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\title{Sea Water, Natural or Synthetic? (Which way to go?)}
\author{DR. Robert FENNER}
\date{}
\maketitle



\begin{abstract}
After discussing the pros and cons, Bob comes down in favour of synthetic.
\end{abstract}

\section*{Introduction}
Every few years a few standard urban ``myths'' 
(e.g. to float new arrivals or
    not), seem to re pop-up in our hobby. 
    One of my favorite, and most disturbing is the issue
    of ``real'' seawater versus synthetic mixes. Here I'm referring to legitimate
    formulations as opposed to \emph{Wonder Water}, \emph{Magic Ocean}, and other
    sugar-based let's-raise-the-specific-gravity-gravity-without-increasing-the-ionic-content
    mixes (supposedly allowing the successful co-existence of marine and freshwater
    organisms). Nor do I mean to include ``lobster'' system water softener grade
    formulations in this discussion. I mean here to disparage the claims of
     the purveyors of
    so-called ``natural'' seawater. These assertions also apply for areas in the world
    with easy access to the oceans where there arises the choice for the
     marine aquarist to
    use a saltwater mix or natural water. There are, admittedly, many valid 
    arguments pro and
    con for either alternative.
    
\section*{Economics}
    The better mixes can retail for 30-40 cents per gallon or more, depending on 
    how much
    you buy. ``Live'' ocean water costs the price of time, travel and proper
    filtration for you to collect and process it, or typically 
    somewhere @\$1.00-\$1.50 retail
    per gallon to purchase. 
    
    In San Diego, free, sand-filtered seawater is available usually 24 hours a day 
    at the
    base of the pier at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, U.C.S.D., La Jolla. 
    This service is
    available at many other coastal towns. If you are dealing with large volumes 
    of water the
    dollar savings can be considerable in treating and using this water, but it does
     have it's
    drawbacks.
      
\section*{Maintenance} 
    The strongest point against real seawater is that it dies, both
    biologically and chemically more quickly than synthetics. It's a fact; you must 
    change
    part of the water more frequently with natural water; depending on the size, type 
    of
    set-up, filtration, 
    et al. 5-10-20\% or more a month is often recommended. Many mixes should be changed
     just as frequently, but often, especially in terms of appearance
    (yellowing) you can ``cheat'' more than with natural water. 
   
   Another issue good and bad concerning natural water is that it comes ready equipped
    with a multitude of micro- and macro-organisms. Even if the water is sediment
     filtered,
    diatomed, U-Ved, ozonized, many ``things'' will survive. What to do then? One or
    two things: 
    \begin{enumerate}
    \item Place the water in a dark place for a couple of weeks before using. 
    \item Treat the water with copper salts, permanganate, formaldehyde, chlorine, etc. and 
    remove
    the poisonous effects of the treatment before using. 
    \item\label{item3} Don't worry; consider the source.
    Many dealers and hobbyists pour natural water, cold turkey into their systems with
    impunity. 
    \end{enumerate}
    
    I personally do not endorse item~\ref{item3}. I would treat all natural water as 
    suspect
    and quarantine and treat accordingly. 
    
   The synthetic is in a word, convenient; it serves the purpose as a viable medium
    for
    marine life and may be kept on a shelf and almost instantly made ready when need.
     Despite
    claims to the contrary, there are little deleterious effects of not pre-mixing,
    aerating\ldots modern synthetic salt mixes prior to their use. Our corporation's 
    service and
    retail divisions have used thousands of cases of several brands over the years 
    without
    trouble for new set-ups as well as routine water changes. If the sea life involved 
    is not
    otherwise challenged or compromised, you should also have no difficulty. 
 
    
 \section*{Trace Elements}
    Are a particularly contentious, confusing issue that continues (to my 
    bafflement) to
    perplex \& impress aquarists. Edmund Mowka (1979, 1980) presents a concise, lucid
    treatment of the subject. The long and short of it is it appears that most 
    so-called
    trace elements and compounds are: 
    \begin{enumerate}
    \item Just that. Small, often transient materials of no or minuscule biological
    consequence. 
    \item Readily lost by physical, chemical and/or biological mechanisms in captive 
    systems. 
    \item Much of the \emph{trace} benefit is derived from food/nutritive sources, not
    from water per se. 
    \item Basically, that there is no substantial valid argument for natural versus 
    synthetic regarding \emph{trace}-elements.
    \end{enumerate} 
 
 \section*{Conclusion}
    This is not the whole story either, but it serves to illustrate the point. In my
    opinion, unless you're dealing with very large volumes of water, want to devote 
    yourself
    to adequate preparation and monitoring, and consciously intend to put up with the 
    vagaries
    of potential pollution, pests and parasites, steer clear of natural water.  
    Synthetic is
    more convenient, cheaper in total cost, easier to deal with physically, lasts 
    longer, is
    safer, and it works! 
   
   Some folks assert that natural water must be best for ``natural'' livestock.
    Maybe they think their aquaria are ``little pieces of the ocean''; most systems
    more closely approximate ``little sewers''. There is nothing phoney about using a
    synthetic salt mix in an artificial environment. 
   
   
   
   
\begin{thebibliography}{}
\bibitem{}
 E.~M\"owka. \emph{Essential Chemical Elements}. FAMA. April, 1979. 

\bibitem{}
 E.~M\"owka. \emph{A Fresh Look At Salt Water}. FAMA. June, 1980. 
\end{thebibliography}
   



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