Beginner Looking for setup advice

[Colin_T]

Some people keep their fish in sterile conditions, U/V steriliser, protein skimmer, anything they can to remove everything from the water. And when they introduce a foreign object into the tank (eg: new fish, coral, plankton) the fish have health issues because their immune system is weak due to not being exposed to anything for lengthy periods. It happens in freshwater too. I know a number of people that breed various fish and they use U/V on every tank to kill off anything in the water. When they take fish to a shop the shop will usually lose some of their fish within a week of getting them because the fish have no immunity to common organisms in the water.

As for using natural seawater, it depends on where you live and how clean your local seawater is. If you have access to clean natural seawater, then use it because it is fine. If the only seawater you can get is from a harbor and has oil slicks, then don't touch it and use R/O water with artificial marine salts.

I live in Western Australia and have used artificial and natural seawater, and natural is my preferred choice. I have also used seawater from the ocean that was next to an industrial area and whilst the sand was contaminated the water did not affect any of my fish or corals. And I have taken water from a marina with no issues to the fish, but I always check to make sure there are no oil slicks on the surface.

I also don't use a protein skimmer because I have shrimp that release their larvae at night and the skimmer removes them.

 

[Chief Brody]

Awesome. This is the same argument I've used against using anti-biotics in humans or chemotherapy as a cancer treatment. It's essentially a scorched earth procedure that should really only be used as a last result. I'm really not an advocate for this sterile approach to the hobby either. Maybe in a lab but certainly not at home for my pleasure

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[Chief Brody]

Some people keep their fish in sterile conditions, U/V steriliser, protein skimmer, anything they can to remove everything from the water. And when they introduce a foreign object into the tank (eg: new fish, coral, plankton) the fish have health issues because their immune system is weak due to not being exposed to anything for lengthy periods. It happens in freshwater too. I know a number of people that breed various fish and they use U/V on every tank to kill off anything in the water. When they take fish to a shop the shop will usually lose some of their fish within a week of getting them because the fish have no immunity to common organisms in the water.

As for using natural seawater, it depends on where you live and how clean your local seawater is. If you have access to clean natural seawater, then use it because it is fine. If the only seawater you can get is from a harbor and has oil slicks, then don't touch it and use R/O water with artificial marine salts.

I live in Western Australia and have used artificial and natural seawater, and natural is my preferred choice. I have also used seawater from the ocean that was next to an industrial area and whilst the sand was contaminated the water did not affect any of my fish or corals. And I have taken water from a marina with no issues to the fish, but I always check to make sure there are no oil slicks on the surface.

I also don't use a protein skimmer because I have shrimp that release their larvae at night and the skimmer removes them.

Thanks for clarifying

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