Natural Sea Water. Worth the outlay?

[zerozero]

New to reef keeping with a tank, Fluval Evo 52l/13'g, that's just over 2 months old.

Last week I had a little peek at our tank. Our clownfish which are usually lively and inquisitive were looking lethargic. After a quick google, I was sure their breathing wasn't laboured, they just looked listless. And for the first time ever they weren't interested in food. I checked the salinity and found it was reading 1.020!. The problem is that I'd done a 15% water change the day before... and hadn't added any RODI water.

I can't set up a RODI system so I had been buying pre-mixed SW from my local LFS. I did test the water when I first started and it was bang on 1.025. I didn't test it since (my mistake). But now I feel I can't trust my LFS and what they are selling me.

I researched multiple threads on R2R about salt mixes. The general consensus was that with a nano tank it's okay to use the bast salt mix you can afford due to the low volume of water involved. I'm fine with that.

As our aim is consistency and stability it would make sense to mix my own SW. But... my confidence in my LFS has been knocked and I can't trust the RODI water I'm buying is consistent either.

So, an option is to buy Natural Sea Water. In the salt mix threads people were consistent in saying buy the mix that suits your needs, but being new to the hobby, I have no idea what is good for my needs.

Natural Sea Water:
Salinity 34-36 ppt
Nitrates 0-0.9
Nitrite 0
Calcium 400-450ppm
Alkalinity 7.5-8.6dKH
Ammonia 0
PH 8.0-8.3
Magnesium 1250-1350ppm
Phosphate 0-0.05ppm
Silicate 0-0.1.
(Slight changes will occur throughout the year, but will always be within our acceptable benchmarks)

"Our natural seawater is swimming with millions of tiny microbes, bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. These fundamental elements are key to developing fish and coral that thrive in the ocean, and this can now be replicated in your home aquarium."

We're looking for the first year or two to concentrate on Softies and LPS (Euphyllias especially). Are the parameters appropriate?

Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Fish Fan]

For a 52L tank, consider buying distilled water until you can get an RODI system up and running. Distilled water can be found at any local grocery store or pharmacy, and is inexpensive enough that you can use it for top-off water and water change water until you can get an RODI system setup.

Best of luck with your tank!

 

[PeterErc]

Have been using NSW for years with no issues. The LFS sells it, and say it is filtered. I know first hand that the water is not filtered, and I still use it. The LFS uses the water for all of their service accounts and are still in business. I collect my own water as well and most definately unfiltered. Some say you can get parasites, contaminates from NSW. There's a 99.9 % chance you are going to get parasite,disease from livestock at LFS before getting something from NSW

Using 5 gallon potable water container, sometime the water will sit for a couple three weeks before I get off my lazy but and do water change. With 15 gallon system, water changes will be a piece of cake.
I suggest doing 2.5 gallons a week, so 5 gallons should last two weeks. The third week go to LFS to get more. Once tank the is established and you as a reefer are more experienced and comfortable water change frequency can be reduced. Stable water parameters is optimal and water changes are best way to do so in small system, IMO.
Testing the salinity of the NSW is a good idea since you already know the LFS may not have the best practices or inexperienced help.
Hope this helps

 

[PeterErc]

I missed the ro part, TDS meters are inexpensive. The rodi from the LFS cab be tested for total dissolved solids to see that values are close to zero

 

[zerozero]

For a 52L tank, consider buying distilled water until you can get an RODI system up and running. Distilled water can be found at any local grocery store or pharmacy, and is inexpensive enough that you can use it for top-off water and water change water until you can get an RODI system setup.

Best of luck with your tank!

Thank you! I didn't realise distilled water was an option.

So a quick check:
25l distilled water for £25 + delivery (can shop around further)
RODI system 50g/per day @ £130 + plumber + Salt

NSW £29 for 75l delivered

 

[shcrimps]

an RO unit doesn’t necessarily require a plumber there’s one that connect directly to the faucet and work good for me
i’ve made the mistake of not testing water before and payed the price
i use NSW 99% of the time and have been for maybe two years now
my local aquarium has a tap you can get it from for free
it’s filtered and used in all their tanks which amount to many thousands of gallons
20 mile drive but i have a 30 gallon barrel and don’t have to do water changes often so it works out for me

 

[Australian_Reef]

Lower salinity in a fish only system isn’t a problem. In fact it can help fish as long as salinity doesn’t change quickly.

The choice to use NSW will depend on the source. I collect it myself and have found it superior to mixed salt. But not as artificially high in some parameters as some people prefer.

By far the best thing you can do is buy your own ro/di unit… you don’t need a plumber for this. You will need it for top up and any salt making. Even my NSW comes in at 1.03 so I dilute it. You 110% should invest in an RO/DI unit before adding coral. Dont rely on your ifs.

 

[zerozero]

Have been using NSW for years with no issues. The LFS sells it, and say it is filtered. I know first hand that the water is not filtered, and I still use it. The LFS uses the water for all of their service accounts and are still in business. I collect my own water as well and most definately unfiltered. Some say you can get parasites, contaminates from NSW. There's a 99.9 % chance you are going to get parasite,disease from livestock at LFS before getting something from NSW

Using 5 gallon potable water container, sometime the water will sit for a couple three weeks before I get off my lazy but and do water change. With 15 gallon system, water changes will be a piece of cake.
I suggest doing 2.5 gallons a week, so 5 gallons should last two weeks. The third week go to LFS to get more. Once tank the is established and you as a reefer are more experienced and comfortable water change frequency can be reduced. Stable water parameters is optimal and water changes are best way to do so in small system, IMO.
Testing the salinity of the NSW is a good idea since you already know the LFS may not have the best practices or inexperienced help.
Hope this helps

This does help, thanks so much. The testimonials from the company I'm looking at are talking about 400l (105 Us gallons) for an initial order. Or 100l per month. Their tank service section shows six foot plus tanks, so our nano is at the other end of the scale for typical customers.

75l would come to £29 delivered. And I's get through about 25l per month.

Do you have any thoughts on the parameters they will deliver?

 

[Australian_Reef]

Just keep it dark to reduce algae. And preferable with a power head or air stone. Id test a lot too. Esp salinity every batch.

 

[PeterErc]

Roughly £10 a month seems reasonable to me, and it I'd deliverd to your home. Storage in sealed container away from direct sunlight. I would check with provider on recommended storage. The may suggest recirculation ?

Again RODI unit is your best option they are simple enough to add to existing faucet water supply and drain. Plenty of youtube videos and diy articles on install.

Still a tds meter and refractometer , test water at LFS when purchasing and hold them accountable. Storing 37L of RODI should last near a month or longer,quality salt mix and you are good to go

 

[zerozero]

an RO unit doesn’t necessarily require a plumber there’s one that connect directly to the faucet and work good for me
i’ve made the mistake of not testing water before and payed the price
i use NSW 99% of the time and have been for maybe two years now

By far the best thing you can do is buy your own ro/di unit… you don’t need a plumber for this. You will need it for top up and any salt making. Even my NSW comes in at 1.03 so I dilute it. You 110% should invest in an RO/DI unit before adding coral. Dont rely on your ifs.

Thank you, both.

Looks like I have to do a lot more research into RODI systems.

The company I'm looking at appears to be a premium service with 24hr emergency service offering aimed at people with far fancier, far larger tanks than mine.

The way I'm leaning now is to go with the NSW delivery as it's much cheaper than even distilled water. And look into an RODI system so I can control what's going in my tank.

 

[Australian_Reef]

You are in the uk? I’d really look where that company gets their water from. The zoo plankton etc that they provide may not be viable in a tropical environments. An established company would give good references. Either way …Buy that RODi unit. I have the coral sea 100m from my door but I still have a 5 stage Rodi unit.

 

[zerozero]

You are in the uk? I’d really look where that company gets their water from. The zoo plankton etc that they provide may not be viable in a tropical environments. An established company would give good references. Either way …Buy that RODi unit. I have the coral sea 100m from my door but I still have a 5 stage Rodi unit.

Yes, in London so hundreds of miles away from any water I'd want to put in my tank.

Thanks for all the advice all. Looking into the RODI unit