Who is using NSW in their reef?

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Good points Cy and these are all things I'm concerned about as well. I'm still planning on trying it out for a few months just to see how it works out. One thing I will do is call them to ask how they deal with the issues that you are bringing attention to before I make my final descision. If it's working for the Seattle Aquarium, then it can't be that bad.
Times are tough and if I can cut my costs and still get great water, it's a win/win situation for me. Also, I live so close that it makes a lot of sense for me. Right now if I do 50 gallons of water changes per month, I send between 150-200 gallons a month right down the drain and the money with it. I'll still need to by some salt to bring it up to 35ppt so I can still help out in contributing to that 12% margin. :)
 
Fair enough:) Its hard not to consider it with the savings involved. Especially in these times. FOW's success over a long period of time is a testament to the fact that it can work. I'm sure the aquarium changes water continuosly so they may avoid some of the issues we would face. They probably also employ further filtration to their displays. Maybe just avoid picking up water right after or during times of heavy rain and use carbon.
 
With all the questions I decided to call in and speak with the lead manager of the aquarium water chemistry and filtration. I will be speaking with him in 20 minutes so I will respond with what I learn.

No matter what, we still have to by salt to bump up the salinity and testing kits for the water. For the most part I think in todays time we just want to save money wherever we can. Even though your margin is only 12% for the standard consumer buying a bucket of mix for $39.99 and then adding it to 160 gallons of water we are coming close to $50 dollars. As where doing it thru SA we would only pay $8.00 dollars and some for salt to bumb it up.

But after I talk with there lead manager I will let everyone know what he says and weather I will be starting my aquarium with SA water or that bucket :) of salt and my RODI water.
 
So I just spoke with a gentlemen by the name of Robert Anderson. He was extremly helpful and letting me know that the water there is safe to use and is used not only by them in all there aquariums "which alot are empty and fill tanks not flow thru" but they also sell around 50,000 gallons a month of the water to the public. The water is filtered thru micron filters and sent thru UV light aswell. He did go on about other things with the water but his phone was cutting out. He did say he has no problem answering anyones questions about the water, filters, ect. He asked for me to post his email address on the forum and he will also join when he gets a chance to share his knowlege. His email address is [email protected]
 
Funny. He must think were nuts. I talked to him today as well. From what he tells me they run everything through a big skimmer before it goes into their displays. The water for their reef displays gets some carbon treatment, salt is added and is brought up to temp but that's about it.
 
The only problem I found with the water from the sound is the calcium is a little low. I grab my water about 2 miles off shore by Lawson's Reef in the North (By Anacortes) Sound and averages about 280-320 using my API calcium tester. I added about a cup of salt for 5 gallons of water to get it up to 1.024. I only use the sound water in the late spring to the later summer months as I am already out there chasing Halibut, Lings, and Rock Fish.

My SPS don't seem to mind the water and my softies seem to go on a growth spree during those months.
 
bigblue141 said:
The only problem I found with the water from the sound is the calcium is a little low. I grab my water about 2 miles off shore by Lawson's Reef in the North (By Anacortes) Sound and averages about 280-320 using my API calcium tester. I added about a cup of salt for 5 gallons of water to get it up to 1.024. I only use the sound water in the late spring to the later summer months as I am already out there chasing Halibut, Lings, and Rock Fish.

My SPS don't seem to mind the water and my softies seem to go on a growth spree during those months.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I've actually never tested the bay water for calcium. Always test nitrates, ph and alk. My tank Ca is always around 420 with API tests. I need to get h2o this weekend. I'll test it for Ca and post the results.
 
As I just bought a 180 that'll be a mixed reef i plan to take plenty of pictures once its full of SA water. I'll let you guys know what happens
 
can you let us know how much salt you have to add to get it up to specs and how many gallons you end up with?
 
I'm using NSW. I get it from Aquarium Paradise. I haven't mixed any salt with it. My tank's running 79/80 degrees and sitting between 34/35ppt (they don't add anything to it either). I do have to up my pH a bit, but that is all. Using it for over 3 months now.
 
Okay so this thread sparked my curosity and I have been doing ALOT of digging on the topic of NSW vs. synthetic salt.

and the winner IS!!!

I don't know, no seriously its I don't know. And neither do the experts. This has probably been the most informative bit of information that I have discovered on the web.

here is the "conclusion" of the article
In summary, trace element testing and toxicity are complex and many factors must be considered besides just a hard to determine analytical value. However, this study demonstrated several important conclusions in regards to comparing synthetic sea salts to natural seawater that should be of major importance to marine aquarists:

most synthetic sea salts do not have high levels of many trace elements,
natural seawater is not automatically a safe alternative to synthetic sea salts when it comes to comparing amounts of trace elements in the two solutions,
past comparisons of synthetic sea salts to natural seawater are flawed because they compared synthetic sea salts to a hypothetical natural seawater that is not available to the majority of marine hobbyists, and
synthetic sea salts are quite acceptable for long-term use in marine aquaria when considered from the viewpoint of not adding detrimental concentrations of trace elements to the system.


and here is the article,
http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2004/feature.htm

I suggest you read the thing in its entirety, its really interesting and the nice thing about it is the tables and charts it really gives you a visual to kind of wrap your head around the diffrences in salts.

A hard read but worth it.
 
Chichas01 said:
can you let us know how much salt you have to add to get it up to specs and how many gallons you end up with?
Click to expand...

I started with 30 gallons from the tank when it was setup at the previous owner's mother's home. It had an eel in it so the salt levels couldn't be too high but i didn't test it prior to adding NSW. I've been leaving the hydrometer submersed in the tank and it seems at the rate i'm adding water - evaporation = no salt added yet. I don't know if my swing arm is off (gonna get it tested tomorrow if i remember) or if the salinity is high due to no rain/good weather lately but once the aquarium is full i'll go ahead and do all the tests i have on it.

as for the seattle aquarium's water selling, its really easy to do and if you do do it bring a 2nd person to man the shutoff.... the ride home with wet pants can be uncomfortable
 
johnpeezy said:
OH and if your wondering where I dug this article up from the bowels of the inter-webs This is the foundation of my NSW vs. synthetic research

[URL="http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2004/feature.htm"]http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2004/feature.htm[/URL]

scroll down to the related readings at the very bottom, and it will open an endless supply of research articles for you. anyways my eyes are blurry from all the reading and I'm going to bed.
Click to expand...

My mistake I posted the wrong link on this post
here is the correct link
http://www.instantocean.com/sites/InstantOcean/knowledge/ExpertArticle.aspx?id=1540
 
For what it is worth, I have used only water from the dock at Washington park in anacortes for two years in my cold water aquarium. I have never had any trouble. Granted the animals that I keep are captured locally so they probably have a tolerance to any issues the water may have, but they seem very happy. It allows me to do large water changes twice a month, though loading 10 five gallon buckets in the truck gets a little old :) I will probably try using the water to supplement my reef tank this summer. Ca is usually ~300 and sal 1.022. I usually "rub" the dock with two of the buckets which yields a great deal of little swimmers/pods especially in the summer.
 
Oh, and I have lost count of the times people stare at me as I back the truck down the ramp with no boat... Many have finally walked over and asked why I was "stealing water" from the sound. While loading I have over-heard people talking to one another guessing about what I was doing. "Probably works for the park department" "Taking samples for the university" "Wants to kill weeds in the yard" Etc. Etc. Every now and again I hear "He must have a huge aquarium!" Not really, but 10 buckets of water does look like a lot.
 
i only use nsw i collect water staight from the ocean maybe put it through a micron bag but hey how can u fault mother nature sure i dose my tank but who doesnt i also use tap water to top up i keep acros and other finicky organism and have great succsess the only thing i would say is watch your salinity it creeps up on ya or gets low with alot of dosing
 
OK I took the plunge into using NSW and have done my last two 15% water changes with water I collected from a clean incoming tide at are place at Pt. No Pt. beach in Hansville. Water salinity was 1.023 so only sponge filtered and brought up to temp for a couple days. Everything seems to be doing fine and will continue to collect it anytime we get over there. It sounds as though I might need to increase buffering ca/alk for longterm use.

Todd
 
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