Mixing saltwater and...

[cato]

How long do you usually wait to add newly made up saltwater to your tanks. (for like water changes)????

 

[reefwick]

Most people mix up the water the night before a water change. Just throw a powerhead in there with a heater and let it mix. You just want it to get oxygenated (sp?).

 

[soldier1911]

I always mix mine the night before like reefwick said. Are you using RO/DI water?

 

[cato]

Yep.

 

[Steelslinger75]

I usually let my water mix for at least 24 hours before intorducing it to the tank. This gives enought time for the water chemistry to balance out.

 

[supertech3]

I mix mine about 24-36hr before use

 

[eddie c]

i wait 48 hours

 

[enemec1]

can it be mixed in a standerd 30gal trash can, or in a rubbermaid storage bin??

 

[eddie c]

yes, i mix mine in a 15g rubbermaid.

 

[SerLunchbox]

I would mix it in the rubbermaid container for about 24 hours .... just to get everything all balanced out.

 

[fuzz1974]

I dump 10 gals. in a rubbermaid and add salt. MIx with a powerhead just long enough to mix the salt and to bring it up to temp, sometimes I heat water on the stove. When the water is the temp I want and my salinity is right I add the water. The whole process from freshwater to being ready to dump in my tank is about 25-30 mins. On that note, I have had no problems with anything, all my levels check out great.

 

[dwculp]

Normally I have a 30 gallon container full of premixed saltwater that has been mixing for a week or more. However, I have used water that was mixed and used within the hour with no ill effects.

 

[bigeyetuna]

I mix mine in a clear rubbermaid storage container you get at the local HD or Lowes. Its about a 18 gal container and I am doing 10gals at a time. I mix it the ~24 hrs before using a maxiJet. Then I use the maxijet to pump the water into the display tank.

Working fine for me

 

[liao]

When I mix my Instant Ocean with RO/DI it always seem I have some sort of precipitate on the bottom. Is this typical or does everyone get clean makeup everytime?

 

[Lakeside518]

What if its not a reef tank? Say a FOWLR? Would all the same still apply? I have generally always mixed my salt and added with no probs but also not a reef tank.

 

[Lakeside518]

bump

 

[AllenFord_SC]

Ah what would we do in this hobby without a rubber made brute trash can. As others have said mix at least on night before, drop in a powerhead for aeration and complete mixing. Throw a heater in for temp balancing, check your parameters before adding and make sure your specific gravity is identical to your tank's as well as temp. No need to stress the fish too much. I have a strip of tape on the inside of my trash can with marks indicating the amount of water in the can set at every 5 gallons. Took a while to make but it takes the guess work out of how much salt to add.