I posted this a while back, but now that it's a sticky, we won't get the 2 week cycle on scripps water:
Filtration
Doug of ucsd's physical plant services (the people you talk to for large volumes of water) told me a few things about the filtration.
First off: The intake of the system is abouy 4' from the bottom at the end of the peir. From these: Topozone, SIO, and the navy, we're in 20-25 feet of water. This isn't the upwelling from the scripps/la jolla canyons we thought it was.
As for the filtration: there is no UV. The intake has a large screen on it to keep animals out, and from there it goes to a settling tank. These tanks are next to the large sand filters you've all seen. There is a picnic table on top of them. There are two and they alternate between them every two weeks. When they switch over, the one that was previously used is drained, dried and cleaned. From there, it goes to the sand filters we all know and love. Following that it's pumped up the hill to a holding tank, where birch takes is from, and is gravity fed to us as well. The system is apparenlty cycled, so the water in the holding tanks is seldom older than an hour.
He said that "we" (and I assumed that to mean the lobster guys and 3000g trucks as well) use 80,000 gallons per month. Nice that it's free, isn't it?
Does Birch use/test/filter the water?
I talked to a girl named Angie doing maintance on the tanks, and got a chance to go past the "personel only, no entrance" door.
After a few minutes, I got the following information:
Birch aquarium tests their aquariums weekly, but only their water. They do not test the water coming into the system. She said that the only thing that really hurts them is the red tide and other seasonal things like that.
They have an open system where the ocean water form the holding tanks that feeds our hose feeds the large tank and the cold water tanks. The warm water tanks are fed by a second series of holding tanks where they warm the water. The water they dump isn't treated, and it's just poured down the sewer. They have three protein skimmers, one on the sps and other coral tank, one on the cuttlefish tank, and one on the tank between them.
They have a third area with sea horses, and that's a closed system using kent salt.
So.. that's the end of that. In about two years [note: first posted 11/04] time the warm water setups will be changed to a closed system, at which point they'll put sumps on the tanks.
As with anything, caveat emptor applies.
Chemical Condition of Water
For current conditions: http://surfrider.org/sandiego/b***_sd.asp Thanks for the deadlink fix, MrBill.
Recent Additions: http://www.earth911.org/waterquality....asp?cluster=1 Thanks Poacher!
Also see: http://sdcoos.ucsd.edu/data/aqua_qual/index.cfm Just note the test dates. Thanks crstjohn!
Using Hagen, one month since last rain:
pH=8.3
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=0
Salinity: 35ppt
From pk-sd's post:
Scripps Water Alkalinity 3.0 meq/L (3.2 – 4.5 Required)
(seachem) ~8.4 dKH = 3 meq/L
(Salifert) 2.6 meq/L=7.3 dKH
Scripps Water Calcium 350 ppM (400 – 450 ppm Required)
(Salifert)
To fix with B-Ionic
Component #1 - Carbonate Alkalinity: 2800 meq/liter (7840 dKH). 1 ml per gallon of aquarium water will raise alkalinity by 0.74 meq/liter (2.07 dKH).
To raise it to 3.75 : Use 5ml per bucket of Scripps water.
Component #2 - Calcium Concentration: 54,000 ppm calcium ion. 1 ml per gallon of aquarium water will raise calcium concentration by 16ppm ).
To raise it to 400: (3ml/gallon (48ppm) * 5) = 15ml per bucket of Scripps water.
LVReefer's Contribution:
MAG: 1150:eek:
Pk's confirmation and solution:
My tests are showing 1200 (same thing).
Two teaspoons of Seachem's Magnesium to a 5 gallon bucket will bring the magnesium level to 1250 ppm.
How to transport the liquid gold.
Advantages & Disadvantages
Sparklett's JugPlus: Cheap, neck keeps water from splashing out
Minus: Hard to carry more than one, caps prone to falling off, and they "glug" like bottles of motor oil, hard to clean,
<pk-sd:> if water is stored in a lit place, algae may grow.
Home Depot BucketsPlus: Easy to carry, easy to clean, can put a powerhead and heater in to oxygenate and bring up to temp before use, no need for secondary container, BRIGHT ORANGE! <pk-sd:> they also come in white, if you prefer. Stakable, non-translucence inhibits algae growth.
Minus: Need rubber mallet to close, or they'll spill a bit.
Wal-Mart AquaTainerPlus: Best container I've ever used, $7, smooth handle, large opening, spigot, air vent, stable.
Minus: .... I don't know yet, jason?
PM Chemical JugsPlus: Large volume, sealed top, pretty cheap: 15g for $14, 30g for $23 <thanks limbo>.
Minus: Need hose and optional pump to transfer from one drum to another.
Brute Rubbermaid TrashcanPlus: Same as above, minus sealed top. $40 per can for 2 cans at Lowes <bigair>.
Minus: Same as above, plus no sealed top.
Anything else to address?