Experience with "Catalina" Water

[pledosophy]

Do any SPS keepers use this? I am thinking of making the switch so I am not wasting quite as much water making my own (RODI rejects a lot here), but wanted to check in with folks to see how consistent it is and if there are any side effects.

I would have to dose it up to my current tank levels which is fine, looking more for other actual experience with it.

Thanks!

 

[sklywag]

There tends to be a lot of sneering when it comes to using Catalina water. If I could find pictures of my old tanks, or wanted to pay Photobastards for MY pictures they’re holding hostage.
LB Aquarium? From our very coast. Same as Catalina water. Fact is they wanted to put in a pipe right at the LA river outlet. Sea World San Diego? Mission Bay. Monterey aquarium? Monterey bay. California current flows North to South, being on the south end of the bay, they’re getting all the Frisco Bay area water that’s trapped in the cove on the South end of the bay. it’s California sea water just like Catalina water.
“Synthetic Salt mixes” were made originally for public aquariums, those nowhere near a natural supply.
The stigma of using “Catalina water” comes from California coastal waters, dirty, polluted, oil rigs, cargo ships and run off. The water beach towns here will now be drinking and as stated the very water our public aquariums use. And not from far offshore but in the harbors. Local shops make water you can choose to use as well. Count the cost of make it yourself vs. purchasing along with calculating water changes. my biggest tank was a 90, add sump, 120. So 10 gallons a month minimum at the time was under $10 be it Catalina or store mix. Don’t tell me you don’t visit the store once a month. At one time ATS people were frowned upon but now well accepted in the hobby.
There’s lots of reading to do and interesting too.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...c-sea-salts/&usg=AOvVaw16QfWMjxAjmI5clz-Z8nBe


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...nawater.com/&usg=AOvVaw0qGAnHGX1xhiv5Ue6J84Jr

 

[LesPaulPlayer73]

Water parameters, in my opinion, are the single most important component to long term success with SPS. I wouldn’t consider doing SPS without knowing exactly what goes into my water. Zero TDS water combined with your salt and method of adding alk/cal allows for consistency and stability. This pic was taken last night

 

[joseserrano]

It will work, but you will see no facility or high end hobbyist is using it. Water is way to cheap to cut corners there.

 

[ocellaris123]

FWIW LB aquarium uses combination of catalina water and water from the harbor

 

[joseserrano]

FWIW LB aquarium uses combination of catalina water and water from the harbor

They make their own for the reefs. I have friends who work there.

 

[joseserrano]

They make their own for the reefs. I have friends who work there.

I stand corrected. Friend confirmed above. They are using a combo on all tanks.

 

[sklywag]

Look up all the public aquariums in California. They all use coastal water and all from the harbors where boats empty their bilges and junk collects. Catalina water hasn’t been around for 20+ years for nothing.
I’m not pushing it. Just answering original posters question that many many people use it without fail. Professionals in charge of bill/millions of dollars of live inhabitants exposed to the public view, biologists, animal welfare groups and investors. I promoted fish store mixed water as well which many of them use top brand mixes. He‘s looking for an alternative to mixing his own. Pretty dang sure if he stays consistent on his water care with whatever he uses he’ll do well. Because when it comes down to it. Aquarium hobby is nothing more than water care. Take care of the water and things can live in it.

 

[Pygo]

I used to work for a company that used Catalina Water for importing/distributing fish. Long ago, they would take a boat out near catalina where the water was cleaner, away from the harbors and they would haul good water in for distribution. It was bought out a few years back and it is being pumped from LB harbor now.

Rumor has it they also don't run their filtration process like they used to, so quality is not great anymore.

THAT BEING SAID, the company i worked for, and the people I heard these rumors from are fairly shady in their own right, so Catalina could still be okay. Sea critters are surprisingly resilient in terms of dealing with pollution and crap in the water, plus running carbon would help. I didn't have the supplies available to actually test it compared to mixed salt. Either way, I prefer to err on the side of caution and mix my own salt these days.

 

[dpoltsdsu]

Generally the issue is the coastal seawater here runs low on a lot of important parameters like Alk and Calcium. I have and would continue using it on a fish only or soft coral tank but would be pretty hesitant on an SPS setup. Depends on what you want to do imo.

 

[sklywag]

I used to work for a company that used Catalina Water for importing/distributing fish. Long ago, they would take a boat out near catalina where the water was cleaner, away from the harbors and they would haul good water in for distribution. It was bought out a few years back and it is being pumped from LB harbor now.

Rumor has it they also don't run their filtration process like they used to, so quality is not great anymore.

THAT BEING SAID, the company i worked for, and the people I heard these rumors from are fairly shady in their own right, so Catalina could still be okay. Sea critters are surprisingly resilient in terms of dealing with pollution and crap in the water, plus running carbon would help. I didn't have the supplies available to actually test it compared to mixed salt. Either way, I prefer to err on the side of caution and mix my own salt these days.

Sadly this is the norm for most companies when taken over by another or even a family member. Quality drops or they go out of business altogether. In & Out is one of the few exceptions and why they’re still going strong. Haven’t changed the operation of success.

We had a family member who owned Jimmy’s Fish and Grill in LB Marketplace. When he retired and sold the business, the new owners wanted to keep the name for being well known for being a high quality restaurant with great service. Jim declined for he didn’t want what was known for quality and service to possibly become known for not being so dragging down his name and reputation.

 

[Xaznkewlguyx]

I used Catalina water from tongs on this tank. It thrived for 2-3 years before everything slowly declined. I could never figure it out even after I changed every piece of equipment and switched to mixed water. I battled it for almost a year before just shutting it down. I don’t think the water source was the issue though.

biggest issue was not being able to store the water for long times and mg was always super low iirc. I remember I was dosing about 60cc of mg, ca, and kh daily when that tank was in its prime.

 

[Xaznkewlguyx]

Also took care of this tank with Catalina water from tongs as welll

 

[Pygo]

I used Catalina water from tongs on this tank. It thrived for 2-3 years before everything slowly declined. I could never figure it out even after I changed every piece of equipment and switched to mixed water. I battled it for almost a year before just shutting it down. I don’t think the water source was the issue though.

biggest issue was not being able to store the water for long times and mg was always super low iirc. I remember I was dosing about 60cc of mg, ca, and kh daily when that tank was in its prime.

damn sorry to hear that, nice tanks! That first one looks like the display near the register at tong's

 

[laverda]

It will work, but you will see no facility or high end hobbyist is using it. Water is way to cheap to cut corners there.

I know of several facilities, stores and hobbyists that used it for many years Including myself in the past. Later I used water from Newport bay when that was available as did many OC stores and service businesses. I have also used Scripts water which is my preference. None of them match the exact parameters most of us want our tanks at and need to be adjusted. That is true of many salt mixes as well. Also the parameters of Natural SW will vary sometimes. Both Scripts and Monterey Bay draw their water from deep ocean trenches not shallow water like Newport or La Harbor.

 

[Xaznkewlguyx]

damn sorry to hear that, nice tanks! That first one looks like the display near the register at tong's

the space invader on the bottom right went into that tank at Tong’s when my tank was crashing. It’s been alive there since but last I was there that tank crashed too but I think it survived still. I used to work at tongs 7-8 years ago. It was fun.

 

[Pygo]

the space invader on the bottom right went into that tank at Tong’s when my tank was crashing. It’s been alive there since but last I was there that tank crashed too but I think it survived still. I used to work at tongs 7-8 years ago. It was fun.

oh dope! yeah their lights went out for a while and things were looking rough a few months ago, but last I checked everything was doing fine again, I'd love to get back into working with fish, just not enough money there unless you're running it lol

 

[joseserrano]

I strive for peak colors and growth. This just Serbs like a unnecessary corner to cut.