Natural seawater /water change

[Acro maniac]

I have been kicking this idea around for a while. That is using the ocean water here in South Florida for a source of water. I have tested 3 times previous at the inlet on the end of the in coming tide and the results matched 2 of the 3 times. I also tested a bottle of water I brought back from the Bahamas and it also matched the 2 previous matches. I will also test today just to see if all these storms change anything. Here's the results.
Alk 7.3 dkh
cal 435
mag 1455
no3 0
po4 0
Salinity 1.028
The test that didn't match was
Alk 7.15
cal 430
mag 1395
all else the same. Taking in consideration these are hobby grade salifert test kits they seem pretty consistent. Would this be a viable source of water? If so would you dilute the salinity? Or dose any elements?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Poke the net a bit. some time a ago here in SD, as we use scripps research inst water and its sooo highly debated, I found there is a national data base that tracks the seasonal salinity and mineral content changes along all the nations coast lines.

Gratuitous post of my "mixing station" with silica sand filters.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

all else the same. Taking in consideration these are hobby grade salifert test kits they seem pretty consistent. Would this be a viable source of water? If so would you dilute the salinity? Or dose any elements?

A change with natural seawater is fine. The salinity is likely fine to a tiny bit high. I'd measure it each time, but not all the other parameters.

Most importantly, use it quickly so it doesn't become anaerobic from dying organisms in it.

 

[Crimsonvice]

Wish I lived close enough to the ocean to be able to do this.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

What inlet are you talking about getting water from?

Like was said before, I would use it quickly because it starts to smell really bad pretty quickly as microscopic critters begin to die off. Had some seawater get stuck in a compartment on my Kayak and it was ripe the next weekend when I poured it out!

I would also run it through a fine filter, otherwise you're probably gonna see an influx of planktonic baby invertebrates, some of which could be baby crabs or sea lice (baby jellyfish). My girlfirend's parents used to go out in a boat 2-3 miles while fishing to grab seawater for their saltwater FOWLR tank, they were very surprised to find a baby stone crab sitting in it one day that most likely was introduced as something like the following:

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

What inlet are you talking about getting water from?

Like was said before, I would use it quickly because it starts to smell really bad pretty quickly as microscopic critters begin to die off. Had some seawater get stuck in a compartment on my Kayak and it was ripe the next weekend when I poured it out!

I would also run it through a fine filter, otherwise you're probably gonna see an influx of planktonic baby invertebrates, some of which could be baby crabs or sea lice (baby jellyfish). My girlfirend's parents used to go out in a boat 2-3 miles while fishing to grab seawater for their saltwater FOWLR tank, they were very surprised to find a baby stone crab sitting in it one day that most likely was introduced as something like the following:

I've never had a problem with the water going bad.
Also bummed out I didn't get any crabs and shrimp.

Ours does use a settling tank and sand filters. The sand filters are back flushed on a regular basis.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I think it's common in Florida to use sea water. A number of years ago I was aware of a maintenance company that backed it's tank truck on a pier and filled it up. As stated, match salinity and temperature and you'll be fine.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I've never had a problem with the water going bad.
Also bummed out I didn't get any crabs and shrimp.

Ours does use a settling tank and sand filters. The sand filters are back flushed on a regular basis.

Florida seawater has a lot of stuff going on in it, most of the time it smells a little nasty on low tidal movement and wave movement days, when the water is totally slack for hours.

I also suspect that your sand filters trap most of the larger zooplanktons. The places in South Florida that sell seawater for hobbyists at like 25-75 cents per gallon filter theirs through something just shy of being an RO membrane and then run it through a UV sterolizer for good measure. If they don't, the water will turn a tinged brown color and start to smell.

I took a tour once in West Palm Beach at a fish and coral supplier/aquarium consultant guy's warehouse (think Mr. Saltwater Tank but an actual business) and that's all that he uses and he says sometimes he gets all sorts of microfauna in the water. He keeps a little tank filled with unfiltered seawater and there's all sorts of critters in it such as crabs, oysters, barnacles, and shrimp. He claims very little of it was actually put in there from anything besides the water.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Florida seawater has a lot of stuff going on in it, most of the time it smells a little nasty on low tidal movement and wave movement days, when the water is totally slack for hours.

I also suspect that your sand filters trap most of the larger zooplanktons. The places in South Florida that sell seawater for hobbyists at like 25-75 cents per gallon filter theirs through something just shy of being an RO membrane and then run it through a UV sterolizer for good measure. If they don't, the water will turn a tinged brown color and start to smell.

I took a tour once in West Palm Beach at a fish and coral supplier/aquarium consultant guy's warehouse (think Mr. Saltwater Tank but an actual business) and that's all that he uses and he says sometimes he gets all sorts of microfauna in the water. He keeps a little tank filled with unfiltered seawater and there's all sorts of critters in it such as crabs, oysters, barnacles, and shrimp. He claims very little of it was actually put in there from anything besides the water.

Lol. You've never smelled the pacific then.
Or Tijuana.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Lol. You've never smelled the pacific then.
Or Tijuana.

Is it as bad as red tide in the summer??

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Is it as bad as red tide in the summer??

Ours comes in sept oct when the water finally gets warm.


But yes y'all do have hot water all year.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Ours comes in sept oct when the water finally gets warm.


But yes y'all do have hot water all year.

I can imagine it does smell pretty rough then, the constant upwell of nutrients and oxygen rich water that comes with the cold water currents you guys have on the West Coast probably makes the perfect conditions for nasty smelling-ness once it heats up ;Yuck

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I can imagine it does smell pretty rough then, the constant upwell of nutrients and oxygen rich water that comes with the cold water currents you guys have on the West Coast probably makes the perfect conditions for nasty smelling-ness once it heats up ;Yuck

And tourists.

 

[Diazcm]

Haulover inlet has good sea water during oncoming tide.

 

[Shon]

I swim in that funk almost every day. I no longer judge it by the smell but by how much it itches.

We use Marineland, Fl (North of Daytona, south of St Augustine) saltwater. They pump it in from off shore for their facility. Sometimes you get a free leaf or 2 do to it being a somewhat open top where the water holding is. Only used in my brothers FOWLR so cant say if it messes with anything. Skunk cleaner shrimp molts like every 2 weeks. If the barrell forms white wads, we dump it and go get some more.

 

[Ebone]

I use NSW from the ocean, well from a research facility, been doing so for years. The only thing I check is the salinity, it fluctuates a little.. Not enough to worry least my tank doesn't think so (note: I do adjust if need be)

 

[Acro maniac]

Fort Pierce Inlet and I would only pump it at the end of the incoming. I also would pump it through a sediment type filter. But I would think the wrasses would make quick work of any critters as they develop.
My wife just brought me a sample of water back from bimini tonight and it test the same as the previous tests.
I'm currently looking into a 200 gal horizontal tank to put in my truck. Only other item I need is a 12v converter to either plug in my cigarette lighter or hook to battery to run the pump. Now that im typing this out I'm thinking hookup to battery cause it will probably blow a fuse through the lighter. Then I'll be all set.
Tractor supply here I come...

 

[skiergd011013]

I swim in that funk almost every day. I no longer judge it by the smell but by how much it itches.

We use Marineland, Fl (North of Daytona, south of St Augustine) saltwater. They pump it in from off shore for their facility. Sometimes you get a free leaf or 2 do to it being a somewhat open top where the water holding is. Only used in my brothers FOWLR so cant say if it messes with anything. Skunk cleaner shrimp molts like every 2 weeks. If the barrell forms white wads, we dump it and go get some more.

i have family in palm coast, and am planning on moving out of MA down to their as well. I also already thought about using seawater. I know exactly where marineland is. Do they let you take water? Or do you need a contact there?

 

[MnFish1]

I have been kicking this idea around for a while. That is using the ocean water here in South Florida for a source of water. I have tested 3 times previous at the inlet on the end of the in coming tide and the results matched 2 of the 3 times. I also tested a bottle of water I brought back from the Bahamas and it also matched the 2 previous matches. I will also test today just to see if all these storms change anything. Here's the results.
Alk 7.3 dkh
cal 435
mag 1455
no3 0
po4 0
Salinity 1.028
The test that didn't match was
Alk 7.15
cal 430
mag 1395
all else the same. Taking in consideration these are hobby grade salifert test kits they seem pretty consistent. Would this be a viable source of water? If so would you dilute the salinity? Or dose any elements?

Guess it depends on what is not being measured....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, I've collected some very clean seawater near where I live (Rockport, MA) and also tried to catch a bunch of amphipods at the time since they were swarming in the surf. My fish went wild chasing them all.

My intent was to potentially introduce some new bacteria to the system, when I swapped in some of the NSW, but I have no idea what impact I had on the tank microorganisms.