Boomer Mr chemist that you are

[twilliard]

Hey I have a question if you may.

About 3 months ago my anemone decided to take a walk for the first time in almost 8 months.
I never could figure out why it did that.
Well one day I thought it would be good to check the dKH of my fresh saltwater. Here is what I found-
When first mixed (Instant Ocean, then switched to Reef Crystals) the dKH is out the roof at about 13
If I let the water mix for 5 days it drops to a low 8.6, then I buff it to 10 dKH. (40 gallon water change)
Why does the water do this? Is there anything I can do to be able to use the water sooner? Also every time I mix it leaves a lot of solid calcium in the barrel.
My wife does not like to hear the water mixing for 5 days before I use it, but then I have to start the next batch to be ready for the next weekend.

How can people mix their water and use it a few hours later? God I have to wait 5 days for it to settle down!

Thanks Boomer!
Todd

 

[Boomer]

Your Alk should not affect your anmeone. As far as mixing how about in 5 min

How to Mix a Batch of Synthetic Seawater in Under Five Minutes
http://web.archive.org/web/20011217234403/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/sep/bio/default.asp

 

[DonW]

Just mix it, balance it. then use it.

Don

 

[jezzeaepi]

Correct me if Im wrong, but all I really get out of that article is that "using a really high flow pump" will mix your water fast. Is what hes doing any different then using a high flow PH in a small bucket for an hour? (like a seio in a 5 gallon bucket) I also don't see anywhere on the article where he gives you something to look for to know your salt is "done" mixing. He just says "Do this very specific thing with this specific tool for a specific amount of time." What is it about his method that makes it superior to a well placed highflow PH in your mixing chamber? Flow is flow, so frankly it doesn't make sense to me. In fact, most of the highflow PH's outt here now use the same style propellor.

 

[roscoe]

Can I use a Minkota electric motor to mix the salt? I don't use it to often for fishing anymore I figure it does have a pretty big paddle it should mix it in no time.

 

[DonW]

Correct me if Im wrong, but all I really get out of that article is that "using a really high flow pump" will mix your water fast. Is what hes doing any different then using a high flow PH in a small bucket for an hour? (like a seio in a 5 gallon bucket) I also don't see anywhere on the article where he gives you something to look for to know your salt is "done" mixing. He just says "Do this very specific thing with this specific tool for a specific amount of time." What is it about his method that makes it superior to a well placed highflow PH in your mixing chamber? Flow is flow, so frankly it doesn't make sense to me. In fact, most of the highflow PH's outt here now use the same style propellor.

Give it a shot youll be surpprised. It mixes everything before there is a chance to precip. It will turn the contents much faster that a powerhead or even a big pump.

Don

 

[Snowboarda42]

^
:lol:

I don't know if you're kidding or not, but I wouldn't. Those trolling motors have grease in them that could potentially leak out into your fresh SW.

 

[DonW]

^
:lol:

I don't know if you're kidding or not, but I wouldn't. Those trolling motors have grease in them that could potentially leak out into your fresh SW.

Electric motor with grease?

Don

 

[roscoe]

^
:lol:

I don't know if you're kidding or not, but I wouldn't. Those trolling motors have grease in them that could potentially leak out into your fresh SW.

I don't think there is any grease what so ever in the propeller area. Anyways so Don do you think that would work with what I'm talking about?

 

[DonW]

I don't think there is any grease what so ever in the propeller area. Anyways so Don do you think that would work with what I'm talking about?

It would mix the water but I'm not sure if pushing to the side would give the same effect as pulling the top down. Also make sure the motor is made for sw. My SW motor has a SS shaft and my FW motors are aluminum.

Don

 

[roscoe]

It would mix the water but I'm not sure if pushing to the side would give the same effect as pulling the top down. Also make sure the motor is made for sw. My SW motor has a SS shaft and my FW motors are aluminum.

Don

I beleive it is made from plastic. I know its not aluminum.

 

[Boomer]

jezz

You need to go back and re-read that article and look a the size of that thing. No power head is even close. It is like sticking a small outboard motor in your container and turns at 2500 RPM 's. And outperforms a Gemini pump.

It is shown in Figure 2, and consists of three polypropylene blades, 1� inches in diameter, fused to an 18 by �-inch outside diameter rod (457 by 19 millimeters)

 

[roscoe]

jezz

You need to go back and re-read that article and look a the size of that thing. No power head is even close. It is like sticking a small outboard motor in your container and turns at 2500 RPM 's. And outperforms a Gemini pump.

It is shown in Figure 2, and consists of three polypropylene blades, 1� inches in diameter, fused to an 18 by �-inch outside diameter rod (457 by 19 millimeters)

I did read it I was just wondering if it would work with that, because it is polyprpylene blades I beleive. I just thought it would work faster because the blades are bigger and there is a speed control on it.

 

[jezzeaepi]

My point though, is that the MJ mod uses a very similar type of impeller. I dont know the exact speed that it spins at, but its pretty fast. What makes this any better? I realise it has more "power" behind it, but if an impeller is spinning at a certain speed, who cares if its the MJ or a powerdrill spinning it?
This article was written in 1997 and he is comparing a powerful prop style flow device to an airstone.... I think there is somewhere in between. Mj mods did not exist yet.

"The Nalgene propeller might ultimately find other uses, such as efficiently driving water motion in reef aquaria (when provided with a fish-friendly way to keep fish out of its blades) and also as a way of occasionally stirring limewater in a Nilsen-style reactor (Nilsen and F�ssa 1996, Delbeek and Sprung 1994). My understanding is that teflon stir bars eventually wear their way through the bottom of plastic containers. While a replaceable pad of ultra-high density polyethylene might slow that wear process, an overhead mixer would eliminate it altogether. A significant issue would be finding appropriate gear-head motors for both of those purposes, but both of these uses would make interesting projects for enterprising reef aquarists. I’ve done some preliminary trials, driving water motion in my 75-gallon reef with the Nalgene propeller and a drill, and it moves much more water than my Gemini pump. Again, the real challenge will be sizing a motor of appropriate construction for this task, and keeping the fish out of the blades."

Again, sounds very similar to a mj mod like device to me, just more dangerous and expensive.

 

[DonW]

A MJ has a volute as does every other pump. Without the volute the top of the water is being drawn down in huge volumes that cannot compare to a pump. You loose most of propellors efficiency by adding the volute, turning it into a pump.
Give it a shot, US plastics carries the propellor and you can use a drill bit extender if your container is to deep.

Don