Water from ocean

[Domboski]

Paul does collect some water off the shore (I've been with him). Even though his system is 38 years old he doesn't have any fish that old :wink1: He's also had ich outbreaks and other problems. Paul will be the first to tell you not to follow what he does without careful consideration.

I think daisy summed it up nicely.

 

[anthony27]

I know it is a long process, but will do you just add the water right into the tank or do you take mesaures to insure that the water is top quality, and I see alot of softies do you have any sps.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

i live in puerto rico and collect water locally. i pretty much take two 5 gal buckets of water out and put 2 of NSW in. i've had ick out breaks and strongly agree with the members who suggest skimming and UVing.

 

[bigyankfan]

Also, you have to watch out for the Coney Island Whitefish.

 

[duke62]

hahaha

Also, you have to watch out for the Coney Island Whitefish.

especially the slimey ones

 

[Will]

I just add the water the way it is most of the time. I check the salinity which is 1.0245 almost always and adjust the temperature. Sometimes I run it thru carbon but not always.
Also I am not the only one on the East end of L.I. that does this.
I don't have any SPS , if I did I might not be doing things this way.
All my corals are pretty easy stuff..mushrooms, LPS,Favia,cup,acans,trumpet
I've had reef tanks since the late 80's 2 many 2 mention LOL. So I'm not new to this hobby by any means. One thing I have learned is most things are controversial... Skimmer,no skimmer, sand beds,no sand beds, lighting etc...etc..and what works for one person doesn't work for everyone.
What has been brought up in this thread is valid and is exactly what I've heard for 5 yrs.But.. That being said ...for 5 yrs this has worked great for me and my tank.No buying salt, no mixing , once I get to the Inlet it takes 10 minutes and I have 20 gal of salt water. Of course I am lucky enuf to live near the inlet which really helps alot..

IMO.. I don't believe you have to go 2 miles off shore to collect water..But that's my opinion...Where I get my water is flushed in and out every day at the Inlet. I live 2 blocks from the bay but I would not take water from there ever.I have talked to Joe from Atlantis years ago ,when I was a member of LIRA , about collecting water at the Inlet near me and he said if I remember correctly that I could mechanically filter it if I wanted but it should be good to go the way it is.
As far as fish...I have 4 Gobies , 1 Clown, 1 File Fish, 3 Chromies not much in the way of fish but to be honest , I wouldn't have any if my wife didn't make me get them. I've had them for years ..never had a case of ICH.
ICh , another controversial subject..LOL
Bottom line is that this has worked out very well for me but like I said if i didn't feel comfortable, I wouldn't do it. If at any time I thought my corals or fish were in trouble, I would have stopped immediately.Granted I only have 9 fish but at no time have I seen a problem.
Let me end this with.....Can anyone say that that since they mix their own salt water they never have any problems with their corals or fish..If so I'd like to talk to them. LOL

Will

 

[daisy]

Will - sounds like you're doing what's right for your and for your system. So this conversation has been more about sharing info and not at all about telling you what to do

I think that those of us that live on the Hudson, in the City and the boroughs can't easily imagine that only a few hours away the water is clean enough to just pull from the "sea" and add to our systems!

btw, I think I also remember reading that somebody put a few drops of bleach into freshly-collected sea-water?.... I don't remember who (Paul?)

It works for nature - it should work for us. Sadly, most of us live very close to desperately polluted waters that would never work.

 

[Beaun]

I get my water from the bay side; obviously I'm further east but if you are smart about where you get your water there are no problems with it. Just go to a spot that has good daily flushing and try to collect at high tide. Also, wait a few days after rain or bad weater for runoff to be flushed out of the system. I read discussions about the possibility of parasites in the water, free floating parasites are very rare and the chances of collecting a free floating parasite in your water is remote at best, warming the water to reef temps and mechanical filtration is good enough to ensure you are not adding anything terrible.

 

[Paul B]

Paul does collect some water off the shore (I've been with him). Even though his system is 38 years old he doesn't have any fish that old :wink1: He's also had ich outbreaks and other problems. Paul will be the first to tell you not to follow what he does without careful consideration.

That is true, don't do what I do. But as to local NY paracites I have not sen a paracite i over 25 years.
I collect water from here. Tha paracites get their heads smashed into the lighthouse. I only collect when I see the paracites holding their heads. :dead1:
(Hey Dom I am thinking of organizing another collection trip this year, do you think anyone would be interested?