Real ocean water vs mixing own

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stan450z

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Does anybody suggest any options for real ocean water to add directly to tank? I'm sure my LFS will charge a premium obviously. I think they sell Nutri sea water which I hear great things online. Going for $25/4 gallons though. Saw a nice deal for Petco online. $20/10 gallons plus 15% off for repeat orders.

I am currently mixing instant ocean or oceanic with tap water and dosage of prime. Don't think I'm getting the best water as a result and im also lazy. I currently change water every 7-10 days. I change out 10g in my 75g. Looking to make that every 10 days adding in real ocean water. Any advice on this??? Thx


Also when using real ocean water are water changes to remain i. The 7-10 day interval or can they increase to 1 month?



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Using tap water is the mistake in this instance. The pre-packaged water from petco and other places is usable, though personally overpriced.
Even if you are buying the water, it does not mean you should lessen water changes as this is the primary method of nitrate export and replenishing essential elements.
 
I buy Petco real ocean water. I buy on EBAY. I do water changes once/month with no problems


MyLifeMyHabits
 
I buy Petco real ocean water. I buy on EBAY. I do water changes once/month with no problems


MyLifeMyHabits


How large of wc and what size tank do you have? Thx


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175 gallon tank. 10% if I have no problems & 20 % if I have concerns or new items in my tank...


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I use quality water. I have protein skimmer, uv sterilizer, reactor, & a HUGE clean up crew!


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I use quality water. I have protein skimmer, uv sterilizer, reactor, & a HUGE clean up crew!


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Thx. I Also have uv, protein skimmer. Small crabs keep eating my snails. What do you suggest for a good clean up crew? Do you ever have to replace anything in your uv?


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check the salinity of that ocean water. One year at MACNA a company supplied all the water gave us it at 1.035. Every tank in the place looked terrible. All corals were sliming up, until someone decided to check it.
You don't need a cleanup crew at all. Crabs eat snails and take their shells simply by instinct. Skipping them entirely won't hurt you at all.
 
No. I have a pond UV sterilizer ( suggested by the LFS owner) Works Great... I go to the same LFS & he tells me what's compatible. I purchase anything that helps with maintenance & reef safe. Snails (turbo, tiger, etc.) Crabs ( green, blue legs, large under sand cleaners) Starfish, Blennies x2 (Rock and Sand cleaners). I just started purchasing decorative fish (5). Everything else serves some kind of cleaning purpose. (50+)


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No. I have a pond UV sterilizer ( suggested by the LFS owner) Works Great... I go to the same LFS & he tells me what's compatible. I purchase anything that helps with maintenance & reef safe. Snails (turbo, tiger, etc.) Crabs ( green, blue legs, large under sand cleaners) Starfish, Blennies x2 (Rock and Sand cleaners). I just started purchasing decorative fish (5). Everything else serves some kind of cleaning purpose. (50+)


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Uv honestly doesn't do much for a sw setup, and none of those snails/crabs/starfish are necessary for an algae free tank if your maintenance habits are good.


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The necessity of a CUC aside, if you can get yourself a ro/di you can easily mix water up yourself much cheaper than what you can buy it for. It also gives you the control over what is going into your tank, between 0 TDS and then a salt mix that provides the elements you want.
 
Uv honestly doesn't do much for a sw setup, and none of those snails/crabs/starfish are necessary for an algae free tank if your maintenance habits are good.
I'll go a step further than that. There is no guarantee snails and crabs will do any sort of maintenance for you, regardless what the LFS (who's business is to sell livestock and components) says. "Cleanup crews" are completely unnecessary, and the name was made up by livestock retailers, and it's doing what it's meant to do- make people buy creatures just to starve them to death, and/or, like in your case, place them in close proximity with known predators.
Inverts are in no way a buffer to skip necessary tank husbandry.
 
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