Could Great Salt Lake water be used? - Aquarium Advice

Sperco · 09-01-2005, 11:19 AM

I live near the Great Salt Lake in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah. What would happen if I watered down Great Salt Lake water to Ocean salt levels? I have always wondered if this could be done. Is this a really stupid idea?

MattP725 · 09-01-2005, 11:41 AM

There are people by me that use Atlantic ocean water (cold I may add since I am in NJ) and swear by it. I would be very wary of it though and I personally would never fully trust it. Besides that you can't just go to the beach and get water because the beach is where all the scum from the ocean ends up. If you wanted to do it you would have to go out atleast a few hundred feet at a time when it hasn't rained recently to prevent collecting water that has pollutants churned into it. Now I cannot comment on the similarities of Salt Lake water and Atlantic Ocean water. I assume the chemistry is very different. Personally think it is more work than it pays off. If a bucket of IO can be had for approx $35-40 and it makes a few hundred gallons the time and effort doesn't make it worth it to me.

Nels22 · 09-01-2005, 12:49 PM

doesn't sound worth it to me either, it is much easier to make saltwater at home, plus then it is always available, the Great Salt Lake might not have the best trace elements required for a tank either....buy a reverse osmossis system and you will be much more happy with the results of your tank, and you'll probably have less head aches.

StrongBad · 09-01-2005, 12:52 PM

I would think that a lake would have many more additives in it since it is a much smaller body of water and collects alot of runoff.

MattP725 · 09-01-2005, 09:49 PM

Pollution would always be a concern to me... the people that use the Atlantic water swear by it and claim their tanks look better than with [acronym:95562fa056="Reverse osmosis"]ro[/acronym:95562fa056]/[acronym:95562fa056="Deionization"]di[/acronym:95562fa056] and quality salt. Salt lake is just that though a lake... My opinion is if the fish in your tank don't naturally live in that water they may not take well to it.

krap101 · 09-01-2005, 10:42 PM

you could measure like.. how much water it takes to get the salt level to a certain level and mix the [acronym:b5ba977bd4="Reverse osmosis"]ro[/acronym:b5ba977bd4] water in to make the gravity similar?

HoopsGuru · 09-03-2005, 02:21 AM

It doesn't solve the problem of the what trace elements may be completely different, nor what pollutants may exist.

09-01-2005, 11:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
Sperco Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 1	Could Great Salt Lake water be used? I live near the Great Salt Lake in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah. What would happen if I watered down Great Salt Lake water to Ocean salt levels? I have always wondered if this could be done. Is this a really stupid idea?

09-01-2005, 12:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
StrongBad Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 98	I would think that a lake would have many more additives in it since it is a much smaller body of water and collects alot of runoff. __________________ 39 gallon (2yrs) 40lbs live sand. 23 lbs [acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym] (still collecting) , 1 turbo snail, 5 Nasarius snails, 10 blue knuckle hermits, 1 zebra hermit, 1 scarlet hermit, 5 red tip hermits, 1 Green Chromis, 1 Blue Damsel, ? Ricordia, candy cane coral. 135gallon (2 months) 125lbs live sand, 100lbs live rock, 2 175W Metal Halide, 1 175W VHO Actinic (so far). Berlin Protein Skimmer in 40 Gallon Sump. 2 Maxi Jet 1200's. 10 Nassarius, 10 mexican turbos, 10 astreas, 20 Blue Leg Hermits, 20 Scarlet Hermits, 5 Emerald crabs, 5 peppermint shrimp. 1 Copper Band butterfly, 2 False Perculas, 1 Javanese Damsel.

09-01-2005, 10:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
krap101 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Roscoe, IL Posts: 3,825 Images: 12	you could measure like.. how much water it takes to get the salt level to a certain level and mix the [acronym:b5ba977bd4="Reverse osmosis"]ro[/acronym:b5ba977bd4] water in to make the gravity similar? __________________ Wizards first rule-People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true. Wizards second rule-The greatest harm can result from the best intentions. Wizards third rule-Passion rules reason. Wizards fourth rule-There is magic in forgiveness the magic to heal! In the forgiveness you grant, and more so in the forgiveness you receive. Wizards fifth rule-Mind what people do, not only what they say, for deeds will betray a lie. Wizards sixth rule-The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason. Wizards seventh rule-Life is the future, not the past Wizards eighth rule-Deserve victory. Wizards ninth rule-Contradictions don't exist, in whole or in part.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
How about that Lake Ontario water this past summer	Shelby_Tempo_GT	Canada	4	12-17-2006 03:16 AM
Great product...Great site...Great Service	Rsquared333	Captive Reefs	1	03-22-2005 10:17 PM
Violet Goby +more Free to Good Home: Salt Lake City	survivinglove	Barter/Trade	0	01-31-2005 06:33 PM
5 Tiger Barbs/1 Kissing Gourami/Salt Lake City	survivinglove	Barter/Trade	0	03-07-2004 12:39 AM
"relocating" water lillies from lake?	iris	Ponds/Water Gardens - General Discussion	7	06-18-2003 09:10 PM

09-01-2005, 11:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
MattP725 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 501	There are people by me that use Atlantic ocean water (cold I may add since I am in NJ) and swear by it. I would be very wary of it though and I personally would never fully trust it. Besides that you can't just go to the beach and get water because the beach is where all the scum from the ocean ends up. If you wanted to do it you would have to go out atleast a few hundred feet at a time when it hasn't rained recently to prevent collecting water that has pollutants churned into it. Now I cannot comment on the similarities of Salt Lake water and Atlantic Ocean water. I assume the chemistry is very different. Personally think it is more work than it pays off. If a bucket of IO can be had for approx $35-40 and it makes a few hundred gallons the time and effort doesn't make it worth it to me.

09-01-2005, 12:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Nels22 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 118 Images: 8	doesn't sound worth it to me either, it is much easier to make saltwater at home, plus then it is always available, the Great Salt Lake might not have the best trace elements required for a tank either....buy a reverse osmossis system and you will be much more happy with the results of your tank, and you'll probably have less head aches.

09-01-2005, 09:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
MattP725 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 501	Pollution would always be a concern to me... the people that use the Atlantic water swear by it and claim their tanks look better than with [acronym:95562fa056="Reverse osmosis"]ro[/acronym:95562fa056]/[acronym:95562fa056="Deionization"]di[/acronym:95562fa056] and quality salt. Salt lake is just that though a lake... My opinion is if the fish in your tank don't naturally live in that water they may not take well to it.

09-03-2005, 02:21 AM	#7 (permalink)
HoopsGuru Aquarium Advice FINatic Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2003 Location: Central PA Posts: 966 Images: 1	It doesn't solve the problem of the what trace elements may be completely different, nor what pollutants may exist.