PETCO Ocean Water......Do you use it for reef tank ? What do you think about it ?

[GobyWanKenobie]

I wonder if it would help to use a box or two during a water change mixed in with my own saltwater. I might give it a try and see what happens. If it has a good shelf life, I'll try it, but I don't want to have to go to the store everytime I need saltwater.

 

[Ledreef]

Hmmmm....interesting. I always asume almost everything sold in Petco is complete S---. But I will take a look at this since I only change 5 gal per week.

Any idea how old the water is? - don the boxes have a date?

My guess is that the real sea water is better because of all the trace elements. For some reason, and I am going from memory here, it seems that artificial salt mixes can't always get all the proportions right (they probably don't care enough).

Yes the water have date

 

[22engine]

I agree that its good water and yes all the TV shows use it but they also get it for a heck of a lot less than 11.99 if they pay for it at all due to advertising. I was just making the point that for most people it isn't cost affective. Would love to use it for the fact that no more buckets no more mixing and making RO

 

[nemodan]

I have done some measruments this morning.

Instant Ocean Reef Crystal : 12 hours mixed and heated to 78

CA... . 480 API kit
ALK....11.4 dKh / 4.1 meq/l. Salifert kit
Nitrate....0
Nitrite......0
PH..........8.2

PETCO sea water : mixed for 1 hour and heated to 78

Ca.......480
ALK......9.6 dKh / 3.4 meq/l
Nitrite ....0
Nitrate.....0
PH..........8.03

PH was neasure with the RKL ph probe.

Magnesium to come later in the day.

This looks pretty good for me !!!!!

Daniel

I forgot to add Salinity:

Instant Ocean Reef Crystal salt ...........1025

PETCO Ocean Water............................1025

Measured with a calibrated refractometer

 

[nemodan]

I wonder if it would help to use a box or two during a water change mixed in with my own saltwater. I might give it a try and see what happens. If it has a good shelf life, I'll try it, but I don't want to have to go to the store everytime I need saltwater.

I got 2 boxes yesterday and both have an Exp. Date of 09/23/2014

So you can buy a bunch of it. I will start testing it by doing my water changes (only 4 G/week) and will continue measuring Ca and Alk in my SPS tank (one nano is mostly soft coral but the other is 100% SPS with some Acros) to see if with my bioload I need to supplement.


Daniel

 

[Old Glory]

Seems very expensive. If it is sanitized wouldn't any beneficial bacteria be killed? I don't dispute it is good based on LED"s tank shots but it cant be the bacteria.

Shop All Products By Catalina Water Company

Natural sea water that's already filtered, sanitized, and pH balanced
No mixing, measuring or adjusting
Just pour Real Ocean Water directly into your aquarium

 

[P-Nut]

Seems very expensive. If it is sanitized wouldn't any beneficial bacteria be killed? I don't dispute it is good based on LED"s tank shots but it cant be the bacteria.

Shop All Products By Catalina Water Company

Natural sea water that's already filtered, sanitized, and pH balanced
No mixing, measuring or adjusting
Just pour Real Ocean Water directly into your aquarium

I tried it today. CA was at 410, ALK at 9.8, and Salinity at 1.024.
Same expiration date as Nemodan posted up there ^^, so ots probably the same batch of water.

I don't think it has any useful bacteria, I think if there is a benefit it is that the trace elements are all there in the same proportions as the ocean (unless some are lost during the filtration process somehow).

If it had bacteria, I am giessing that some of it would be dead and that would create a mini cycle inside the bag of water (my guess).

Someone take it to a lab and check it out under the microscope.

 

[frank180reef]

i think the guys did look at it under a scope?

 

[Ledreef]

Seawater is no question

 

[frank180reef]

nemodan , any updatgs on mag

 

[dz6t]

Seems very expensive. If it is sanitized wouldn't any beneficial bacteria be killed? I don't dispute it is good based on LED"s tank shots but it cant be the bacteria.

Shop All Products By Catalina Water Company

Natural sea water that's already filtered, sanitized, and pH balanced
No mixing, measuring or adjusting
Just pour Real Ocean Water directly into your aquarium

Very good point, I did not notice the sanitization part. Just like you said, it must not be the bacterial.
I am thinking trace elements from natural sea water does the trick too. Like Pnut said,
BTW, I use Red Sea coral pro and see significant improvement in growth and color. Red sea Coral Pro is made from evaporated sea water.

 

[dz6t]

I remember years ago that natural seawater collected from somewhere around MA was very popular among BRS members. Ray had a big tank on his truck and delivering seawater for 50 cent per gallon. What happen to that and how was it ended?

 

[P-Nut]

Very good point, I did not notice the sanitization part. Just like you said, it must not be the bacterial.
I am thinking trace elements from natural sea water does the trick too. Like Pnut said,
BTW, I use Red Sea coral pro and see significant improvement in growth and color. Red sea Coral Pro is made from evaporated sea water.

Doesn't red sea have high calcium and alk? - it might be evaporated, but they are adding some stuff, and wouldn't that throw things off balance in the salt mix?

 

[Ledreef]

Seawater like u breathes oxygen
Mix water like u are in the room with people smoke and you breather that

 

[Ledreef]

 

[Ledreef]

I'll going ask you guys a question. Have one you guys test the real water from ocean. I don't know where u guys find out alk need be 9-14
Ca400-500 mag 1350. Nitrate 0 ph 8.0-8.04
In my tank is the same ocean alk 6. Ca 380. Mag 1250 ph 7.8. I have morer than 1.000 kind of coral I let u guys come over and test my water everything growing more any coral I have see

 

[Moe_K]

I'm thinking there's a good business opportunity here for natural salt water collected at a safe distance from shore, and at a price that undercuts PetCo and Catalina.

 

[P-Nut]

I'm thinking there's a good business opportunity here for natural salt water collected at a safe distance from shore, and at a price that undercuts PetCo and Catalina.

Too much overhead and work to make less than $10 per 5 galons.

 

[dz6t]

Doesn't red sea have high calcium and alk? - it might be evaporated, but they are adding some stuff, and wouldn't that throw things off balance in the salt mix?

I think whatmight be important are the stuffs that missing from synthetic sea salt, just a guess.

 

[dz6t]

I'm thinking there's a good business opportunity here for natural salt water collected at a safe distance from shore, and at a price that undercuts PetCo and Catalina.

Ray tried that, but I don't know why he stopped.
Also someone need to have a boat...