Catalina Water delivery reviews & thoughts

AquariumService · 06/20/2014, 04:00 PM

I started having Catalina Water Company delivery real ocean water to me for my personal coral grow and for my clients aquariums. It's actually cheaper than making saltwater,...at least with tropic marin that is. I was hesitant at first but the fact that the warehouse I shop at & Long Beach Aquarium uses the same water convinced me to try it.
I've been using it for about 6 months or so... So far so good... Fish are great,.. corals seem to do pretty good. I keep a lot of sps and most of it seems to do well. I've had some random issues on some tanks with red slime, coral browning, funky algae etc,....But that could be issues not related to the water...as other aquariums could not have better color and growth...By the way I care for around 50 aquariums...Soo overall I must say I'm happy with it's results on all the aquariums I use it on.

I'm interested in other peoples experiences with it... I've heard bad things but I'm not sure if I believe it.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 06/20/2014, 04:36 PM

The only data I have about it comes from years ago. It contained a lot of elevated metals, perhaps from storage containers or fittings. They even published their own data, IIRC, that was highly elevated in something (zinc, maybe???).

But I've heard nothing about it in the past few years.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 06/20/2014, 04:39 PM

Here's one of the analyses that showed the metals, but it is 10 years old now:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/9/aafeature

BrentH · 06/20/2014, 04:56 PM

I've always been curious on we're they pump it from? I've love going to Catalina and the water out there is crystal clear once u get about a few miles away from long beach / Newport ....I know the wholesaler use it aswell

AquariumService · 07/13/2014, 01:08 PM

I hear they pump from over a mile out,deep down,....... clean it up with filters, uv etc...Then buffer it and deliver it.

Soo far soo good,.... Although I'm trying to figure out some coral browning in my tank and one others..... Most reefs r rocking with it tho.
Has anyone else used this water? Any pluses or minuses?

Reefvet · 07/13/2014, 10:44 PM

I know one LFS not far from you that's using it for their fish tanks but not for their coral tanks. They haven't had any issues.

The boxes of NSW in Southern California Petco's are Catalina water. For whatever that's worth.

rudyretama · 07/14/2014, 02:03 AM

To be honest I personally don't trust catalina water. I know of a company that provides it, and many years ago they used to go all the way around to the far side of the island where the currents bring in pristine water, and it was great stuff. then in an effort to save money, this company who will remain anonymous decided to go just outside the kelp forests off of avalon and pump from there because its a shorter journey. there are no reefs in catalina, but there are acres of kelp forests, which is algae. This tells me that from the source of where they are pumping from now, the waters are perfectly suited to grow one thing, algae. it will never be welcome in my system provided I can help it. Besides, you just can't beat mixing a good quality salt mix with 0 tds ro water, and supplemental dosing. you know exactly what you have from start to finish, and sterility is the key.

Reefvet · 07/14/2014, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rudyretama

... there are no reefs in catalina, but there are acres of kelp forests, which is algae. This tells me that from the source of where they are pumping from now, the waters are perfectly suited to grow one thing, algae. it will never be welcome in my system provided I can help it.

And all that water around the kelp just stays there going in circles. Not.

Have you ever dove off Catalina ? There are some nice currents there and the ocean, it's really big. Ocean water doesn't have localized chemistry like you're suggesting there. And even if there was any validity to what you're suggesting, wouldn't the kelp have consumed most nutrients just as a refugium does ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rudyretama

Besides, you just can't beat mixing a good quality salt mix with 0 tds ro water, and supplemental dosing. you know exactly what you have from start to finish, and sterility is the key.

Sterility is the last thing you want in a reef tank. They rely on bacteria.

You're certainly allowed to have your opnion but your logic is completely faulted.

Reefvet · 07/14/2014, 04:15 AM

Anyone using the Catalina water noticed higher MG levels recently ?

A barg sank on June 8th not far from Catalina, and up stream of the prevailing currents. It was carrying 3,900 metric tons of magnesium chloride.

I've tested the water very near where it went down every week since then. Mag's at normal levels despite the significant manual overdose.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 07/14/2014, 05:15 AM

Interesting. How close was it? (not sure if we even know where it is collected) The ocean is pretty big!

That amount of magnesium will boost 3 x 10^10 liters of seawater by 10% in magnesium. However, that is only an area about 1 mile x 1 mile x 38 feet deep.

Could be pretty devastating for creatures nearby, however.

Reefvet · 07/14/2014, 11:46 PM

Aproximately 120 miles northwest of Catalina island, off Point Conception. It was refloated and moved further off shore but into prevailing currents that run directly to the channel islands.

But then that's a minor incident capared to the sinking of the Pac Baroness in 1988 which had 23,000 tons of finely powdered copper, iron and sulfur. It sank in similar coordinates. I'll never forget that one.

mwb32 · 07/19/2014, 06:58 PM

As a local I can tell you that the word on the street here in Long Beach has been that the water comes really right out of the harbor. If that's just past the Queen Mary its still the Harbor. An old employee stated we don't go to Catalina to get the water and that was the end of the comment. With that have used it for years its well buffered and on the low end of the Calcium level and seems to never because of pollutants have affected my corals. It good filtered water and the only problem I have had with it is carrying those 5 gallon jugs up the stairs to my Condo.

AquariumService · 07/20/2014, 10:32 AM

Soo I just tested my Catalina water for Calcium and Magnesium.

Magnesium-1260 with Salifert test (in past it's been right around 1300)
Calcium- 410

The driver that delivers water to me said they go to long beach aquarium a few times a week with water deliveries. I did hear that too that they now take water from the local harbor vrs out at Catalina.

I've been banging my head against the wall trying to figure out some coral browning in my coral grow and a few clients tanks... I found iodide to be almost traceless in tanks that are doing bad,...... and Catalina water itself is almost traceless of iodide with my Salifert test... I've used Catalina water for about a year now and it seemed to give amazing results,...But something has been off the past couple months and I'm not too sure what else it could be
Several aquariums I use 0 TDS water with tropic marin salt & they are rocking... Only Tanks where I use Catalina water are sad now.

AquariumService · 07/20/2014, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Holmes-Farley

Here's one of the analyses that showed the metals, but it is 10 years old now:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/9/aafeature

This was a great help Randy!

I noticed on the chart showing trace elements it showed Tropic Marin Salt carrying super tiny amounts of Lead & Zinc when Catalina Water Company has tons of it!
Perhaps this is the Factor!

Randy Holmes-Farley · 07/20/2014, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquariumService

This was a great help Randy!

I noticed on the chart showing trace elements it showed Tropic Marin Salt carrying super tiny amounts of Lead & Zinc when Catalina Water Company has tons of it!
Perhaps this is the Factor!

Glad it was useful. Those numbers were a big part of the reason I didn't generally recommend it.

AquariumService · 07/21/2014, 09:39 AM

Do you know how to find a chart of elements/nutrients in the reef? Like the great barrier reef?... I'm curious on those zinc, lead etc levels..... I tried to find but had no luck...

Might start mixing salt again... Problem is my water system can't keep up with my water need.... I need over a 100 gallons a day.... & I get free water,...Don't want to raise alarms with the HOA here,,,they're dicks!

I wonder if a company out there delivers 0 TDS fresh water???

Randy Holmes-Farley · 07/21/2014, 06:10 PM

Those vary with depth and such, but here's my overall seawater article:

What is seawater
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php

Reefvet · 07/21/2014, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquariumService

The driver that delivers water to me said they go to long beach aquarium a few times a week with water deliveries. I did hear that too that they now take water from the local harbor vrs out at Catalina.

If they were collecting water in the outflow current of the Catalina harbor they could have some pretty contaminated water.

If they are collecting water from an inflow current to the Ventura harbor they could have water unaffected by the harbor.

That's one of the problems with hearsay and conjecture.

And if their collection site has changed since the analysis that Randy references then that tosses any relavance it has.

I'm just saying all this FWIW. More conjecture.

Mr sea water · 07/22/2014, 01:07 AM

Hi interesting reading, the PH of the water we collect is always 7.74 in the morning so I use kalk all night to support it. The amount of UV i use does removed a lot of bacteria from the water after time and there is over 350kgs of live rock so I do a large water change over two weeks, the system tells you when this has happened. Bacteria we go to the Red Sea a lot diving and always come away with infection from the water. Thanks Steve.

pmrossetti · 07/22/2014, 03:20 AM

I think L.A.Fishguy uses it.

mwb32 · 07/22/2014, 11:51 AM

Tested one of my current 5 gallon jugs of Catalina Water from a LFS and got the following results.
Mg 1290, Kh 8.9 and Ca 400. Didn't check for any other parameters. I use the water on a tank with mainly LPS corals and live rock. The water never seems to have hurt my corals in that I frag them once every couple of years and give the frags to some of the LFS in the area. I have over the years loaded up prior to a rainy week in that the LA river runs right into the LB harbor and that can be some real dirty water for a week or so after the rain. Let us know if you go back to mixing the water and if that solves the problem. thankis

Reefvet · 07/22/2014, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwb32

Tested one of my current 5 gallon jugs of Catalina Water from a LFS and got the following results.
Mg 1290, Kh 8.9 and Ca 400.

No way is that water 8.9 dKH.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 07/23/2014, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reefvet

No way is that water 8.9 dKH.

Why not?

AquariumService · 07/31/2014, 08:26 PM

Hello, I've tested this water like crazy!,,It's usually pretty inline with ca, mg, and kh....Super low strontium and iodide.... No phos or nitrates... But I gotta tell you... Something in there water is bad! Especially the past couple of months,,, Many reefs I used it in have bleaching coral... every test I preform is close enough in line to not be causing it.... Something in the water is causing this mass coral sadness,... But no test I run can find it...

Also--lots of misc invasive algeas have recently popped up in tanks....lately...

I'm sticking with mixing my own saltwater... Lesson learned!

Past two weeks I moved beck to 0 TDS RO/di water with tropic marin... Things are finally coming back..

06/20/2014, 04:00 PM	#1
AquariumService Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 99	Catalina Water delivery reviews & thoughts I started having Catalina Water Company delivery real ocean water to me for my personal coral grow and for my clients aquariums. It's actually cheaper than making saltwater,...at least with tropic marin that is. I was hesitant at first but the fact that the warehouse I shop at & Long Beach Aquarium uses the same water convinced me to try it. I've been using it for about 6 months or so... So far so good... Fish are great,.. corals seem to do pretty good. I keep a lot of sps and most of it seems to do well. I've had some random issues on some tanks with red slime, coral browning, funky algae etc,....But that could be issues not related to the water...as other aquariums could not have better color and growth...By the way I care for around 50 aquariums...Soo overall I must say I'm happy with it's results on all the aquariums I use it on. I'm interested in other peoples experiences with it... I've heard bad things but I'm not sure if I believe it.

06/20/2014, 04:36 PM	#2
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	The only data I have about it comes from years ago. It contained a lot of elevated metals, perhaps from storage containers or fittings. They even published their own data, IIRC, that was highly elevated in something (zinc, maybe???). But I've heard nothing about it in the past few years. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

06/20/2014, 04:39 PM	#3
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Here's one of the analyses that showed the metals, but it is 10 years old now: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/9/aafeature __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

07/14/2014, 05:15 AM	#10
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Interesting. How close was it? (not sure if we even know where it is collected) The ocean is pretty big! That amount of magnesium will boost 3 x 10^10 liters of seawater by 10% in magnesium. However, that is only an area about 1 mile x 1 mile x 38 feet deep. Could be pretty devastating for creatures nearby, however. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

07/21/2014, 06:10 PM	#17
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Those vary with depth and such, but here's my overall seawater article: What is seawater http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

06/20/2014, 04:56 PM	#4
BrentH Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: so cal Posts: 1,288	I've always been curious on we're they pump it from? I've love going to Catalina and the water out there is crystal clear once u get about a few miles away from long beach / Newport ....I know the wholesaler use it aswell

07/13/2014, 01:08 PM	#5
AquariumService Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 99	I hear they pump from over a mile out,deep down,....... clean it up with filters, uv etc...Then buffer it and deliver it. Soo far soo good,.... Although I'm trying to figure out some coral browning in my tank and one others..... Most reefs r rocking with it tho. Has anyone else used this water? Any pluses or minuses?

07/13/2014, 10:44 PM	#6
Reefvet Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,941	I know one LFS not far from you that's using it for their fish tanks but not for their coral tanks. They haven't had any issues. The boxes of NSW in Southern California Petco's are Catalina water. For whatever that's worth.

07/14/2014, 02:03 AM	#7
rudyretama Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 182	To be honest I personally don't trust catalina water. I know of a company that provides it, and many years ago they used to go all the way around to the far side of the island where the currents bring in pristine water, and it was great stuff. then in an effort to save money, this company who will remain anonymous decided to go just outside the kelp forests off of avalon and pump from there because its a shorter journey. there are no reefs in catalina, but there are acres of kelp forests, which is algae. This tells me that from the source of where they are pumping from now, the waters are perfectly suited to grow one thing, algae. it will never be welcome in my system provided I can help it. Besides, you just can't beat mixing a good quality salt mix with 0 tds ro water, and supplemental dosing. you know exactly what you have from start to finish, and sterility is the key.

07/14/2014, 04:15 AM	#9
Reefvet Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,941	Anyone using the Catalina water noticed higher MG levels recently ? A barg sank on June 8th not far from Catalina, and up stream of the prevailing currents. It was carrying 3,900 metric tons of magnesium chloride. I've tested the water very near where it went down every week since then. Mag's at normal levels despite the significant manual overdose.

07/14/2014, 11:46 PM	#11
Reefvet Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,941	Aproximately 120 miles northwest of Catalina island, off Point Conception. It was refloated and moved further off shore but into prevailing currents that run directly to the channel islands. But then that's a minor incident capared to the sinking of the Pac Baroness in 1988 which had 23,000 tons of finely powdered copper, iron and sulfur. It sank in similar coordinates. I'll never forget that one.

07/19/2014, 06:58 PM	#12
mwb32 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 31	As a local I can tell you that the word on the street here in Long Beach has been that the water comes really right out of the harbor. If that's just past the Queen Mary its still the Harbor. An old employee stated we don't go to Catalina to get the water and that was the end of the comment. With that have used it for years its well buffered and on the low end of the Calcium level and seems to never because of pollutants have affected my corals. It good filtered water and the only problem I have had with it is carrying those 5 gallon jugs up the stairs to my Condo.

07/20/2014, 10:32 AM	#13
AquariumService Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 99	Soo I just tested my Catalina water for Calcium and Magnesium. Magnesium-1260 with Salifert test (in past it's been right around 1300) Calcium- 410 The driver that delivers water to me said they go to long beach aquarium a few times a week with water deliveries. I did hear that too that they now take water from the local harbor vrs out at Catalina. I've been banging my head against the wall trying to figure out some coral browning in my coral grow and a few clients tanks... I found iodide to be almost traceless in tanks that are doing bad,...... and Catalina water itself is almost traceless of iodide with my Salifert test... I've used Catalina water for about a year now and it seemed to give amazing results,...But something has been off the past couple months and I'm not too sure what else it could be Several aquariums I use 0 TDS water with tropic marin salt & they are rocking... Only Tanks where I use Catalina water are sad now.

07/21/2014, 09:39 AM	#16
AquariumService Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 99	Do you know how to find a chart of elements/nutrients in the reef? Like the great barrier reef?... I'm curious on those zinc, lead etc levels..... I tried to find but had no luck... Might start mixing salt again... Problem is my water system can't keep up with my water need.... I need over a 100 gallons a day.... & I get free water,...Don't want to raise alarms with the HOA here,,,they're dicks! I wonder if a company out there delivers 0 TDS fresh water???

07/22/2014, 01:07 AM	#19
Mr sea water Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 64	Hi interesting reading, the PH of the water we collect is always 7.74 in the morning so I use kalk all night to support it. The amount of UV i use does removed a lot of bacteria from the water after time and there is over 350kgs of live rock so I do a large water change over two weeks, the system tells you when this has happened. Bacteria we go to the Red Sea a lot diving and always come away with infection from the water. Thanks Steve.

07/22/2014, 03:20 AM	#20
pmrossetti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cali. Posts: 3,199	I think L.A.Fishguy uses it.

07/22/2014, 11:51 AM	#21
mwb32 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 31	Tested one of my current 5 gallon jugs of Catalina Water from a LFS and got the following results. Mg 1290, Kh 8.9 and Ca 400. Didn't check for any other parameters. I use the water on a tank with mainly LPS corals and live rock. The water never seems to have hurt my corals in that I frag them once every couple of years and give the frags to some of the LFS in the area. I have over the years loaded up prior to a rainy week in that the LA river runs right into the LB harbor and that can be some real dirty water for a week or so after the rain. Let us know if you go back to mixing the water and if that solves the problem. thankis

07/31/2014, 08:26 PM	#24
AquariumService Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 99	Hello, I've tested this water like crazy!,,It's usually pretty inline with ca, mg, and kh....Super low strontium and iodide.... No phos or nitrates... But I gotta tell you... Something in there water is bad! Especially the past couple of months,,, Many reefs I used it in have bleaching coral... every test I preform is close enough in line to not be causing it.... Something in the water is causing this mass coral sadness,... But no test I run can find it... Also--lots of misc invasive algeas have recently popped up in tanks....lately... I'm sticking with mixing my own saltwater... Lesson learned! Past two weeks I moved beck to 0 TDS RO/di water with tropic marin... Things are finally coming back.. Last edited by AquariumService; 07/31/2014 at 08:31 PM.