Heating saltwater on the stove

[Marco333]

Is it ok to heat fresh salt water on the stove? I do a 5 gallon water change every week and it takes forever for my water change water in my 5 gallon bucket to get to 78 degrees. I bought a small 5 gallon heater from PetSmart but it does not work very well. I found that if I fill a pot with about 1/2 a gallon of the water and heat it to almost boiling on my stove and then pour it into the bucket it heats up quickly. Is this ok to do? I'm worried heating the salt water will mess with the chemistry.

 

[Reef_Chief]

How long is it taking to heat up? It's recommended that you let newly mixed saltwater sit for a day anyway to fully stabilise.

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[Marco333]

It takes about a day. I didn't know it needed to stabilizing. I usually mix the salt and let it sit for 1-2 hours then do the change.

 

[mcgyvr]

It really doesn't provided you mix it well... Many including myself mix and dump right away..
But when it is winter time (cold water) I do just throw a powerhead in it and let it sit in the house till the next day to warm up to ambient temps.. (70ish F)

Then just let the tank heater do the rest and get it back to 78 deg F

I cannot comment on what boiling would do.. I certainly wouldn't do it but have no idea if it would cause any problems..

 

[Sk8r]

Microwave in a glass container, like a measuring cup. Do one quite hot, stir in to the bucket.

 

[homer1475]

I would be worried about something in the metal pot your using leeching into the water.

As Sk8r suggested, glass bottle and the microwave. I've done it this way a couple times when I needed heated water in a hurry.

 

[Blitzer]

What temperature is the water before heating? For a 80G tank, if it's 60 degrees, you'll only see a 1 degree drop adding it straight in. Is this frowned upon?

But for the same, if you heated up a pint to near boiling and then added back to 5 gallons of water at 60 degrees, you'll only raise the temp 4 degrees (if my math is correct)

 

[AnnaCassandra]

Some of the salt mix might precipitate out if you heat the already mixed salt water on the stove probably not enough to make much of a difference but why not just heat some of the water before you add your salt mix. I don't know why someone would be concerned about anything leaching out of the pot--- it's a pot that you cook all of your food in everyday, if things were leaching into your water while you were cooking I'd be far more concerned about your personal health than your freaking aquarium

 

[Sounds Fishy]

i would be worried about something in the metal pot your using leeching into the water.

As sk8r suggested, glass bottle and the microwave. I've done it this way a couple times when i needed heated water in a hurry.

+1

 

[Dale_M]

Move to Florida, keep ambient room temperature at 78F, store your RO/DI water in the house. Problem solved

 

[homer1475]

I don't know why someone would be concerned about anything leaching out of the pot--- it's a pot that you cook all of your food in everyday, if things were leaching into your water while you were cooking I'd be far more concerned about your personal health than your freaking aquarium

Do you not wash your pots with soap and water? perhaps some chore boy on the copper bottom?

Even if it was 100% stainless steel, I still wouldn't want residue from left over food and/or soaps in my tank.

 

[Marco333]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to stop using the pot. I do wash it with soap and put all kinds of food in it so that probably is not the best idea. I will try either letting it sit for a while until it heats up or microwaving a glass. The reason I started boiling it was i did a 5 gallon water change with it was about 63 degrees. The tank is a 40 breeder. This dropped by tank water temperature from 78 to about 71 or 72 and that worried me.


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