Aging water, is too long a problem?

[patiof]

i'm off to a slow start on my first reef, which i understand is a good idea generally.

i've mixed my first batch of rodi in a brute can, but its been a few weeks since the i added the salt. i checked the salinity a few days after and again a week or so ago, but i still haven't had a chance to get any baseline testing done on the parameters (ph, kh, etc.), which i wanted to do soon after i nailed the salinity.

salinity was 1.024 at 76 degrees f when i last checked, and that will be the first thing i check again when i get the chance.

what i am wondering is if i test for my other parameters, is it possible that something has changed from when i first mixed it? its just been in the brute and there should not have been much added and perhaps just a bit of evaporation. can you age sw too much in storage before getting it in your tank under these condtions?

 

[ShallowPlanet]

I cannot comment on if it actually can go bad, but I always made sure its is constantly being mixed. I have had a storage container filled for weeks, but there is a constant circulation pump that is on.

 

[MondoBongo]

evaporation will likely be your biggest problem over the short term, about 1 - 3 weeks. beyond that i am not quite sure, although it is possible if some decaying organics got in your mixing bucket it could eventually cycle.

i don't really test new water very much, outside of temp and salinity. if i am feeling curious sometimes alkalinity.

i also typically don't store it mixed for more than two weeks, it almost always gets used by then, and i usually keep a powerhead on in my mixing bucket to keep it aerated during that time.

 

[Cymonous]

Do you have a pump running all of the time for mixing? And what salt mix did you use?

 

[dkeller_nc]

It's not unusual for salt mix to precipitate calcium carbonate on the inside of the container, heater, and/or mixing pump over time. That results in lowered calcium and alkalinity in the water. That might not be ideal if you're using it to change water in an established tank, but if you're setting up a reef tank with live rock or dead rock and a bottle of bacteria, it will make no difference.

 

[trinidiver]

I cannot comment on if it actually can go bad, but I always made sure its is constantly being mixed. I have had a storage container filled for weeks, but there is a constant circulation pump that is on.

+1 on that.
I have a 200gal water tank that I store my RODI water in and a 55gal that I mix & store my salt mix in. I do 50gal water changes the end of every mth (used to do it every 3wks) and 15min after I have done my water change, I fill back up my 55 and i add salt. It is mixed and stays there circulating till the end of the next mth for the next WC................ or if I have to make an emergency water change or something. Have been doing it this way going on 3yrs without any issues.

 

[patiof]

thanks everyone, i just saw your responses as it took quite a while for my post to show. i suspect i may have been in mod queue due to joining so long ago and never posting until now.

Do you have a pump running all of the time for mixing? And what salt mix did you use?

yes, there is a pump in there and i used reef crystals. still haven't got to test the water yet... its been a busy spring on the homefront.

 

[oh207]

It all depends on if you've kept a pump circulating the water, any evaporation, pH changes, and contamination from bugs, etc... For a new setup that has no livestock I don't think it should be a problem. But I'm not sure if your tank is already setup and cycle. If thats the case then you would want to re-check parameters. I usually only check temp and salinity on newly mixed water. Since its been sitting so long, you might want to check pH as well before you use it in an already established system.

 

[patiof]

yes, its a new setup and this was my first batch of water i was planning to use to cure some dry rock.

 

[Cymonous]

You should be fine

 

[oh207]

If you are just curing dry rock then you should be okay. Just double check the salinity. Are you planning to cure the rock in your DT or in a separate tank/container?

 

[patiof]

thanks everyone, i'm planning to cure it a separate container, but was consider doing it in the display, since i'm no where near as far along as i thought i would be.

i guessing if i got that route, it might be safest just to mix up a fresh batch of sw.

 

[oh207]

You can definitely use the water to cure the rock. It would be ideal to do it in a separate container. Just make sure you have a lot of flow. And if you can connect a skimmer for export of the die off, that would be great. It will probably take 3-4 weeks to cure the rock.
Depending on the rock, you might want to change the water out after a few days if it starts to smell.

Good luck with the build.

 

[patiof]

thanks everyone.

 

[inetmug]

I was always told to keep the lid on and all light out of the tank, and its all good for weeks. Is this correct?

 

[CoralBeauty13]

you should read what your salt says. I know some says do not mix or set to long as something in it gets wasted. Your salt contents should give you a good answer.

 

[patiof]

I was always told to keep the lid on and all light out of the tank, and its all good for weeks. Is this correct?

yes, i've done all that, but...

you should read what your salt says. I know some says do not mix or set to long as something in it gets wasted. Your salt contents should give you a good answer.

its less than 20 gallons so at this point i think i will just make up a fresh batch.