RO vs Filtered Sea Water (pulled from another thread)

[dadstank]

BUT! If those water changes are with freshly mixed water, be careful. If you can get it, I'd use filtered seawater, because it won't shock the animals...

why is this? this is not the first time i have heard such advice. i would think that if the fish are used to one kind of water, be it tap with "mixtures" (RO, RO/DI, certain salt mixes, chemicals, etc.) or filtered sea water (which i personally know nothing about), that sticking with normal routine would be the preference.

what is the benefit to filtered seawater?

would this also depend on your location and location the water is actually pulled from given the type of reef you have created?

 

[Anonymous]

I don't actually know why freshly mixed water is harsh on the animals, I just know that my experience tells me so. It doesn't make sense that, once fully and completely dissolved, it is "better" to have it mixed and circulating for a few days, but there it is. I know for a fact, as well, that nothing, absolutely NOTHING, beats real seawater, made by the sea (but filtered so you don't bring in parasites or other things that may die or cause death in your system.

I sure would love to know the why's of the thing, though.

Oh, I've had experience with two types of filtered seawater, that which was sold to aquarium shops as RealOcean (I believe it was taken nearby Catalina Island, then brought back and filtered); and at the Long Beach Aquarium I believe they have a seriously LOO-OONG pipe that brings in water from a bit offshore that's filtered on site.

 

[kgross]

I would agree that freshly mixed water is not as good as aged or natural water. One of the reasons is that some of the reactions in freshly mixed water take quite a while to complete.

Plus real sea water has everything in it, not just the major and minor items, and has the same ratio as the critters evolved in, most mixes are close but not exactly the same.

Now for those of us not near the coast, I think that mixed is fine, only you need to make sure it is well mixed 24 hours or more if possible with good oxygenation.

Kim

 

[dadstank]

so if the tank has never seen filtered sea water, would you think that it would affect it positively, negatively, or not at all?
any idea how they filter it? in theory, i have access to "sea water", but i feel it would need to be seriously filtered. i think the difference could lie with the method and quality of filtration used.
i remember someone telling me when i was planning to come out to san fran that most LFS here that sell filtered water, get it from the bay.
of course, as we all know, "in theory" things never ever work out the way they are planned.....

 

[Anonymous]

No, I honestly don't think that would make any observable difference.

LBAOP uses giganto pool filters, as big as a car, along with foam fractionation (the skimmers are about 12' tall and big enough for me to fit inside, I almost went head-first into one :lol: ), UV and, I believe, ozone.

 

[dadstank]

in essence the same filtration used on a "standard" reef setup...
interesting....

 

[kgross]

Most places that use filter sea water, also use something like a large UV to sterilize the water before they run it through the sand. This kills off all the plankton and then you filter it out so it can not pollute the water.

I don't think you will see any difference in using filtered sea water verses, good aged RO/DI made artificial sea water as long as you are using a good salt mix.

Kim