i go out on my boat alot could i?

Discussion in 'New To The Hobby' started by cnunez3024, Mar 16, 2009.

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  1. cnunez3024

    cnunez3024 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Could i get ocean water and fill it up in my tank or is ocean water harmful to my tank?
     
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  3. cuttingras

    cuttingras Starving Artist :)

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    yes you could and yes it could be potentially harmful to your tank. remember, you'd be bringing in "wild" stuff into your tank. Think of your tank as being "tamed". Not to say that you can't. A lot of people do, but I think they have been right from the start of their tank and they might even have protective measures like uv sterilizers, run carbon and other stuff. If your tank has been running for a while, I wouldn't chance it.
     
  4. ComputerJohn

    ComputerJohn Panda Puffer

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    You run the risk of getting contamination and parasites.

     
  5. Beaun

    Beaun Fire Shrimp

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    I collect sea water, but my tank is almost exclusively local species (except a pacific blue tang that outgrew my brother tank). My theory is that the fish come from the ocean, you might as well give them ocean water. The 20,000 gallon reef tank at Altantis Marine World in Riverhead, NY uses sea water and all they do is give it some filtration, heat it, and add some supplements. I would just be aware of where you collect it from. I get my water from the head of a harbor, so it is very "fresh" and clean. I would not go to the inner side of a harbor near a dock.
     
  6. TAD

    TAD Astrea Snail

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    I dont know for sure if its good or bad. My thoughts though are that oil stays on the surface of water and if you run your water ro/di it would have less particles for anything such as bad algae to attach to compared to the fresh seawater.



    Does this make sense? I really suck at trying to write down what I am thinking. Plus my thinking isn't that great to begin with so that makes it worse, lol.
     
  7. Brandon1023

    Brandon1023 Fire Goby

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    That's so crazy that you brought this up!! We had Reefstock 09 this last weekend in Denver and the guy who owns and manages that tank was a speaker. Actually his whole bit was the planning, building, and maintaining of that tank. It was absolutely stunning. It makes all of our tanks seem like sewage plants. I would love to see it in person.
     
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  9. lunatik_69

    lunatik_69 Giant Squid

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    Yes you can, BUT you must go a couple of miles out and at least 80' down. Luna
     
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  10. Carlos

    Carlos Plankton

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    all the NSW that we use down here in FL is collected at an inlet at the middle of the incoming tide. The pump is lowered only about 5 ft.
     
  11. Bunner

    Bunner Bubble Tip Anemone

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    not to say this isn't true but where did you read this?:-/ Im just curious for my own education.
     
  12. Beaun

    Beaun Fire Shrimp

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    The guys at Atlantis Marine World have a 5,000 gallon container truck that they fill with water at an inlet, they dont go out to sea. They then fill a 20,000 gallon holding tank and filter it a little before cooling/heating it for their various tanks.

    You are not going to find a huge difference between fresh incomming water and water that far out to sea. If you collect it on the inside of a harbor near a dock with lots of boats, thats a different story. Just be smart about where you collect from and test it before you start using it exclusively. You will probably want to get trace elements suppliments for calcium and various other elements.