Ocean Water

thetopcat

Member
Anyone here using real ocean water. I have been using it and wanted to get opions on if I am wasting money????
 

thetopcat

Member
I used to mix my own and was told by lfs that real ocean water was better. It is easy for me because I only change 5 gal. a week in my 46 gal. tank.
 

teen

Active Member
i use it. do a search on it. this question has come up a billion times in the past.
 

murf48

Member
I think that RO water is better for your tank. Tap or bottled water could bring bad stuff to your tank more so the tap water. I used to mix my own...it seemed like it was too much work and less benefit.
 

coral keeper

Active Member
We are trying to copy mother nature here people. So natural ocean water is defiantly better than making your own salt water.
 

thetopcat

Member
Originally Posted by Coral Keeper
http:///forum/post/2463817
We are trying to copy mother nature here people. So natural ocean water is defiantly better than making your own salt water.

Thanks for your input. I will continue to use natural water..
 

mike22cha

Active Member
Originally Posted by Coral Keeper
http:///forum/post/2463817
We are trying to copy mother nature here people. So natural ocean water is defiantly better than making your own salt water.
True but humans but so much crap into the oceans. Depends on how clean the beach is where you get it from.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Are you using the boxed water or actually getting it from the ocean?
First and foremost, I would say natural seawater is just about ALWAYS better, unless you are getting it from a boat launch.
Synthetic salt mixes are way out of proportion in terms of there concentrations of elements than NSW, and many animals have great difficulty adapting. This is one of the reasons echinoderms like seastars have such difficulty in adapting.
So in short I would ALWAYS use it if I had a ready means...I think the boxed stuff is relatively less ideal and is cost prohibitive for me, however.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Look at it this way, in studies of salt mixes, natural sea water is always used as the control in those experiments and mortality is compared to the mortality rates in natural seawater. Mother nature does do this best.
 

coral keeper

Active Member
I have also heard that if your using natural ocean water you cant switch to synthetic saltwater or visa versa because your tank will crash.
 

coral keeper

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/2463856
Synthetic salt mixes are way out of proportion in terms of there concentrations of elements than NSW, and many animals have great difficulty adapting. This is one of the reasons echinoderms like seastars have such difficulty in adapting.
So, a star fish has a better chance in surviving in a tank that uses natural sea water than synthetic salt water?
 

ophiura

Active Member
I wouldn't necessarily read it that way. It may have a better chance ACCLIMATING if it is NOT put in synthetic salt mix in the interim (damage is already done, per se). But it will have no impact on deaths due to starvation.
 

teen

Active Member
Originally Posted by vayapues
http:///forum/post/2464310
What about water out of the Great Salt Lake? Watered down of course. I live a stones throw away.
im pretty sure that would be way out of proportion in many ways.
 

marka1620

Member
I use the boxed natural seawater that you find in ***** (5 gallon boxes). I have a 47 gallon tank and do a 5-10 gallon water change with this stuff every month. For me, it's just easier and quicker than mixing the synthetic stuff. And, being "natural" is a big plus. Never had any issues using it.
 

hefner413

Active Member
this hobby is expensive enough for me... don't think I would be buying natural water from the lfs - but props to you that are. I'm sure the cost ratio compared to mixing your own is crazy. If I lived close to the ocean though - I'd be all about it...
 
Top