Question About Mixing Saltwater

[kill4u]

Hello,

I have had a 90G and a 55G Fish Only SW tank for about 18 months. Up till recently I mixed all my water for changes in a 5 gallon bucket....

I had a 35g water tank installed to mix saltwater in prior to doing water changes..... So here is the deal..... I pump RO/DI water from one 35g storage tank in to another one to mix in..... I mixed a strong mix of saltwater in a 2 gallon bucket which was then added to the 35g tank...... The salt in the 2 gallon bucket appeared to be completely mixed..... The 35g tank has a MaxJet 900 pump for circulation and a heater.....

What I have been noticing is that after a couple days the salt seems to sink to the bottom..... I move the pump around and the tank will start mixing the salt and will become cloudy..... A day or so later it is clear and the salt seems to have seperated again....

Any ideas what I may be doing wrong???? Do I need a stronger circulation pump????

Any info would be greately appreciated...

Thanls......... Brian

 

[Billybeau1]

This is not a good way to mix salt water.

You should eliminate the 2 gallon gig, and just add the salt mix to the 2nd 35 gal container.

You avoid precipitation of calcium and magnesium by doing this.

You have salt left undissolved because the water in the 2 gallon is becoming too saturated with that amount of salt you are putting in.

This will not happen if you add the salt mix to the 35 gal container.

 

[sps1-2-b]

I agree with Billybeau1 100%. Well put.

 

[kill4u]

Thanks A Lot......

I will try adding directly next time.......

Brian

 

[Saltz Creep]

Mixing salt far beyond a marine concentration will irreversibly precipitate calcium carbonate and will drop the normal calcium and alkalinity levels like a rock.

 

[kill4u]

How would you recommend mixing the salt in the 35g tank....
I only have a 6 inch access cap in the top of the tank......


Throwing cup fulls of salt in to the tank will likely not cause it to mix..... Or will it slowly dissolve with the pump circulating it......

Any ideas???

 

[Saltz Creep]

Yes, put a powerhead/pump through the opening.

 

[Billybeau1]

It will slowly dissolve with the pump mixing it. Yes.

 

[Jay180reef]

"Mixing salt far beyond a marine concentration will irreversibly precipitate calcium carbonate and will drop the normal calcium and alkalinity levels like a rock."

Good to know, I've been guilty of that

Thanks