NSW or Mix your own ?

DarkReefer · May 2, 2023

Hi all,

I'm in a position where I can start to look at setting up my own RO filtration and mixing my own salt water.
Having always been using NSW (Natural Sea Water) previously, I'm just curious if anyone else had made the move from NSW to mixing your own and whether there were any benefits/negatives of this ?

Previously I've been buying NSW and storing it in 2x 220L drums for extended periods of time (No water circulation).
I've not had a lot of success since I've been doing this though with bad dino outbreaks over the past 9 months, not sure if this is directly related but would like to do what I can to help the tank recover (Admittedly my husbandry has dropped off also and I have not been doing regular waterchanges as I probably should). Prior to storing it for extended periods of time, I was buying it at a local shop that I lived 5 mins from at the time, every week or 2 and doing the water changes almost every week.

I'm wanting to lift my husbandry, but with the dino issues I've been having water changes haven't really been on the cards much either...

Rtaylor · May 5, 2023

It’s easier to make your own water. Don’t have to transport and store as much. Way less work. That’s probably the biggest advantage.

CoastalTownLayabout · May 5, 2023

Hey mate, if you feel like an RODI system and ASW will increase your sense of control over the tank then you should probably go for it.

I’m a long time proponent of NSW but am lucky enough to live in a place where it’s consistently clean and super easy to collect.

Sometimes a change in methodology is good, it can reenergise you and renew interest in the tank. There’s minimal risk with RODI and ASW so you won’t be going backwards.

Hope it works out well and you don’t have to move the tank again anytime soon!

DarkReefer · May 6, 2023

CoastalTownLayabout said:
Hey mate, if you feel like an RODI system and ASW will increase your sense of control over the tank then you should probably go for it.

I’m a long time proponent of NSW but am lucky enough to live in a place where it’s consistently clean and super easy to collect.

Sometimes a change in methodology is good, it can reenergise you and renew interest in the tank. There’s minimal risk with RODI and ASW so you won’t be going backwards.

Hope it works out well and you don’t have to move the tank again anytime soon!

Cheers mate

I've always been happy with NSW previously, but after moving states I've had nothing but major issues so I'm wondering if the water is going bad whilst I'm storing it for so long or if the water collected here isn't as clean as the stuff I used to get. Either way I think having the extra control will be a good thing.

I ended up picking up a Reef Pure 4 stage 50GPD & some Quantum salt yesterday. Was a bit worried about setting it up initially but it was actually quite simple to follow instructions and understand it.
I got the non boosted model, system is running just shy of 60psi. Seem to get mixed information as to whether that number is okay or whether I'd benefit from a booster. (Reefpure's website states 50+, and an instruction manual of theirs I was reading was saying 65+).

Seems like a very slow process so far though haha. I think it's managed about 35L so far perhaps. Was hoping to do a water change today, will need to see just how much RO I've got left over that I had bottled up previously from the shop lol.

Then at some point I've got to clean out the two 220L drums I have from the saltwater and use them to store RO instead and then mix as and when I need I guess.

CoastalTownLayabout · May 6, 2023

Yeah, depending on the capacity of your unit, making RO can be like watching grass grow. I haven’t used one for a while, I switched to rainwater some time back. My only piece of advice is mix the RO in your laundry sink, bathtub or some other place where it won’t flood your house when you get get distracted by something else and forget about it. If you’re married you’ll only do this once though!

DarkReefer · May 7, 2023

CoastalTownLayabout said:
Yeah, depending on the capacity of your unit, making RO can be like watching grass grow. I haven’t used one for a while, I switched to rainwater some time back. My only piece of advice is mix the RO in your laundry sink, bathtub or some other place where it won’t flood your house when you get get distracted by something else and forget about it. If you’re married you’ll only do this once though!

Haha,

Yeah been filling jugs in the laundry sink and certainly a very slow process. Eventually at some stage I'll fill a 220L drum with it and just pump it out of there as and when needed to mix a fresh batch.
Did about a 17% water change today (going by Quantum's app calculator). Will do some testing soon and see how she's looking. Hopefully the corals respond well!

gbroadbridge · Jun 10, 2023

DarkReefer said:
Haha,

Yeah been filling jugs in the laundry sink and certainly a very slow process. Eventually at some stage I'll fill a 220L drum with it and just pump it out of there as and when needed to mix a fresh batch.
Did about a 17% water change today (going by Quantum's app calculator). Will do some testing soon and see how she's looking. Hopefully the corals respond well!

Just spotted this thread.

I tried Quantum salt a couple of years ago and apart from needing significantly more salt than they said, I had quite a number of problems.

Switched to Red Sea Blue and the problems went away.

Could be coincidence but ...

DarkReefer · Jun 10, 2023

gbroadbridge said:
Just spotted this thread.

I tried Quantum salt a couple of years ago and apart from needing significantly more salt than they said, I had quite a number of problems.

Switched to Red Sea Blue and the problems went away.

Could be coincidence but ...

Haven't seen any issues with the salt. I think it's actually doing good for my tank and have noticed my high nitrate & phosphate slowly coming down over the past month or so.

gbroadbridge · Jun 10, 2023

DarkReefer said:
Haven't seen any issues with the salt. I think it's actually doing good for my tank and have noticed my high nitrate & phosphate slowly coming down over the past month or so.

Good to hear. Maybe just bad luck on my part.