Mixing salt vs buying from LFS

[katcon]

I am trying to determine if it's more cost effective to mix my own salt versus buying from LFS. I use about 5 gallons a week during WC's. How many gallons of water can you make from one bucket of salt?

 

[lapin]

1 bucket Red Sea Pro makes 175 gallons. IO / Reef Crystals also sell a box of bags. Bags are 50 gallon each. 200 gallons per box. There are other size options. Its more about knowing what you are getting each time with your own water and salt.

 

[nereefpat]

A bucket of salt usually makes a little less than 150 gallons at 1.025 specific gravity.

Right now, Foster and smith has buckets for 47$ with free shipping. That's about 31 cents a gallon.

You can also buy a box (no free bucket) of 200 gallons for 47$. That's about 24 cents a gallon.

If you make your own water, you might as well make your own salt, imo.

 

[katcon]

A bucket of salt usually makes a little less than 150 gallons at 1.025 specific gravity.

Right now, Foster and smith has buckets for 47$ with free shipping. That's about 31 cents a gallon.

You can also buy a box (no free bucket) of 200 gallons for 47$. That's about 24 cents a gallon.

If you make your own water, you might as well make your own salt, imo.

So I would be saving around $5 per WC a week then. LFS sells salt water for a little over $1 per gallon.

 

[Rover88]

You also need to factor in the cost of having large water storage at your home.

A RODI system that will create the water for you to make into salt water.

The cost of filters/DI for the RODI.

The cost of transport and the nuisance of making trips to the store for water. Being stuck hoping they are using RODI of good quality.

There are a lot of things to consider.


I personally make my own SW, as I'm sure most people with tanks above the 20gallon size do... I found the convenience to be more cost effective. But it takes up a lot of space in my apartment.

 

[callsign4223]

+1 to Rover

It's all about the convenience for me. That's the same reason I have an RO/DI system vs getting water from Walmart.

 

[reefteaser]

I was in this hobby for FAR too long before buying an RODI filter. Big mistake in waiting. It's been one of the best reefing decisions I ever made. When I add up the costs, effort, and time of buying and transporting water, and the piece of mind in water quality I consider it as important as a return pump.

 

[lolgranny]

Make your own. The store usually doesn't mix it to 35ppm and you cannot be sure they have ZERO tds water. A box of rc or io is pretty cheap online ~$45. You can get a brute garbage can and use that to mix / store water.


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