store bough saltwater

[lando]

Hello everyone. I was in my local Petco the other day and noticed that they now have 5 gal. bags of saltwater for sale. the box it comes in says it is saltwater direct from the ocean in Cali. I am not sure how much it was becasue it was not marked and, like usual, nobody was around to help. Just wondering if anyone out there has used it or can comment on it. Hey...I used to read aquariumhelpcentral.com and noticed a lot of the same names here. Is there a connection. Just wondering, i was bumbed when I could no longer find the other site. VERY glad to see this one! Thanks for your help...Lando

 

[fishfreek]

How was the cost? I mean the cost of this water vs the cost of the salt mix and then mixing the water yourself?

I only ask because with premixed water you dont have as much control over some of the conditions. Like the salinity that its mixed at. If this is indeed natural sea water then the question comes into play on how well its been treated once its come form the ocean and how far out was it collected. Natual seawater can have many parasites and microbes that tank rased fish and aquacultured corals have never had to deal with. If they ran the saltwater thru a good UV process then you could consiter the water farly sterile but if it was not run thru a UV or was run thru a UV that was not properly kept up or configured then you could run the risk of introducing disease to your tank that your fish are not atuned to fight off.

I would prefer to stay with salt mix.