Scripps Water- Good/Bad/Horror Stories

[Techknowledgy]

Hi All,
I have settled into a water changing schedule of every two weeks. The solution to pollution is dilution. @ 25% every time, sounds like a lot, but fully stocked my tank will need it. My tank is 125g. That means once fully stocked, and to AVOID complications, and since I live in Sandy Eggo, I want to use Scripps water to do this. Let's make this easy.
1. Have you used it? (If no, thanks for reading, but I want first hand accounts.)
2. Did you have ANY ill effects?- Horror stories?
3. How did you treat the change? i.e. Brought the water home one day, warmed it, used it the next, added ???? to make it ideal... etc.
4. How long have you been doing this?
5. How long do you think/know from experience it will keep?
( I am guessing in the long run this would save me a TON of money, but it has to be safe...)
Thanks!

[coral diver]

1) Yes, 2) No, 3) Yes And Yes Cal. Alk. Mag. Iodine And Coralvit 4) 4 Years, 5) If Your Asking How Long Can You Store The Water I'd Say No More Than 1 Week

[Techknowledgy]

1) Yes, 2) No, 3) Yes And Yes Cal. Alk. Mag. Iodine And Coralvit 4) 4 Years, 5) If Your Asking How Long Can You Store The Water I'd Say No More Than 1 Week

EXCELLENT- News I can use. You rock!

[sdfreshwaterkid]

when you say store, do you mean by outside in the cold...is it safe to store if you put powerhead and heater in a separate tank?

[pk-sd]

I keep mine for up to 8 weeks, no problems.

[Techknowledgy]

I keep mine for up to 8 weeks, no problems.
2 Months! Wow... HOW do you store it? I have 7 gallon plastic jugs from WalMart. 5 of em. Thanks!

[pk-sd]

2 Months! Wow... HOW do you store it? I have 7 gallon plastic jugs from WalMart. 5 of em. Thanks!

I use the ones from Walmart and also 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot. Just keep them sealed and away from light. Mine our in the garage in the back.

[fishfinger]

I just atarted using it this week on a trial basis.
I dosed it as recomended, strained it thru a 100 micron bag and warmed it for my reef. Just warmed it and strained it for my fish tank.

I will see what happens. one day later and all is well.

One guy I met down there Sunday Morning is a regular here and he pics up about 2 to 4 hundred gals at a time he said. He just keeps it in big barrels that are dark green and does not let the sun get to it and he says it keeps for weeks on end. I have a DI water maker so making my syntehtic is not a big deal but I figured why not try it . Mainly for the free aspect and the natural minerals. The guy I met said he has never used anything else.

[dj9264]

I've stored natural seawater in jugs for many months in the garage. Not sure what can happen to it; always seems fine.

Using Scripps Pier for close to twenty years.

I drip into a large sumps. I never warm it or check salinity. I have checked calcium several times. I get 330 (La Motte) not as some have reported 350.

[Techknowledgy]

I just atarted using it this week on a trial basis.
I dosed it as recomended, strained it thru a 100 micron bag and warmed it for my reef. Just warmed it and strained it for my fish tank.

I will see what happens. one day later and all is well.

One guy I met down there Sunday Morning is a regular here and he pics up about 2 to 4 hundred gals at a time he said. He just keeps it in big barrels that are dark green and does not let the sun get to it and he says it keeps for weeks on end. I have a DI water maker so making my syntehtic is not a big deal but I figured why not try it . Mainly for the free aspect and the natural minerals. The guy I met said he has never used anything else.

Good news Fish! I will try it. I want my reef to be as narural as possible, and spending a ton of money on salt/ DI/ "Reef DNA"/ trace elements that cannot be measured, and no one knows for sure if they have any effect etc in the long run will get pricey. There also seem to be way too many variables to really keep track of. I want it to be simple, stable, and chemically sound. Thanks so much!

[DaveMorris]

I keep mine in a 55gal drum that I got from Justin (SDFishman). The drum is right next to my refugium where it gets light 24/7 and other than a few spots of algae on the side of the drum, I have had no ill effects. I change out approx. 25gals a week and have used Scripps water for ten years without incident.

[fishfinger]

Good news Fish! I will try it. I want my reef to be as narural as possible, and spending a ton of money on salt/ DI/ "Reef DNA"/ trace elements that cannot be measured, and no one knows for sure if they have any effect etc in the long run will get pricey. There also seem to be way too many variables to really keep track of. I want it to be simple, stable, and chemically sound. Thanks so much!


Your welcome. Also when I tested the stuff the PH was not 8.3 ........more like 8.1 02 8.2 I bet it changes on a Daily basis a little. It was also higher in salinity that I expected. It was 1.026 according to my test devise. It's one of those expensive types that you look thru like a telescope. Not one of those little 5 dollar plastic ones. So I just added a bit of fresh D.I to it . Did another big water whange is my fish tank last night and they seemed to like it actually.

[Techknowledgy]

Thanks Again Fish,
Our resident Master Diver adds Cal. Alk. Mag. Iodine And Coralvit to the mix and has been doing it for years. Seems like a good plan for the reef. I want to get it right and just keep doing what works, then I can fall into a pattern and worry more about slowly stocking my reef. Again, stability is key here. I bought a Xenia on Friday, and it is already growing, so I must be doing something right. Just want to make sure that I keep up all of those pesky levels as I add more demanding charges.
You rock!

[ThatBastardMike]

1) I use it.

2) Never had any problems. If anything, it looks a lot happier.

3) I bring it home, add a little calcium, and change it directly into my tank. I never check salinity.

4) About three years.

[Rushdog86]

FYI>xenia loves nutrient rich water.
I think brady(BIGAIR) stores his water for months on end but not sure for how long. good luck

[fishfinger]

FYI>xenia loves nutrient rich water.
I think brady(BIGAIR) stores his water for months on end but not sure for how long. good luck


Big air is the guy I met there on Sunday. Nice guy by the way and very helpfull with info for this new guy here. He said he had being using and storing Scripps water for years with no troubles. For months on end he said as long as you keep it in the dark. If it gets in the sun it goes rortten smelling fast he said. Dark Conrainers or a dark room or garage. I am using the garage for now and looking for a big drum or two.

[Poacher]

Should we be concerned about the possibility of redtide destroying our tanks?

[malachai629]

I got some water during red tide, added maybe 5 or 10 gallons only thank goodness) to my 125, saw no problems, however the water that I stored for future use began to REEK so I dumped it. That was my first and only experience with Scripps. I will, however, go back now that it's been cooler and the red tide should be gone.

[Poacher]

So the retide has subsided alittle? then I will do my waterchange:)

[Jessy]

Side note. How do you guys get word that there has been an algae bloom or red tide is bad? I'd like to try using scripps but everytime I think about it, I always hear rumors...

[MailMan]

Is it OK to get scripps water this week?

[coral diver]

NAAAAHHHH i always strain the water with double micron sock everytime i do a Water Change and that's with or without red tide

[Som1else]

I store it up to 3 months with no circ or heat and its worked just fine.

[fishfinger]

NAAAAHHHH i always strain the water with double micron sock everytime i do a Water Change and that's with or without red tide


You can always call the sport fishing landings. They always know when there is a red tide.

Is that a Sparrow Hawk in your picture? Looks like one. If so is it yours? I used to catch and raise them when I was a teenager. I had a falconers license back then.

[Techknowledgy]

Thanks Rush,
I am going with it after a protracted discussion with my friend Peter at AW. The Xenia tip is good. How do you calc the water Mike? Do you do this before you store it or before you use it? Thanks for all of the pointers guys!

[pk-sd]

Thanks Rush,
I am going with it after a protracted discussion with my friend Peter at AW. The Xenia tip is good. How do you calc the water Mike? Do you do this before you store it or before you use it? Thanks for all of the pointers guys!

I always dose before using it(that way i don't OD it). At time I am warming the water and aerating it.

[481824]

Does it always have a slight smell to it? I got some I am storing in a 55 gallon container from Justin. Everytime I open the container it has a slight funkynesss to it. Is this normal?

[pk-sd]

Does it always have a slight smell to it? I got some I am storing in a 55 gallon container from Justin. Everytime I open the container it has a slight funkynesss to it. Is this normal?


No its not normal. When did you get the water? If you like, you can test for ammonia, nitrates and phosphate. They all should be zero.

[481824]

Damn, so absoultely no odor at all? Its not too bad but it doesn't smell like freshly mixed saltwater either. Ill test tonight.

[coral diver]

You can always call the sport fishing landings. They always know when there is a red tide.

Is that a Sparrow Hawk in your picture? Looks like one. If so is it yours? I used to catch and raise them when I was a teenager. I had a falconers license back then. His an American Kestrel :cool: :D i think that is his alias too

[MichaelRyanSD]

Ive been testing the scripps water with a hydrometer the past couple days...and it has been coming back with way high salinity, is that because the hydrometer doesnt calibrate for the cold water (its like 65)

[coral diver]

Noo its just high when you do WC need to add RO/DI water to lower to exact parameter

[malachai629]

It should smell like the ocean on a good day, but def not sour, funky,of decay, rotten, etc etc etc


Damn, so absoultely no odor at all? Its not too bad but it doesn't smell like freshly mixed saltwater either. Ill test tonight.

[DaveMorris]

I believe those crappy plastic hydrometers are calibrated for 75 degrees and yes, it does make a difference if the temp is off. Try it with a refractometer. I consistantly get Scripps water at 1.026. Stacy is right, BTW. It should smell like clean ocean, if at all. I store my water in a 55g drum as well, and I don't pick up any smell.

[fishfinger]

I have a very good salinity test metor like I said and it does test out at 1.026 all the time so far. Ph seems a tad lower than stated on this site.

[MichaelRyanSD]

I believe those crappy plastic hydrometers are calibrated for 75 degrees and yes, it does make a difference if the temp is off. Try it with a refractometer. I consistantly get Scripps water at 1.026. Stacy is right, BTW. It should smell like clean ocean, if at all. I store my water in a 55g drum as well, and I don't pick up any smell.

Yeah i don't have one of those yet, working on it, but if you say the salinity is 1.026, then ill take your word for it, I couldn't imagine the salinity, or any of the other variable being any different for anyone