Salt water clarity

mnash · 07/26/2007, 12:09 PM

Why is salt water so much clearer than fresh water? I would think that it would be the other way around because salt water has a lot of dissolved salts.

BCreefmaker · 07/26/2007, 12:27 PM

lol i dont know what your talking about. iv seen both crystal clear. i think you might just be finding out that most fresh water keepers (including me when i did) neglect their tanks so they dont look as clean. plus most people dont have the fancy filtration on a fresh water that people with salt water do. plus every fresh water tank i have had also had lots of drift wood. drift wood leaches tannins and makes the water darker.

Iguana79 · 07/26/2007, 01:19 PM

Another thing to concider, Is lighting for a Frashwater tank takes a lighting system that cost around 100$ for a really good lighting system. For Saltwater, Upwards of Hundreds to a few thousand depening on the lighting and how big the tank is. Lighting Makes A HUGE Difference IMO.

Freshwater Light is usally dull
Saltwater Is more brighter

cdangel0 · 07/26/2007, 01:45 PM

I personally think it has to do with the salt acting as a clarifier / purifier. i think it just keeps water cleaner. Maybe the salt moleculs atach to the free-floating micro-debris in the water and enables it to be skimmed out.

I have had both SW and FW tanks - same size, same light (was before corals) and my SW tank was always much clearer then my FW.

cdangel0 · 07/26/2007, 01:46 PM

Oh yeah - and when began adding small amounts of salt to my FW tank - it cleared up beautifully, never had that "dirty water" look again.

superedge88 · 07/26/2007, 01:58 PM

Most saltwater tanks use protein skimmers, which are a far better means of filtration than most any freshwater mechanical filter.

mnash · 07/26/2007, 02:44 PM

I would have to say that what everybody said makes sense. When I did fresh water I did not keep up on cleaning and did not have adequate filtration, but I still think the salt crystals have somthing to do with it. I hope that I can keep my tank as clear and clean as it is now. Thanks for all of the thoughts and for answering my question.

Mike

Grins · 07/26/2007, 03:16 PM

Another issue is that the driftwood many use in FW will release tanins that turn the water brownish

07/26/2007, 12:09 PM	#1
mnash Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Montana Posts: 280	Salt water clarity Why is salt water so much clearer than fresh water? I would think that it would be the other way around because salt water has a lot of dissolved salts.

07/26/2007, 12:27 PM	#2
BCreefmaker Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 1,129	lol i dont know what your talking about. iv seen both crystal clear. i think you might just be finding out that most fresh water keepers (including me when i did) neglect their tanks so they dont look as clean. plus most people dont have the fancy filtration on a fresh water that people with salt water do. plus every fresh water tank i have had also had lots of drift wood. drift wood leaches tannins and makes the water darker. __________________ To make apple pie from scratch, You must first create the universe.

07/26/2007, 01:58 PM	#6
superedge88 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 827	Most saltwater tanks use protein skimmers, which are a far better means of filtration than most any freshwater mechanical filter. __________________ DRILL IT!!! Current Tank Info: In charge of over 50,000 gallons of fish only tanks

07/26/2007, 03:16 PM	#8
Grins Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 735	Another issue is that the driftwood many use in FW will release tanins that turn the water brownish __________________ R.A.S.O.C. : Reef Aquarium Society of Charlotte Current Tank Info: 55g mixed reef

07/26/2007, 01:19 PM	#3
Iguana79 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 124	Another thing to concider, Is lighting for a Frashwater tank takes a lighting system that cost around 100$ for a really good lighting system. For Saltwater, Upwards of Hundreds to a few thousand depening on the lighting and how big the tank is. Lighting Makes A HUGE Difference IMO. Freshwater Light is usally dull Saltwater Is more brighter

07/26/2007, 01:45 PM	#4
cdangel0 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 905	I personally think it has to do with the salt acting as a clarifier / purifier. i think it just keeps water cleaner. Maybe the salt moleculs atach to the free-floating micro-debris in the water and enables it to be skimmed out. I have had both SW and FW tanks - same size, same light (was before corals) and my SW tank was always much clearer then my FW.

07/26/2007, 01:46 PM	#5
cdangel0 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 905	Oh yeah - and when began adding small amounts of salt to my FW tank - it cleared up beautifully, never had that "dirty water" look again.

07/26/2007, 02:44 PM	#7
mnash Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Montana Posts: 280	I would have to say that what everybody said makes sense. When I did fresh water I did not keep up on cleaning and did not have adequate filtration, but I still think the salt crystals have somthing to do with it. I hope that I can keep my tank as clear and clean as it is now. Thanks for all of the thoughts and for answering my question. Mike