I live near the ocean...can I use the water?

[marillion]

I would think the answer is probably "no" but since I'm in Myrtle Beach, SC and literally 5 minutes from the ocean I'd ask to see if I can use the ocean water to set up a reef tank.

Just curious, really.

 

[MoshJosh]

Legally. . . it will depend on your local laws, but from what I have read this practice is legal in some areas.

Can you do it from a "will it work" stand point? I say. . . probably, though others say making your own SW is better (maybe it is?).

If I lived near the ocean in an area with relatively clean water I could legally harvest. . . I probably would.

EDIT: and as said below filtering and treating the water may be needed. . .

 

[BrokenReefer]

You would likely need to pre-treat the water before putting it in your system.

R2R Thread - Natural sea water?

 

[Kona Diver]

Yes you can. maybe send a sample off to have it tested to make sure there isn’t something that can be remedied by you. If it checks out you can micro filter the water through cartridge filters of 1 micron or less, you can chlorinate and then aerate vigorously for 24 hours to neutralize chlorine. Pass it though activated carbon, uv, ozone etc. you can even pasteurize it if you want. Depends on how clean you want it. Main thing is it can be done, and it could save you money if it’s not too much of a burden. We use seawater here in Hawaii and we treat our water prior to use even though it’s clean and clear. NC may have more turbidity and sediment, different bacterial biomes, as well as micro fauna you may not want going into a warm water reef tank.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

If offshore yes. The issue with off the beach is it acts as a skimmer. Everything dead and decaying gets either pushed deeper in the ocean or end up on shore. The beach acts kind of like a protein skimmer creating foam in waves and pushing to shore. Also, what is good one day may not be good the next if boats pass by or events take place. If you can go far enough out, that would be best. Usually a few miles.

 

[Nano_Man]

I use natural sea water and it’s fine. I’ve been using it for a couple of years with no problems

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I would think the answer is probably "no" but since I'm in Myrtle Beach, SC and literally 5 minutes from the ocean I'd ask to see if I can use the ocean water to set up a reef tank.

Just curious, really.

I live very near the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and I used water from the bay once. But My goal was to have a "Bay" tank. which worked out really well. I got to what types small life are in the water around here.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

Tips for the prospective NSW user:

Check out the sessile life around local area rock pools, jetties etc. If there is a diverse, healthy range of marine life, it’s usually a good sign.

Talk to the local surfers. We spend countless hours in the water, year round and understand the variations in water quality throughout changing seasons and weather. Local fishermen can help to an extent as well.

Headlands or coastal features that extend out are better than bays or inlets. Areas around rivermouths, stormwater runoff or heavily populated or industrial are generally a no go.

Observe and understand seasonal currents. They can really affect water quality at various times of the year.

Avoid collecting after rain or strong onshore blows.

 

[Uncle99]

I believe @Paul B does for decades.
You could check out his success.

 

[mtfish]

I am in Texas and have used NSW for over 15 years. There are no real lunar tides here, but I do collect on incoming tide, no recent rain for sure. Only treatment I do is to let the water settle for awhile before using. There are times when the salinity is off a little (usually lower), so I do have some artifical salt on hand just to adjust proper salinity if needed. I see no downsides and has saved me tons of money by using a salt mix only to adjust salinity. Most of the time my salinity is really close to 35 ppt, which is my target.