Salt Water Mixing Stations Let's See Them

[Fishbulb2]

Quick question for everyone. I am about to glue my plumbing. I got the classic red PVC ball valves from Home Depot, and they are just so tight to turn. Is there any way to loosen them or should I ditch them and got with something better. Could I put silicone grease in there or is that a bad idea?

FB

Well thanks for the tip everyone. I went with the CEPEX valves and talk about a night and day difference. I think some of the PVC runs are slightly pulling or pushing on the plumbing. Any tips for getting it just perfect? It seems like vinyl tubing would make that easier. Anyways, here it is!

 

[mnkykng77]

It's an Iwaki 30. It doesn't put out a tremendous amount of GPH but it has very good head pressure rating. I also have to run about the same setup you have but it's only for water changes and it's just a 40 gallon tank. I hope to be testing this weekend.

Let me know how it goes.

 

[rjjr1963]

Let me know how it goes.

Everything is going well. Mixed up my first batch of saltwater last night and filled the QT today. Hopefully in about three weeks we can get our first fish. Iwaki pump is very quiet and powerful.

 

[rjjr1963]

Well thanks for the tip everyone. I went with the CEPEX valves and talk about a night and day difference. I think some of the PVC runs are slightly pulling or pushing on the plumbing. Any tips for getting it just perfect? It seems like vinyl tubing would make that easier. Anyways, here it is!

I put a small piece of braided vinyl tubing on the inlet and outlet of the pump to dampen vibration. You can move the pump around a little bit that way to help line things up.

 

[thewbell]

Here is mine. It is skinned now since the only space I have is outside.

I used a mag 7 pump in the lower saltwater can and now have a hose hooked up to pump the water inside to the tank. Works great so far but I am looking for some larger tanks to replace the 32 gallon cans I have now.

 

[mnkykng77]

Everything is going well. Mixed up my first batch of saltwater last night and filled the QT today. Hopefully in about three weeks we can get our first fish. Iwaki pump is very quiet and powerful.

Nice! It didn't have any problems pumping the 30ft and up 5ft?

 

[rjjr1963]

Nice! It didn't have any problems pumping the 30ft and up 5ft?

Not at all. The wife got soaked the first time we tested it. lol

 

[don_chuwish]

Here is mine. It is skinned now since the only space I have is outside.
I used a mag 7 pump in the lower saltwater can and now have a hose hooked up to pump the water inside to the tank. Works great so far but I am looking for some larger tanks to replace the 32 gallon cans I have now.

Is that a steel stand? Nice.

 

[thewbell]

Is that a steel stand? Nice.

Yes, the stand is 2x2x.120 steel tubing. I also used some 2x.125 angle iron for the supports the top can is sitting on. I knew the stand would be outside and I only wanted to make it one time so I used some scrap steel I had from another project.

 

[don_chuwish]

Ah well yeah, when you've got the materials, tools and knowhow, why not? ;-)

 

[gobble]

How do you guys with sealed Norwesco type tanks get a heater cord into the tank? Use a gromet or something?

 

[soulpatch]

How do you guys with sealed Norwesco type tanks get a heater cord into the tank? Use a gromet or something?

I used a grommet on mine with some silicone to fully seal it in the grommet. I only cared about sealing for the tank with the salt water though. The RODI tank is not sealed where I have the cord for the submersed pump.

 

[UFO8MyCow]

I knotched mine around the hole for the pupe that drains the top tank into the bottom

 

[CoryWM]

So I'm considering setting up a mixing station like this outside so that I can auto water change a brine shrimp breeding vat. I'm worried about cold/hot water. I think the hot water can be dealt with by dripping it in slowly. I suppose cold could be dealt with that way too by a heater.

I'm wondering if it makes sense if the storage containers are going to be outside should they be black to take on heat? This will help me in the winter and maybe I shade them in the summer? Any ideas?

 

[zachts]

So I'm considering setting up a mixing station like this outside so that I can auto water change a brine shrimp breeding vat. I'm worried about cold/hot water. I think the hot water can be dealt with by dripping it in slowly. I suppose cold could be dealt with that way too by a heater.

I'm wondering if it makes sense if the storage containers are going to be outside should they be black to take on heat? This will help me in the winter and maybe I shade them in the summer? Any ideas?

Two methods typically used here:
for large water changes all at once (more than a few percent total water volume) you will need to equalize temperature of the new saltwater to the tank (vat).

the slow drip/continuous water change method would seem better suited to brine shrimp culture however and takes care of any worry about temp swings from the new saltwater.

Your second question is probably best answered if you start a build thread for your breading setup in order to keep this thread on topic. you'll get more responses that way. also let people know where you are in the world as that would factor into replies related to keeping cultures outdoors.

 

[fltekdiver]

I'll be adding my mixing station in my shed, which is 25' away from from fish tank inside my house, no vertical pumping, only through the window ( single Story ) and the tank is right their in the corner

I was told I may possibly need a mag24 pump

I use a Jebao DCT INT 6000 right now for my retrun pump on my SW tank, but my tank is only 65G , and it's running on 4, anything more it's to much current in the DT

I was thinking of removing the Jeabo, putting a Ehiem compact in the DT tank, and using the Jeabo for the pump to pump the water from the shed into the tank

You think this would work? Or should I just leave it alone, and buy a larger pump to do my water changes?

 

[Patrick Cox]

Question on making these mixing stations - how large should my mixing container be relative to my typical water change? (Salt Water Container.) The reason I ask is that today if I keep heated water too long in my current container, I will get a brown residue in the container. So I am thinking that I should only be making enough water for my current water change and then I should drain the container once I am finished. So, I don't think I want too large of a container. My typical water change is 5-6 gallons so I was looking at using 10 gallon brute containers. Thanks for your comments.

 

[40gal]

Question on making these mixing stations - how large should my mixing container be relative to my typical water change? (Salt Water Container.) The reason I ask is that today if I keep heated water too long in my current container, I will get a brown residue in the container. So I am thinking that I should only be making enough water for my current water change and then I should drain the container once I am finished. So, I don't think I want too large of a container. My typical water change is 5-6 gallons so I was looking at using 10 gallon brute containers. Thanks for your comments.

I think your plan is generally along the lines of what most do. The main concern is that in the event of an emergency you have enough water on-hand to do a larger water change. I would upsize it a little from what you typically use, but not too much.

10 gallons sounds about right to me, based on your usage.

 

[Patrick Cox]

WIP on my saltwater station.

My stand is done and I only mis-cut one board. The plumbing is run through the ceiling. This was the toughest part and I got bloody knuckles to prove it, lol. Finally the RO/DI unit is mounted and two 20 AMP electrical circuits have been wired up. The station is in a spare bedroom and the RO/DI unit is in a utility room behind the tank. Today is plumbing day and if all goes well I'll be filling water tanks.



One structural comment:
Before you get water in there, I would add additional verticals at the four corners, 4 pocket screws supporting each corner is asking for a failure down the road, that's a heck of a lot of weight for 4 screws to support, assuming they never get wet and start to rust out..........

Not saying it necessarily will fail just it could and that's a lot of water.

An additional front to back horizontal on the top might not be bad either seeing how you have the containers positioned in order to prevent the plywood from sagging over time from the weight and as it gets wet, and it will. Which could cause the tanks to lean forward enough to break your plumbing. I'm full of doom and gloom tonight :lolspin:

Hi,
I am building a vertical mixing stand to hold two 16 gallon containers. Each will weigh about 145 pounds full. Would pocket hole joints be strong enough for that? And would I use 2x4s?

Here are my rough plans...

Thanks!

 

[rjjr1963]

Yes, that would work fine with 2x4's and pocket screws. Just make sure the horizontal boards sit on top of the legs. That was the mistake I made so I added some extra support for the legs and doubled up on the plywood.