Carib Sea Water.

[Chef Steve]

I recently bought a jug of Carib Sea Water. This is the water that you can just add in your tank. Well I am glad that I decided to check the salinity and it was too high. I mean I only wanted the container to help in tank changes and figured I could top off my tank and just use it next water change. I just wanted to post this and see if anyone else has had this problem. Rather expensive container I must say, at least they could have gotten the water right.

[Redfish]

I have bought a jug of this every now and then, I think my corals love this stuff. I think you are supposed to mix about 2 to 2 1/2 gallons of RO water with every jug of the CSW water, at least that what Gerwin told me.

[Gerwin]

I sell Nutri Seawater, Carib sea also has a product. The Specific Gravity of the Nutrisea runs about 1.026, higher than I tell most foks to keep their salt but actually right on par for many reefs and reef tanks, on the 4.4 gallon product I sell in the shop I normally suggest adding a additional gallon to it, to bring it more into the 1.023 ish range, so now you get 5.4 gallons of Seawater, even more for your money!

So bottom line:
Great Product use it myself in store and home ( I use it straight)
You can cut it or use it straight out of container, you will not be wrong either way...and they are correct on the salt level
Sorry if I forgot to mention the cut with RO water Chef Steve, sometimes on lapse on who I have already told and have not, and if you did not by Nutrisea but instead Caribsea let us know what that cost and we can do a comparison

[Chef Steve]

The specific gravity on the water (straight out jug) was 1.029! I knew that would be too strong to just add to my tank so I just mixed it with some deionized water that I got from my chem lab. As far as water goes is the deionized the same quality as the ro??

[bluwtr]

Yes and no. Both process remove different things. The RO (reverse osmosis) removes particles/molecules down to a certain size, then the DI (deionized) removes the rest.

[Chef Steve]

Which one would you suggest? It sounds like the RO would be a little better as far as removing particles right?

[bluwtr]

RO filters will remove 90-95% of junk, but that's not to say what is left is okay. I'm not sure what ions are left after RO treatment, but it could be just about anything including copper or heavy metals. I'm sure that it is in very low levels but still. The RO membrane will remove stuff like pesitcides but it depends on its rejection rate. Granted for a long time people just used tap water, but less is better. The best thing to do is to test the water with a TDS meter and see what kind of reading you get. Personally, I think if you had to have a choice RO would be better than DI, but I could be totally wrong. Gerwin could tell you best since he's been doing this for a LONG time and I imagine he has run across this question/issue before.

[Gerwin]

RO/DI is the best option and most available, and that is the systems we use at shop and sell as well. Best of both worlds.

So what was the water? Caribsea or NutriSeawater?
also keep in mind if you were not using a calibrated Refractometer, your testing with the basic hydrometer may be a tad off as well. I suggest bring some water from Jug and tank and lets have a look see.

[Chef Steve]

Will do. I will try and stop by the shop tomorrow with some water. The water was Carib Sea. I tested the water in the jug and then the water in the tank. I have my tank situated on the readings of the hydrometer. I am currently talking with my old marine biology professor to try and get a refractometer, something i am more used to using.

[Chef Steve]

ok so my hydrometer was way off. The purchased water was right on the mark, and my tank was lower than expected. Guess i learned my lesson. Never attack a major company unless you have all the kinks worked out.

[Gerwin]

[goalk33p3r]

[Chef Steve]

ha ha