Any problem with using water from the atlantic ocean to top off and fill my aquarium? Currently I have a 55 gallon FOWLR with a three stripe damsel, a velvet damsel, percula clown, and a blue tang (i know he needs more room, and that he will recieve after this summer.)
Ocean Water?
- Thread starter JesterAAK
- Start date
if your lucky to have a clean source of sea water there shuld not be an issue but the probelm you can have is bringing in bacteria in the form of blue green algee and other mites or polution ..
if you buy a salt and mix it your self it might cost you a bit to set it up but your not going to kill all your fish or corals ..
lot safer if you plan to keep a few hundred dollors in fish and corals ..
you could always setup a test tank with a few cheep fish and see how it goes but in the long run when the dollor value gets up to a few 100 or a few 1000 would you risk it thats the question you have to ask your self ??
if you buy a salt and mix it your self it might cost you a bit to set it up but your not going to kill all your fish or corals ..
lot safer if you plan to keep a few hundred dollors in fish and corals ..
you could always setup a test tank with a few cheep fish and see how it goes but in the long run when the dollor value gets up to a few 100 or a few 1000 would you risk it thats the question you have to ask your self ??
I use it and I live in perth, western australia. I get it in jerry cans and mix it with treated tap water to get the right salinity and then I put it straight in.
Jmo but using sea water is like sitting on a time bomb. I would not be too concerned with introducing blue green algae, if you have live rock or anthing like that it will already be in there. The main concern is introducing parasites and diseases into the tank. The other problem is that it is hard to get a clean and low nutrient source of water near the coast line, especially near cities and rivers.
I used to do it years ago...
1. You need to collect it offshore if possible, preferably a few miles off, from a boat and make sure you avoid the outboard motor/exhaust end of the boat. Avoid marinas and inlets near shore, they will often contain pesticides, human waste, bilge oil, fuel, etc.
2. Store the collected water in sealed containers in total darkness for a month and this will kill any floating pathgens. After that aerate it for 24 hours, adjust temp and SG as needed and you should be okay. Sure, it's a pain, that's why they make Instant Ocean.
1. You need to collect it offshore if possible, preferably a few miles off, from a boat and make sure you avoid the outboard motor/exhaust end of the boat. Avoid marinas and inlets near shore, they will often contain pesticides, human waste, bilge oil, fuel, etc.
2. Store the collected water in sealed containers in total darkness for a month and this will kill any floating pathgens. After that aerate it for 24 hours, adjust temp and SG as needed and you should be okay. Sure, it's a pain, that's why they make Instant Ocean.
Don't use it for top off water as that will drive up the salinity of your tank. Use freshwater to top off evaporation.
Oliver said:
So does buying a boat and sailing two miles out to collect water ;-)
especially when you live 25 miles from the sea as well!