Using ocean water?

h2offshore

h2offshore

Member
I have always mixed my water for my other tanks, but now have thought of using ocean water. I am minutes from the ocean, and am regualarly 20 miles offshore here where the water is crystal clear. Would it be ok to bring home water after a day of fishing and use it in the tanks for water changes?
 
r22wink

r22wink

Member
Originally Posted by H2offshore
I have always mixed my water for my other tanks, but now have thought of using ocean water. I am minutes from the ocean, and am regualarly 20 miles offshore here where the water is crystal clear. Would it be ok to bring home water after a day of fishing and use it in the tanks for water changes?
I am not 100% certain on this. From experience I would say "stay away" because ocean water is going to have an abundant amount of nutrients in it. Which when put into a smaller area, such as your tank. May cause an Algae Breakout. I dont think quality wise it would be bad, but the extra nutrients would concern me. Just my opinion however.
 
teen

teen

Active Member
i just started using ocean water recently. ive had no bad side effects, and the only good side effect is that its free. i even put it into a ruber maid and skimmed it for a day, just to see what would be pulled out, and at the end of the day, the cup was empty. and i collected the water on an incoming high tide.i changed about 15 gallons on a 40 gallon system.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by r22wink
I am not 100% certain on this. From experience I would say "stay away" because ocean water is going to have an abundant amount of nutrients in it. Which when put into a smaller area, such as your tank. May cause an Algae Breakout. I dont think quality wise it would be bad, but the extra nutrients would concern me. Just my opinion however.
IMO, it is actually the opposite. Synthetic salt mixes have FAR more nutrients/minerals than natural seawater, so much so that it is often difficult for animals to adapt (specifically seastars). The concentrations in artificial mixes can be orders of magnitude greater than natural seawater.
If you can get it from offshore, or a clean area, I would absolutely, positively always use natural seawater
In fact, I envy anyone who can. You may need to make some minor salinity adjustments depending on where you are...but otherwise good to go, IMO. Personal preference probably, but I would do it.
There are several salt mix analysis projects that you can probably google, and they would always use natural salt water as the control.
 
dragonboy

dragonboy

Active Member
I would use it if I can get it for free but the thing is it wouldn't be cost inefficient with the gas unless you have big tanker to hold the water or if you have a really large tank.
 
h2offshore

h2offshore

Member
I am out there every weekend fishing so it wouldnt cost me anymore than it normally would. I can bring home my three live wells full at 50gallons per live well and if I really wanted a lot of water I could fill up the fish box which is 200gallons. So if I brought home the max I could hold 350 gallons should last me quite a while for water changes.
 
ninjamini

ninjamini

Active Member
I have used ocean water in all my tanks up until my new 90 gallon. My LFs sells it for $.50 / gallon. I have had great success with this. The only reason I changed is that big al's-mixes there own for the same price. I was very unhappy with there water coming in at 1.017 its took a lot of doctoring to make it work. I am now deciding between going back to ocean water and mixing my own. Buying my own ro/di and all that stuff.
WARNING: It ain't free. You cant go to the beach and get the water. Its all polluted. If you want ocean water then go to a lfs and buy it. Where do you live. I may be able to recommend one.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I disagree with that to some degree. Certainly not true offshore, and there are places near the beach that I would take water from...what is the guarantee that your LFS is getting it from a "clean" source. I would rather get it myself and see the location, personally. But offshore "blue water?" no problems at all.
 
ninjamini

ninjamini

Active Member
Originally Posted by ninjamini
WARNING: It ain't free. You cant go to the beach and get the water. Its all polluted. If you want ocean water then go to a lfs and buy it. Where do you live. I may be able to recommend one.
I defer to ophiura. She convinced me to go back to ocean water.
 
dragonboy

dragonboy

Active Member
Must be nice to have your own boat to go out there but if I could I would do the same once a week or every two weeks.
 
ninjamini

ninjamini

Active Member
Originally Posted by reefreak29
i would worry about putting disease inti your tank from the ocean

Would you kill any water born disease by using a uv?
 
h2offshore

h2offshore

Member
I guess what I could do is put it in my large tank in the garage and run it through the u/v for a few days. This would be so much easier than mixing water.
 
chipmaker

chipmaker

Active Member
Been usuing ocean water I collect now for years without the first problem. I sometimnes collect it close to shore wihtin wading distance of beach other times I use our boat and get it further offshore.It all works the same. In a pinch I do use IO, but my stock of drums of NSW usually holds me from trip to trip to coast, which is usually 3 times minimum a month all year round. Never have I ever had a problem using it or sand I collected from the coast. I just do not buy the theroies of potential problems it brings if a bit of care is used., Don't collect it at outlets into the ocean or near bay mouths and rivers etc. I just can not imagine how my corals etc could be any better than they are with what I use. And thats usually 100% NSW collected locally.
 
cymbal67

cymbal67

Member
i am in florida and we get red tide a lot around here. the result is dead fish all over the beaches and floating in the water. bummer i was thinking of putting ocean water in mine, but then remembered red tide and said no way....
 
ninjamini

ninjamini

Active Member
Originally Posted by cymbal67
i am in florida and we get red tide a lot around here. the result is dead fish all over the beaches and floating in the water. bummer i was thinking of putting ocean water in mine, but then remembered red tide and said no way....
What the heck is red tide?
 
h2offshore

h2offshore

Member
Originally Posted by cymbal67
i am in florida and we get red tide a lot around here. the result is dead fish all over the beaches and floating in the water. bummer i was thinking of putting ocean water in mine, but then remembered red tide and said no way....
We dont get red tide where I am located (Palm Beach) it is more often occuring on the west coast. I have heard tough there are cases of red tide in the keys due to the construction of US-1.
 
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