Hello fishmate,
Is it OK to mix Natural Sea Water (NSW) to the existing tank that using Salt Mix Water (SWM)?
Is it OK to mix Natural Sea Water (NSW) to the existing tank that using Salt Mix Water (SWM)?
When collecting NSW please use with in a couple of hours of collecting.
allan can you expand on this thought a little for us? I was planning on using NSW tp full my tank and get it cycled and then convert over to mixed salt. would i need to use the NSW within the same day or could i collect and store it for a while?The easiest and safest way to do this, just start doing your water changes with NSW. When collecting NSW please use with in a couple of hours of collecting.
shaun at the moment the temp is around 2 inches on my personal body thermometer which isnt much. But by the time i plan to draw the water it should be around 16-19 degrees. Is there really that much die off in NSW? i am surprised and having never used it, curiousCrispy it is because of the die off. For starting off a tank it should be fine, but remember the water you will use will be very cold and you will put it in a tank that you will be running at a higher temp and will need to cycle first. There are different bacteria for different temps. What is the temp of the sea water by you.
Why? I collect during the week, then use some on the weekend and the rest a week after that. Been doing it like that for the last 2 years.
Remember NSW is full of life and that life ends up dying in the container, so if you want the added benefit of adding a bit of microscopic life to your system then use it as soon as possible. If the life in the water starts to die off then that water is going to start to cycle and generally becomes cloudy but will clear again after the cycle is complete the general rule of thumb is about 2 weeks after collection. This also depends on the time of year and where collected as life in the water volume will differ.allan can you expand on this thought a little for us? I was planning on using NSW tp full my tank and get it cycled and then convert over to mixed salt. would i need to use the NSW within the same day or could i collect and store it for a while?
Remember NSW is full of life and that life ends up dying in the container, so if you want the added benefit of adding a bit of microscopic life to your system then use it as soon as possible. If the life in the water starts to die off then that water is going to start to cycle and generally becomes cloudy but will clear again after the cycle is complete the general rule of thumb is about 2 weeks after collection. This also depends on the time of year and where collected as life in the water volume will differ.
When you store your water do it in sealed containers in a cool/shaded area.
Still plain RO water to be used for top ups.Question About the Top-off water? should i still use the RO water without salt? or it is also the NSW that need to use?
Please advise:
If one adds the NSW to your tank fresh and you collected water from somewhere like Cape Town where the water is cooler than the tropics, will the cooler water micro organisms not die off once added to a warmer water and add to phosphate and nitrate levels in a stable system. (ie those organisms in the NSW that are not eaten by one's corals)? I dont expect that this would add to drastic parameter changes but algae growth may be promoted?
Would doing more frequent, smaller water changes with NSW, say 5% per week, be more beneficial? (I know that it is beneficial to do this with any water change regime however its not always easy to get the time so i usually do around 10% every 2 weeks)
What effects have members experienced on thier parameters from doing a say 20% water change with NSW from cooler waters?
Where does NSW from cooler waters (ie Cape Town) fall short ito necessary elements?
Thanks guys!
Fischer