water changes

[markymark]

I live few miles for the ocean in florida and get my water on the incoming high tide, my tank never seemed better, but I have many skeptics telling me its bad, just gathering some opinions from you guys here.

mark

 

[wontonflip]

I don't see a problem if it works for you...although, I would hope you get the water well below the surface, so you are less likely to skim off gunky oils and stuff. Hopefully your beach is clean! How long have you been doing that?

 

[markymark]

I have been doing it for quite some time and high tide water seems crystal clear to the naked eye, but I highly doubt that there would be a high concentration of anything detrimental in 20 gallons of water and I now do it daily plus my tank is planted with macro algae and I test the water like its my religion, plus by adding ocean water your getting many trace elements(boron,fluoride,inorganic carbon,etc) you can not buy and also an addition of radiolarians and volvox and other microscopic organisms that make my tank thrive.

 

[vonjankmon]

This is how the hobby began. I have a coworker who's father kept saltwater tanks years ago and when he needed water he went to the Jersey Shore and got salt water.

If it works for you keep doing it. I would love to have the option but here in Maryland I don't like to swim in the Chesapeake bay let along get water from it.

 

[markymark]

yea very true, I just wait wade up to neck and collect 5gallon buckets and sometimes swim out to the reef to sea if there is anything interesting to catch ;)

 

[Rufio808]

I catch all my livestock. Jk. All the fish are too big.

 

[wontonflip]

yea very true, I just wait wade up to neck and collect 5gallon buckets and sometimes swim out to the reef to sea if there is anything interesting to catch ;)

Lionfish :D I'm sure they won't mind you taking home a few hundred LOL

 

[markymark]

yea, what ever fool tossed those over here are dummies, theyre eating everything :(

 

[rdahlke1105]

Actually they think they escaped during a hurricane from an aquarium (got the impression a large one) that had gotten damaged.

 

[little_fish]

Some might have escaped that way, but i think far more of them are dumped from aquariums. That is where most of the invasive wildlife in florida and the surrounding area came from (snakes, lizards etc).

People are irresponsible and dont think through this stuff.