Water

[krisiks]

Hi,
I am actually setting up my tank, I already bought all equipment needed, but I am having a problem with choosing the kind of water to use. First of all, as this is my first saltwater tank, I will start with a FOWLR tank which I will change to a reef tank after sometimes if everything goes well. I live about 500 meter from sea and same distance to the LFS but don't know whether to get water from the sea or make saltwater. I am still thinking about it but if anyone could help me taking a decision, you are welcome
Do you think it is better if I use seawater because of my LFS (It uses seawater) ?? Can then acclimate fish more easily. What do you think??
The salinity of seawater where I live is 1.023, but IF I use seawater... how to raise the salinity if I want to keep anemone and corals??
Thanks for help.

 

[jasenhicks]

Id recommend against using sea water, it is usually contaminated with coastal pollutants from people. Unless you live in a remote location where people dont often visit and there arent any commercial or industrail areas 10 miles on either side its not too good of an idea.

 

[reefnut]

IMHO RO/DI water with Instant Ocean (IO) (yes I'm back to IO, Oceanic is just to wacky) is the best you could do. This way you're sure of the quality of water and can mix it at 1.025.

 

[krisiks]

ok, thanks for replying.
But can anyone tell me more advantages and disadvantages of using either seawater or synthetic seawater??
What I presume is that, if I take water directly form sea, I think that every creature I put in my tank it will sure survive because that water is from sea. I am tell you this, because I did a test, I took reefsalt mix with RO water and I went to the sea and caught some fish. When I first put them in, they look OK but after some minutes the smallest fish start to die. Why?
Thanks.

 

[bonebrake]

If you didn't mix it long enough there could have been no oxygen in the water for them to breathe. The temperature shock could have killed them. The salinity could have been way off. Tons of reasons.
Unless you live on a secluded tropical island, use synthetic sea salt.