet outside and makes the water available to local reefers for free. You might check local aquariums or research institutes and see if they do something similar. You're not far from Tampa. You might make a trip down to the Florida Aquarium and talk to the keepers. See where they get their water and if they are willing to give it away like Scripps does or maybe sell it cheaper than a bucket of salt. That way you'd have some confidence it was good.

Several of us in San Diego have done ICP testing on Scripps water and it consistently comes in low in Ca, Alk, and Mg so it has to be supplemented (there are no reefs anywhere near San Diego - cold water) but ICP testing has never shown anything significantly out of bounds. Oh, and we don't use the water for about a week after a heavy rain because of runoff but that's pretty rare in San Diego.

However, if the salinity where you collect it is really 1.010 - 1.012 then I would expect all of your parameters to be low but you wrote that they're ok. To get the salinity up, you're going to have to supplement with sea salt but if Ca, Alk, Mg, etc. are really in proper ranges for a reef then adding that much salt will drive those way up. Something is off. I would highly recommend sending a sample in for ICP testing before you use it. I would also check in with your local reef clubs or local forum to see if others in your area have significant experience with NSW from the particular location where you're collecting it. Pollutants especially could vary widely from location to location in the ocean so don't compare results from different locations. It could be that your salinity is low because you have a current flowing through from the mouth of a river nearby. If so, I would be very concerned about pollutants.

Keep us posted! We plan to move to Tampa someday and I know I'll want a tank. Reliable NSW would sure be nice!
 

Jekyl

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Welcome!
 

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