Natural Sea Water?

[Anonymous]

Alright, Im sure this has sprung up somewhere before, but I was hoping someone perhaps even slightly familiar with my specific geography (cough Matt cough) would chime in!

If one had access to the ocean/beaches, and one had the capacity to move water from a natural locale as such to a considerable distance of miles inland, what would be the in hibiting factors of using natural sea water in one's aquarium?

See, my greatest turn-off with that whole idea has been the off-coast and shor pollution of almost every beach in Cali. Ive heard that the beaches in my area are actually particularly clean in that respect, however...

How would one--*filter*--per se water that is so contaminated? How would one remove the different pollutants that might be present in the ocean's waters (actually, probably inevitably at that... ), and how would one know when the water in question is appropiately safe for use in one's aquarium?

In case there's any Northern Cali dwellers reading, Im about 45 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes from Point Reyes, if that makes a difference at all...

Sorry for reposting if this issue has already been beaten to death.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd just run it thorugh cheese cloth to get big partlicles and little critters out of it. I don't think the water offshore here is that dirty at all. You will need to warm it some though. That would be a lot of work though, considering you live in Napa.

 

[Fatal Morgana]

>...That would be a lot of work though, considering you live in Napa.


Anything thing that keeps Dewr occupied is a good thing.

 

[Unarce]

A couple of years ago, I got to chat with a natural sea water distributor from Catalina Water Company. I remember that they sometimes collected water at least a mile off the coast of Monterey to avoid pollution near the shore. Than the water is still put through an extensive filtration process.

http://www.catalinawater.com/Product.html

 

[Anonymous]

You could "*filter*--per se" it through carbon.

 

[Anonymous]

Actually Activated carbon is a good Idea. All kinds of nasty stuff is abosrbed by or bonded too activated carbon. The military uses it in thier NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Cemical) suits.

 

[Anonymous]

Wrong Catalina, it's Catalina Norcal up here, and Half Moon Bay is the collection point. No water is collected out of the Monterey bay by Catalina. Larry (Catalina Norcal) used to be the northern branch of Catalina, but they've since parted ways. They don't business up here, and he doesn't down there.

 

[Unarce]

Sorry, didn't know there were two. Did either one of them ever collect near Monterey? I wonder if the distributor had no idea what he was talking about. It could also be that I have no idea what I'm talking about. :?

 

[Fastmarc]

I use only natural sea water, straight from the sea to the tank (in about 20 mins).
I particulary like it when the water seems to be filled with particulate matter (looks 'dirty') as the corals love it.
That being said, I do take some precautions. I know where I am taking the water is clean. I do not collect water following any rain.
I definitely don't thik it makes sense to 'sive' the sea water. I think you'll be losing some of the benefits of adding it.
If you think the water may polluted to the point that you need to filter it or run it through carbon, then it probable shouldn't go into your tank.
Just my opinion.

 

[Anonymous]

My thinking behind siving the water was that his tank will have species from much wamer water than where he would be collecting from. I dunno what critters may be bad to put into the tank, that might be collected with the water.

 

[Anonymous]

Dew, Point Reyes water should be fine. You won't want to take it from Tomales Bay or near a port or anything. Go on the western side of the peninsula to collect the water. The current there is mostly from the NW IIRC, so you're getting pretty much raw seawater without many pollutants at all. Running a little carbon or sponge filter isn't a bad idea if this is to start a new tank. If you're adding it to a tank with corals/fish, I would just leave it be. They will appreciate the natural plankton.

All this old mumbo jumbo in books about letting it sit in the dark for a month is utter nonsense. Treat it like it's a living animal. Warm it up slowly, keep it aerated, and you'll be fine.

 

[Anonymous]

Cool guys; thanks for the imput!

Anywho, If I could find a company or individual that collects that stuff already, then that would be nifty! But I wonder who would do that around me; Catalina, as in a water company that markets to the general public? Ive never heard of them...

Fastmarc, run many quarter-miles? :wink: Where do you live so that you could collect so freely and quickly as you do?

Mat, you could always tack on the "r" there like I could the extra "t" for your name, ya know. :wink:
Oohhff... All the way to Point Reyes, eh? Thats a whole day trip... My Jetta wont hold many buckets, if even one... Hmmph... Maybe it would be a job for my 3/4 ton 85' Silverado! If I took that, and brought back like a hundred+ gallons, you want some for your nano? :wink:
Well, I guess my filtration on the tank itself would do a good enough job with whatever contaminants DO manage to make it in, right?

:lol: Mumbo-jumbo in books? Figures; theres a reason I dont believe everything I read, and consequently, I read less for it!

Watch, now the book/reading nazis are going to start chiming in... :roll:

Thanks again, fellah's! :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

You could take a hundred gallons. That's actually not a bad idea at all. Just keep it aerated and cool while you're not using it.

 

[Fastmarc]

Thanks alfbennett. I didn't realise that the water he was collecting would be cold.
I live in Jamaica, Dew, so water isn't that far away. Oh, I like my driving with corners.
I can tell you from my experience, there is a huge difference between NSW and the synthetic type.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks alfbennett. I didn't realise that the water he was collecting would be cold.
I live in Jamaica, Dew, so water isn't that far away. Oh, I like my driving with corners.
I can tell you from my experience, there is a huge difference between NSW and the synthetic type.

Yeah, I hadnt really given much attention to the temperatire differences... In fact, Im still not sure it really matters much...? Im really taking this from a somewhat-less-labor perspective... :wink:

8O Jamaica?! Hows the weather down there, mon'? :wink: Sorry, I just HAD to! Lucky you!!!
Yeah, your avatar looks like its of the rally persuasion! Very nifty; are there many rally courses around you? You ever get to hit the trails in your nifty rally car there? :wink:

Im quite aware and sure of a significant difference between NSW and the synthetic stuff; kinda why Im lookin to get some for my tank! :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

One very important difference is that all the minor and major elements are in the exact proportions they should be. Also, there are untold organic compounds that aren't present in synthetic salt.

 

[Anonymous]

So ya want a few 5-gallon buckets full or what?

 

[K]

Definitely go for it so long as the water isnt filthy

 

[Fastmarc]

Hey Dew.
I honestly doubt the temp would make a difference either, but I'm no expert. I would take the precaution of warming it up slowly to minimize any death of benfitial life that it might carry.
Matt, I too remember back in the day reading about all the evil stuff that could come in with NSW and the recommendations on how to sterize the water. :roll:
If you have access to it, I definitely recommend you go for it.

*off topic*
Racing is my other BIG love. The avatar is me on a rally here last december. Rally is big here. I'm currently preparing for a rally this Sunday.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't sea (LOL) anything wrong with with using ocean water. After all people near the oceam probably have ponds circulating the water from the ocean.

I do remember a post on another board where a person had a 2,000g tank using sea water from the ocean. The ocean was about a mile away. They were wondering why they had say nitrAtes when they did 50% water changes each week. My point is that unless you are constantly replacing the water with new ocean water, still maintain the system as a closed system. With the same techniques of any inland system where you mix your own salt water.