SW and Sand right off the beach

b0b82

b0b82

Member
Ok, just what I do. I get Ocean water, 100 gallons at a time just before high tide and only when it looks good. That means that everything needs to be right (wind, waves and boat traffic) I have been doing it for a long time now. I run it through a 25 micron filter and a UV. I have not had a problem this way and if I do I will just find the problem and correct it. I will still keep doing it. I use to just through a bucket in the inlet and pull it up with a rope (talk about a workout). I also get sand from the beach but only when the wind and the tide are right. The reason why is if the sand is stirred up by the waves there is little organics in it. It needs to be fresh sand the stuff just coming in. Most of the time I am running in and out of the waves to get the sand. It does get the action of the sun bunnies at the beach but that’s a good thing LOL. I get asked all the time, what are you doing. I also collect stuff that I find at the beach (like sand flees and stuff that washes up) to put in one of my tanks. Before I filtered and UV the water I had many problems. This is working for me now so why would I buy salt or saltwater from the LFS. I also have a 100 gal/day Ro/Di for top off and some people with fresh water tanks. I hope this can be some help for anyone that reads it. If you have a question just let me know.
 
veni vidi vici

veni vidi vici

Active Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2849698
Ophiura is talking about offshore water though, not five feet out. That is still on shore. Waves are natures protein skimmer. Never get sand or water from that close to the shore.
Couldn't you bleach it and use it as dead sand though?
 
floridacatfish

floridacatfish

Member
Around here there are sand bars a good distance out. No boat traffic ... wonder if I could collect sand and all the good stuff in the sand there? There's no crashing of water on the sand bed. Hmmm.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
i would still prefer buying sand that is clear so that there is no chance of getting some thing bad in it.
 
fats71

fats71

Active Member
Well, so far so good my perm are perfect and the coral are looking awesome. The first day though my elegance was looking weird but it has now the sweepers are thicker and longer and looking more healthy. the pic in my avatar was prior it now looks even better than ever. I was always' told it was very healthy looking but it seems like it went into SUPER healthy kind of weird.
So 6 days and I think it is improving my tank life.
I tossed a friends bilge 3 feet out into the water and pulled it in at dead high tide.
I spoke to several lfs and they said they toss it a foot out maybe two if they kick it too far so the whole offshore thing is just someones perogative from the local consensus. The guy who owns Hawaiian tropic and lives up the road Mr. Rice has some super tanks and my buddy lives next door and took me over today and he gets his water from the same spot I do via the local LFS who maintains his tanks and he has never had any issues from what I was told so Ima keep trying it.
You simply suck it out and run it thru a pillow case simple and cheap and no need for all the extra uv stuff is what I am doing and was told by 4 LFS locally and a few people here in pm's
I am not saying this is the end all be all but what is going on here locally.
 
splatdye

splatdye

New Member
For awhile i worked at the hillsboro inlet and many many people a night from countless swf stores came to get their water from our inlet directly under a bridge. there were many shakrs snook tarpon angels dam near anything so im guessing that it had worked for them. about 1 1/2 years i worked there and saw about 8-9 different people for commercial use suck as swf stores and personal and they have commented its the most natural way to keep a saltwater aquarium.
 
fats71

fats71

Active Member
Originally Posted by splatdye
http:///forum/post/2870595
For awhile i worked at the hillsboro inlet and many many people a night from countless swf stores came to get their water from our inlet directly under a bridge. there were many shakrs snook tarpon angels dam near anything so im guessing that it had worked for them. about 1 1/2 years i worked there and saw about 8-9 different people for commercial use suck as swf stores and personal and they have commented its the most natural way to keep a saltwater aquarium.
You know the more and more I think about it. People can take from low tide it is just that their peram are going to be higher. Their are tons of fish around snails clams etc doing fine living there in these conditions so ours would be the same. The thing with high tide is just getting the cream of the water really.
I at work ( marineland ) walked over to the university across the street who are into water rescue and "real pros" unlike us water jockies here these people have degrees in this stuff said that the water is the water. high tide low tide it all preserves life.
It makes sense as you dont see fish floating when the low tide is in lol...
Oh and axz far as red tide you can take during it just be under it and the water is fine according to them... I wont do it but hey I learned something new today.
 
kane4fire

kane4fire

New Member
I alternate between RO/DI water and ocean water during my 2 week changes. I've only had my tank for 2 months now but everything is doing great and seems really happy. Also the crabs and snails I've gotten from the ocean seem to be much hardier than the store bought stuff (though not as good looking)
 
fats71

fats71

Active Member
Well, if anyone is around Marineland you can drive up and get your water straight out of their tanks for free. I been doing water changes every three days getting rid of a phosphate issue I had.
It is already filtered and straight out of the Ocean
My corals seem to be thanking me as do my happy fish :)
 
scottallert

scottallert

Active Member
If you are going to do it i would get the water at high tide, right before dead tide so that you dont get the nasty stuff from sewage drains and all the nasty stuff dumped into the channels and inlets.
 
fats71

fats71

Active Member
Originally Posted by scottallert
http:///forum/post/2882991
If you are going to do it i would get the water at high tide, right before dead tide so that you dont get the nasty stuff from sewage drains and all the nasty stuff dumped into the channels and inlets.
Like I said this is the same water that is used for the oldest living dolphins captive.
3,000 gal per minute they take it in and runs into their filtering system then into the tank I pull my truck 5 foot from toss the hose into my barrels turn the nozzle and fill up with. It is easier than going to the gas station honestly :)
I have pulled it at high tide and that is the only time I have done it.
I also found out you can pull water from red tide if your lower than 2 feet from the surface as it is upwards of that.
I would not do it personally but you can according to the brains at the college across the street from marineland.
 
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