View Full Version : Newbie question.,, Kind of stupid
Forevernight
03-02-2008, 7:08 PM
I just started a 10g sw tank. Its got 1 clown fish 2 damsels and 1 hermit crab. Its doing really good so far. My question is this, live pretty close to the ocean and i was wondering if i could have started this tank using real sea water. I understand about parasites and all that but, it just seems more natural to me and i dont see why it wouldnt work. I used Instant Ocean. I was just wondering about this..
InTr4nceWeTrust
03-02-2008, 7:47 PM
I think pollution is a major issue.
kcress
03-02-2008, 9:59 PM
I use ocean water directly every now and then. It has brought many varied and strange creatures into my tanks. I have about 15 kinds of algae growing and many different pods and worms. Also limpets, and feather dusters that came from the ocean water.
You can use it but you have to recognize that you will lose some control of your environment. I happen to run my system more like a science discovery experiment rather than a pristine show tank, and so welcome new denizens..
InTr4nceWeTrust; Has a good point too. I would not conceive of using sea water except I live on the Pacific Coast in a relatively small town. I know which way the prevailing current flows and am assured of having pretty much unpolluted water as it come out of a marine sciences tank pumped directly in from a pipe out a few hundred feet from shore. I also get water from off a 1/2 mile long wharf.
If you are in a major metropolitan area or can only get water on the surf line.. I wouldn't.
clown-lover
03-02-2008, 10:05 PM
You can't just say major metropolian areas though. There are small communities that dump junk into the ocean or like you said have a prevailing current coming their direction from someone that dumps.
I guess I'm a fuddy duddy because personally I wouldn't use that water. You just don't know whats happening in there. If you were to get water several miles off shore I'd say maybe.
scootrnerd
03-02-2008, 10:10 PM
i have used ocean water in the past i had to boost the salinity because it was low
kcress
03-02-2008, 10:48 PM
That's true CL. You have to have some idea of what's going on locally ocean wise.
You also have to make sure the temperature matches your system's before adding it. And you better not miss the local red tide occurrence.
Forevernight
03-03-2008, 12:05 AM
I think pollution is a major issue.
The ocean near me is a marine sanctuary (protected) . I dont know if that matters.
kcress
03-03-2008, 12:08 AM
Wanna say what town?
Forevernight
03-03-2008, 12:09 AM
Thanks. You all made some good points.
Forevernight
03-03-2008, 12:11 AM
Wanna say what town?
Salinas I go to Monterey alot.
kcress
03-03-2008, 3:56 AM
Ha!
I'm in Santa Cruz.
You could probably get away with snaggin some water off the end of the Monterey Wharf.
I wonder if MABARI would let you get sea water from them. They suck in a few hundred thousand gallons a day.
chris_changlo
03-03-2008, 4:12 AM
If anything, and you really want to use ocean water, go as far out as you possibly can. Areas around the coasts are not clean. if you're really up for it, just get a boat, and go out a ways to get the water, but like kcress said, you're gonna get a lot of lil friends you might not want growing in your tank
Forevernight
03-03-2008, 4:48 AM
Yeah "little friends" Hadnt really thought of that. Anyway, it was just an idea i had. Thanks for all the input!
I get my ocean water from UCSB, which sounds like a similar setup to kcress if he is getting his water from a college. I haven't had any "critters" or anything like that..
I don't see how critters can make it through 30ft of vertical sand filter, plus all the other filtration. I have been using pacific ocean water for about 6 months now myself and my tank has never looked better.
That doesn't mean I would just go to the end of a wharf and drop a bucket though. From everything I have read, if you want to collect clean ocean water you have to go out to sea several miles and then grab water from at least 100ft under the water for it to be good.. that is if your not filtering it at all.
UCSB Natural Seawater (http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/eemb/facilities/marine/seawater/seawater.php)
http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/eemb/facilities/marine/seawater/filter.jpg
salty420
03-03-2008, 9:48 AM
you're going to really have to keep up with your WC's with your tank that heavily stocked. i'd only recommend 1 of those clowns and maybe a neon or clown goby at most in a 10 gallon tank.