Scripps Water dKH and Ca parameters!

[[G]h0s'][']

OK....I've been having trouble keeping my alkalinity and Ca up to nominal parameters. I recently bought a Ca reactor rated for a 1000 gallon tank and greater. Just tested the parameters of Scripps water which was in storage in my garage in 5 gallon water jugs (like sparklett's water jugs). The readings I got were Ca=360ppm and 6.4dKH! um....DOH!!!! :eek: Will someone who also uses this water please test you parameters and compare them to mine? Please tell me I am wrong. I used salifert's test kits and ofcourse, followed the directions to the letter. Man, if this is true and you guys get the same reading...I will be done hauling water from Scripps. Thankfully, my sps/lps/softies are doing fine. LMK how your tests go guyz. -Mel

[rza007]

I make a trip down to scripps every other week. IMO, the NSW is great and it sure beats adding synthetic salt to Rodi water. How old are your test kits? I remember finding a 5 year old salifert kit and the readings were way off. Your readings arent all that bad for ocean water though... If your tank perams are doing well then I say stick with the Scripps water. . Ill see if I could get mine tested noon and ill post results.

[[G]h0s'][']

Great. Let me know your parameters. The saliferts are about 3 months old. Don't get me wrong, my corals are doing fine, but I figure that my new reactor is having a hell of a time trying to keep up. The effluent readings from the reactor are Ca=750ppm and dKH of 88, running at 60drops/minute and 20 bubbles/minute. Maybe I should dose with B-ionic and raise my levels over 1 week to nominal paremters, I can imagine how much faster these sps will grow. :D So far, I've never had any algae outbreaks with Scripps.

[nalbar]

i tested my scripps water the first time i got it (after you guys talked me into it) and it was off the charts. i mean the calcium was HIGH. i asked MParkis (he uses scripps water for his and other peoples tanks) about it and he told me local water has stuff in it that causes it to read high, silicates i think he said, but it might be something else.

i don't keep anything that needs a lot of calcium so it is not important to me, but i am still curious.

nalbar

[MarLooney]

where exactly do you get scripps water? i am interrested.

[nalbar]

it is right where the scripps pier hits land. you park right there and there is a green hose hooked up to a bib. can't miss it. if you do miss it just stand there at the pier parking lot and soon someone will come to fill up.

nalbar

[FishProf]

Take La Jolla Shores Drive toward UCSD [either from La Jolla Village Drive or from Aradath/La Jolla, Take the Naga entrance to UCSD, follow the road down to the pier.

FP

[MarLooney]

THANK YOU! =D

[ninhsavestheday]

test result by mrkrispy from nano-reef.com

Specific Gravity 1.025
(from $40 refrac)

pH 8.1
(Lab grade pH meter)
(Seachem Multi) ~8.0

Alkalinity 3.0 meq/L
(seachem) ~8.4 dKH
(Salifert) 2.6 meq/L

TDS/PPM 22.3
micromhos 33.1 (=millsiemens)
(Lab grade meter)

Calcium 350 ppM
(Salifert)

Nitrites/Nitrates 0
Ammonia 0
(seachem Multi)

[MrKrispy]

whew, now I don't have to go look up that old post! :)

I got water just last week, Ca was 360ppm, SG was 1.024-1.025.


I wanted to get water yesterday because of the upcoming storm but didn't make it. Guess it doesn't matter now...

[nalbar]

i got 5 gallons today. only light rain (if any) expected in our area. i will be going again soon because i need this 5g for my new home made fuge.


nalbar

[FishProf]

Mel,

Your PM box is full ...

FP

[[G]h0s'][']

Hey FP, i just saw that, i cleared some of those messages just now so i can recieve pm's again. My inbox is full? u believe that? Man this hobby consumes me. LOL!

[wwxc]

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but are there any issues with storing the Scripps water for up to 1-2 weeks in a jug? Should it be used right away or is it ok to let the stuff sit? I'm assuming there is a good deal of plankton, etc. in it that may die off. Thanks

[FishProf]

I'd be interested in the answer too.

What I have is green slime algae on my 5-gal hauling buckets.

[brahm]

Some people prefer to keep it for a while in a dark area to let everything die off good or bad. I personally think half the point of using NSW is to get all the good live stuff in the tank, and if there is any bad stuff it hasn't impacted me yet.

[FishProf]

Yes, but what about keeping it in these transparant buckets?
Also, if you let things die off, don't you then have to skim these water to remove the die-off?

[brahm]

Never really thought of that, to be honest, I try to dump it in a soon as I get home. (and i heat it up)

[MrKrispy]

Well storing I have store mine for up to 10 days before, no problems. However, I would ditch the transparent jug and invest a whopping $4 in an orange Home Depot bucket/lid if you want to keep it a while. I have been using them all along and have never seen any growth. Algae needs light in addition to nutrients!

[FishProf]

Good idea.
For 50 gals I'll invest in a trash can.

Thanks.

[nalbar]

1-2 weeks should not be a problem. it takes me a week to ten days to get through mine. if you are worried about it just go more frequently.

some say there is plankton in it but i doubt it. this water is sand filtered more than once before it gets to the hose. not many small creatures are going to make it through that trip.

btw, my coraline growth has gone nuts using this stuff. BRIGHT pink/purple is incrusting my rocks. so much for needing 400+ CA.


nalbar

[alien4fish]

well i fill up about once amonth, and store it i havent had any problems with algea(hair) or slime, how ever, i have noticed that i have nevr had any real coraline growth either. when i tested ( red sea test kit)sux........my alk was on the high side and my ph was low8.1 so the ONLY change ive made is ive added the sealab 28 ca blocks to tank i did this 2 days ago and the block is already half way dissolved, i do have pulsing xenia in the tank and a brain coral, snails etc. how ever i have noticed white specs starting to form on my glass (bigger than pods) so we will see if my coraline starts to take off

[MrKrispy]

I have noticed a TON of micro-mini dusters on my glass the last few months, but it might just be the maturity of the tank, not the NSW.

[ricestudios]

Originally posted by FishProf
I'd be interested in the answer too.

What I have is green slime algae on my 5-gal hauling buckets.

ok so i got water last saturday evening at scripps and i kept it ill today when i did a water change. there was this green algea stuff in the bottom of my containers i ditched the water and used ro / salt mixed. anyone know whats going on with the filters?

[MrKrispy]

I got water last Thursday and it was fine.

Funny though, the main post of this thread was complaining of the same thing I did just last week:

http://www.sdreefs.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1496

[mer116]

that algae's not from the water. it's in the hose. just put the thing on full blast for a few seconds. then try filling up your container again. it should be crystal clear.

hth
-jeff