Water Source and Its Impact on Livestock and Marine Aquarium Success

It shouldn't come as a shock when I emphasize the importance of using water from a quality source and that, often times, water places the largest impact on the success we share with a marine aquarium. Just as humans rely on water for survival, our livestock and aquariums demand the same attention. The source of water we use can provide trace elements, vitamins, essential salts, electrolytes and buffers, as well as reduce dissolved organics, toxins and nitrates, in a perfect world! This doesn't always equate the way we would hope unfortunately. Often times, water used to perform water changes or set up a new aquarium ends up hindering the benefits we thought we were obtaining, possibly destroying the considerable efforts and time put into creating and maintaining a success marine aquarium.

Lets talk about the various ways we can get saltwater and the process with which we concoct our synthetic saltwater for use in our aquariums. For anyone that has access to plumbing a system that pumps natural seawater into your aquarium on a continual basis, we will omit you from this article since,for the most part that is the ultimate in creating a stable environment as far as water parameters are concerned. The only problems you may encounter are fluctuations in salinity due to freshwater from storms, river outlets or tidal changes. Pollution, toxins, parasites and plankton can also be introduced through using natural seawater from various regions where you live, but what a convenient way of continuously providing fresh saltwater without initiating an avongodical experiment with dry synthetic salt mixtures.

There are a few companies that bottle natural seawater from its source, somewhere in the ocean. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to grasp any concrete answer as to where the source of collection is from. I don't think it is synonymous with spring water collected at the source like Poland Springs, but I could be wrong. So, is this natural saltwater collected in Florida, or the Pacific, close to shore, or far out where the water tends to be more sterile and nutrient poor. This natural seawater does provide beneficial bacteria, trace elements, buffers and other components in exact proportions to that from our oceans. This ability of adding natural seawater presents other advantages in that it takes the guessing out of mixing synthetic salt with water, and where are you getting your water from?

Are you using water straight from the tap or do you employ the use of a five stage RO/DI filtration unit to remove contaminants, heavy metals, chloramines and chlorine, just to name a few. RO/DI units are great, however, the cost associated with these is rather steep. Waste water compared to the beneficial filtered water is less than desire able, though your local water company thanks you as you pad their bottom line. The filter cartridges are also pricey with the replacement of these filtration cartridges quickly adding up and exceeding the cost of the RO/DI unit itself.

Tap water! Do you know what your water consists of? Have you contacted your local water monopoly to get a printout as to what is in your water and ultimately what your putting into your body. Chlorine, chlorimines, iron, copper and benzine just to name a few provide challenges and health issues to, not only us, but our living animals within the glass or acrylic confines of our realistic representation of a natural reef environment. If you plan on using tap water, you definitely will want to add a water conditioner to remove ammonia, heavy metals, chlorine and chlorimines. This will help somewhat, though issues regarding nitrates, pH and phosphates can still rear their ugly head and continuously plague any hopes of creating and maintaining a beautiful marine aquarium.

Since we are on the topic of knowing what is in tap water, how about knowing what is in your synthetic salt mix. Did you know that many of the bags and tubs of synthetic salt are manufactured in the same facility regardless of the brand. Some have added calcium, traces and vitamins, some may be easier to mix than others, but some may also contain elevated nitrates and phosphates. There are times when you will purchase synthetic salt that was batched erroneously. I have heard of aquarists loosing everything as a result of facility err, and the fact of the matter is that the company confirmed this ordeal and closed the chapter with a "this happens from time to time" and" we are sorry".

Water, water, water...we all need it and a marine aquarium is no exception when it comes to the importance of not only providing water from a reliable source but a quality synthetic salt mix to match.

If you can decipher anything from reading this article, I hope it opens your eyes as to pros and cons with regards to water and salt and any implications they may possess in enabling you to establish and maintain a beautiful, healthy and thriving aquarium.