Anyone collect water from the gulf?

[glarior]

I remember seeing a reef tank and the person used natural sea water from a canal around corpus area. Ive calculated its cheaper for me to take a weekend trip to the coast and collect sea water then to make my own.

Anyone collect NSW from texas gulf for their SW or reef aquarium? If so, any advice for collecting?

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[Zack]

I remember one guy did, but he had a huge tank crash a while back, I'm not 100% sure why (memory), but I slightly remember it having to do with something in the water he collected. Where do you live and how much water do you plan on using a week?

It also should be noted he had a boat to get water off the coast.

[glarior]

I live north of SA. If they say you should do 20% weekly water changes thats 128g per week. I would do a good 50% once a month or every other month.

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[glarior]

Calculating it out im at $60-65 for 200g salt mix. I have 450 TDS with chlorine so it burns through my 150gpd and 180gpd ro/di filters. Each membrane is $40 x 4 when they need replaced. DI is $45 per 5lbs. Then $5 per sediment and chlorine filter. My filters claim a 2:1 ratio but I think its closer to 3.5:1 or 4:1.. then times that by whatever the water company charges. So yea adds up very quick. I can collect 550g of water in one trip to the coast. 200g more if I get another water tank from my friend. So for 600g id spend about $400 or so. Cost 60 in fuel and 100 for my favorite hotel for 550g of water... not a bad deal if its worth it for the fish and no legal issues.

I figured wait until the tide comes in to bring fresh water and make sure there is no red tide or anything like that. The one place I would go ive caught so many fish and sharks from there. Always felt bad about catching the sharks... reminded me of my sharks lol.

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[jcnkt_ellis]

Not a bad idea, but if you bring back 550 gallons of water and try to store it, you will have other issues. The water you're bringing back will have a plethora of natural life that can't be kept alive long term in a storage tank and there will be die off because of it. So, is it worth $160 plus other costs to just bring back the water you need for a water change every week?

[Big_Pun]

so here's your problem those membranes have horrible rejection rate. your sacrificing quantity for quality, if you want water fast and great rejection rate do two 75gpd piggy backed and a booster pump to get you psi up. higher psi helps the ro membrane filters work bette. I would worry about the lil things that the gulf water could introduce into your system , but a few guys in corpus use the water and are successful

[350gt]

Been thinking about a water softener for the house.....

I think the guy from buckeye said it would prolong filter life.... I told the wife the water wont be so hard and less lime scale in the showers..

I might just have her sold!

[Southern Flame]

My dad has a water softener for his well and he bought an RO unit for his tanks and has had major PH problems cause the softener and the RO strips the water big time


90 gal reef <3 250 build<3

[350gt]

dp..

[Southern Flame]

dp..

dp?


90 gal reef <3 250 build<3

[Dean]

I have used natural saltwater from our coast many times with no issues. You would just want to use common sense in where it is collected. I get mine from the surf when I don't have my boat down there and from out between the jetties (or further out if it isn't too rough) on an incoming tide when I do. You want to stay away from anywhere that may have confined boat traffic, freshwater inlet, little tidal flow, etc.... You also don't want to try to store it for more than a couple of days as someone else has posted. I have been doing this for a little over a year with no problems at all but as with most anything there will be risks associated with it. I just feel that the benefits out weigh the risk if your collecting from an acceptable source.

[350gt]

dp?


90 gal reef <3 250 build<3

Double post, my tapatalk is acting up

[Southern Flame]

Ah gotcha, yea the app gives me problems also


90 gal reef <3 250 build<3

[glarior]

550 gallons of water and try to store it, you will have other issues. The water you're bringing back will have a plethora of natural life that can't be kept alive long term in a storage tank and there will be die off because of it. So, is it worth $160 plus other costs to just bring back the water you need for a water change every week?

I don't plan to store any of the water for that exact reason. I would not do this weekly just monthly or every 6 weeks. Plus, when I expand to larger tanks (1000g+) this will be the best way to fill them. I give my shark another 2-3 years in the current 300g then he will outgrow it.


so here's your problem those membranes have horrible rejection rate. your sacrificing quantity for quality, if you want water fast and great rejection rate do two 75gpd piggy backed and a booster pump to get you psi up. higher psi helps the ro membrane filters work bette. I would worry about the lil things that the gulf water could introduce into your system , but a few guys in corpus use the water and are successful Yes the booster pump would help since I am only at 45psi plus cold weather/water does not help either. The SpectraPure with automatic flush has helped more than any other filter I have had in the past. I have made 300g of water with it and still at 0TDS. My other filters would have burned up by then. How would you piggy back dual 75g? Route the incoming water to each canister then to each membrane?


Been thinking about a water softener for the house.....

I think the guy from buckeye said it would prolong filter life.... I told the wife the water wont be so hard and less lime scale in the showers..

I might just have her sold! Its great and takes away that lime scale but does take away PH


My dad has a water softener for his well and he bought an RO unit for his tanks and has had major PH problems cause the softener and the RO strips the water big time When I setup my grandma's FW tank we have to use PH buffer to raise the PH because her water softner lowers the pH. I could not image how much lower her pH might be if we used a ro/di filter. Wonder if you added an extra canister that had crushed coral or something that helps raise the pH?

[glarior]

I have used natural saltwater from our coast many times with no issues. You would just want to use common sense in where it is collected. I get mine from the surf when I don't have my boat down there and from out between the jetties (or further out if it isn't too rough) on an incoming tide when I do. You want to stay away from anywhere that may have confined boat traffic, freshwater inlet, little tidal flow, etc.... You also don't want to try to store it for more than a couple of days as someone else has posted. I have been doing this for a little over a year with no problems at all but as with most anything there will be risks associated with it. I just feel that the benefits out weigh the risk if your collecting from an acceptable source.

That is good to know. I agree with common sense. Appreciate the information

[Big_Pun]

you run waste water from one to the inlet of other and wye the filtered water of each together. I can make about 50g in 3 hours with my setup

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/27/gubume7u.jpg

[glarior]

you run waste water from one to the inlet of other and wye the filtered water of each together. I can make about 50g in 3 hours with my setup

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/27/gubume7u.jpg
What a great idea! Wish this was talked about more. I will do this for sure!

[Big_Pun]

I love talking water filtration as much as reef lol!! there's another identical tank in lower shelf with mag 18 plumbed to mix and transfer water to tank in kitchen

also put two valves in, one to shut water off to di resin and another to let water purge. what you do is shut off di resin flow and purge water when you start up filter and watch tds drop(tds creep) when it drops to operating levels open up the valve to resin and shut purge off, you will burn less di that way

[350gt]

You just love talking ;)


Lol jk

Nah but im getting my water station online soon... Its as exciting as starting up a new tank to me... Hoping for a little less work during water changes.

[Big_Pun]

You just love talking ;)


Lol jk

Nah but im getting my water station online soon... Its as exciting as starting up a new tank to me... Hoping for a little less work during water changes.

to you ;)

ya it was like setting up a new tank. doing changes on the fly is easy now

[glarior]

also put two valves in, one to shut water off to di resin and another to let water purge. what you do is shut off di resin flow and purge water when you start up filter and watch tds drop(tds creep) when it drops to operating levels open up the valve to resin and shut purge off, you will burn less di that way

Cool... mine does a back flush automatically. Im lazy :-) not sure if it purges the di....

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[Big_Pun]

Cool... mine does a back flush automatically. Im lazy :-) not sure if it purges the di....

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no just cleans build up on membrane that's my final upgrade and I'm done, auto flush