"Real Ocean Water" - To use, or not to use.

Hello,
After my whole tank delima I would like to start cycling tonight! I went to my LSF and my Petco, and I noticed they were selling "real ocean water" no need to filter, balance, or etc every thing is ready to go.

Now my question is, should I use this. Will it really have any benefit, because if I dont use this I have to resort to Walmart Distilled water with SW mix. Also will I have to cycle much, other then getting my filter cycled in? Because supposedly its ready to go haha.

Thanks so much!

 

well there is no such thing as cycled water, so the process will still take just as long with or without that water.

 

Oh ok, yeah thats no problem. And missionsix66: Yeah, here they're 5g for $9

 

Unless you know how the water at Walmart is being distilled, I would avoid using it. It could be distilled using copper tubing which would be a death sentence for inverts.

That being said, ask your LFS if they sell RO water and mix your own if they do.

 

that's good advice. Why leave anything to chance? You don't know if this boxed water is from the treatment plant down the road. . .

 

My LFS also sells water from the "ocean" and I've been using it since the 80's. As wareagle35031 stated, just b/c its from the ocean doesnt mean your going to "skip" the cycling process. If I were you, I would ask where are they getting the water from. The correct answer would be a couple miles out and at least 50' down. I find that buying the ocean water is alot easier than mixing the salt mix, I've done both. Luna

 

real ocean water is all i use. down here it don't come in a box and it's only 50cents/gal.
i think your referring to the "live" salt water w/ bacteria. imo it's a rip your still gonna have to cycle it won't speed it up much if at all. why not get a bucket of whatever salt mix you use and get the RO water from your LFS?

 

This hobby stuff like most all pet products have few if any restrictions on what they can say about a product especially with a fish tank.. Look for all I know any for that matter that bucket of Natural sea water may well just be natural salt mixed with their F/W to make natural sea water ? If its natural water you want look in to Red Sea marine salt it just salt purely from dehydrated sea water . I'd just get myself a good filter and mix my own salt as already mentioned