NSW From Revere Beach

[Tomaz_Silveira]

I’m filling up my new build for the first time and really don’t want to spend 70 or so dollars filling it. Has anyone ever used the water from Revere Beach? And if so, how did it work.

 

[Dany Estrada]

You mean water from the beach or tap water?

 

[this is me]

NSW=natural sea water.

 

[afboundguy]

I've been using NSW from the Ipswich Bay since the spring and now that I don't have access to a boat I'm more than likely going to get it from the beach. I would suggest to only get it on an incoming tide right before high tide so it's as clean as it can possibly be.

 

[charged45]

I have gotten it from Winthrop Beach. If you can handle lugging pails you should be alright. Good time now as beaches are empty.

 

[gobyvin]

I have used NSW from harborside of Winthrop (grew up there).
The New England Aquarium takes all the seawater they use directly in front of the Central Wharf, all the way up inside the harbor. Things look good in there most of the time...
Just try incoming tide, upper half close to high. Like @afboundguy stated. If you want an easy clean collection spot visit Nahant town boat ramp at night just be careful as the lower ramp is slippery sometimes. Back car down and scoop. I used to use a hose, pvc pipe and 12v bilge pump for a boat to fill containers at boat ramps for my tanks.

 

[gobyvin]

It really is the best thing going, if you make it easy on your back doing it.

 

[gobyvin]

Of course, if you live near it...

 

[charged45]

Wish I thought of a pump. Would have made it easier in the winter. Check Alk and Calcium levels after water changes.

 

[afboundguy]

When I tested my NSW after it had been in a covered bucket for a few days pH was 7.8, alk was 8 calcium was 300 and mag was at 1000

 

[gobyvin]

This is the only drawback of NSW. If it is used for small maintenance water changes then I never worry much about Ca and slightly lower ALK. pH is usually good. I mix in a little salt mix to elevate salinity due to the lower constant level of coastal MA waters. It is always around 31-32. I keep the tank at 32-33 now. So, with skimming wet I add salt to the NSW to do WC’s with ~38 ppt water. Reef Crystals and heat/mix 24 hours. This keeps my 180 with 70 gallon sump/fuge as stable as I can get using kalk as top off with an ATO.

 

[afboundguy]

This is the only drawback of NSW. If it is used for small maintenance water changes then I never worry much about Ca and slightly lower ALK. pH is usually good. I mix in a little salt mix to elevate salinity due to the lower constant level of coastal MA waters. It is always around 31-32. I keep the tank at 32-33 now. So, with skimming wet I add salt to the NSW to do WC’s with ~38 ppt water. Reef Crystals and heat/mix 24 hours. This keeps my 180 with 70 gallon sump/fuge as stable as I can get using kalk as top off with an ATO.

Yeah I would agree I'm not sure I'd start a whole new tank with NSW but it works out well for my 10-20% water changes.

 

[thrillreefer]

This is the only drawback of NSW. If it is used for small maintenance water changes then I never worry much about Ca and slightly lower ALK. pH is usually good. I mix in a little salt mix to elevate salinity due to the lower constant level of coastal MA waters. It is always around 31-32. I keep the tank at 32-33 now. So, with skimming wet I add salt to the NSW to do WC’s with ~38 ppt water. Reef Crystals and heat/mix 24 hours. This keeps my 180 with 70 gallon sump/fuge as stable as I can get using kalk as top off with an ATO.

Have you had any issues with pests after using NSW? How do you filter or treat it beyond salinity adjustment? I’d like to try it for the biodiversity boost but wonder about the risk.

 

[afboundguy]

I was worried about pests as well but I was collecting from 1-2 miles out from shore and haven't had a problem. This winter when I get some from shore I will probably run a small filter in the bucket for a few days or even pour it through some of my pod sieves or build a bigger sieve to filter the NSW through.

 

[thrillreefer]

Makes sense. I don’t even know what pests I would be worried about. I can’t imagine there’s a lot of coral eating animal larva from colder waters? Not concerned about new algae, plankton, bacteria etc. That biodiversity seems like the benefit. Pollution would be my bigger concern from shoreline collection

 

[swampy]

Been using NSW from Swampscott harbor for years. Never hand any issues or pests. Like others have said, always collect on the in coming high tide, don't do it after a rain storm and in the summer always check beach closures. This past summer had to mix some of my own due to all the beach closures. I also top of the NSW with some Alk and Ca then pour it though a net on it's way in to make sure non of the big stuff like the occasional sea weed gets in.

 

[gobyvin]

Yeah I would agree I'm not sure I'd start a whole new tank with NSW but it works out well for my 10-20% water changes.

I have started tanks with NSW many times. I would say that you might want to get temp/salinity and Ca/Alk right first if you were transferring large quantity of livestock that demands it right away though, as in a tank upgrade or something similar.
Pest-wise, I would not worry much about that. I have never heard of it in large public aquaria or research facilities keeping tropical fauna with raw NSW or filtered stuff either.
Should mention, although I am sure you all know this...
If you have a nano, go easy on the WC with NSW, if you are changing half your volume... things happen fast that way, so adjust closer to the params of your setup.
I am doing 20 gallons at a time in a system that holds 200+, so less than 10% WC's...