How do you make your saltwater? Any tricks?

[porksoda]

Hey guys i have always just been curious on how other people mix there salt water. Is there any tricks you do? Anything different? I just do it like the bag says. Well thanks for telling me. Later,

pablo

 

[DonW]

Hey guys i have always just been curious on how other people mix there salt water. Is there any tricks you do? Anything different? I just do it like the bag says. Well thanks for telling me. Later,

pablo

I dont think Ive ever read the bag. I use a predetermined amount of salt dumped in a bucket of water with a soft start trim router mounted on top. The router has a propellor that mixes for 10 minutes and its done.

Don

 

[phomaniac]

it all depends on you .... its recommended that you temp, ph and salinity match and add a power head and let it sit for a day. however lots of people just temp and salinity match and pour it in .... me included ......

 

[DonW]

it all depends on you .... its recommended that you temp, ph and salinity match and add a power head and let it sit for a day. however lots of people just temp and salinity match and pour it in .... me included ......

Believe it or not there is a right and a wrong way to mix new saltwater. Doing it the wrong way you end up with prcip and funky chemistry readings. Probably most important is to fill the container with water up to temp first before adding any salt. Mixing can be done a number of ways but the faster you get the salt mixed with the water the better off you will be.

Don

 

[NC2WA]

I fill my 55 gallon vat with RO water and with a RIO pump on, let it get up to temp. I then add salt and let it mix for one day. Check salinity and adjust as needed. Vat is ready for use.

 

[Reefergeorge]

I fill my buckets with rodi add three cups per five gallons and let it mix with a mj 900 over night. Next day take readings and adjust if needed. I was told that mixing up and down is better than a whirlpool effect?

 

[sausage fingers]

Hi,

I mix mine with RO and a air stone leave it running for about 24hrs until mixed check the salinity and if its OK I seal the container and then keep it in a dark space for around two weeks and use when required. When needed in goes the airstone bring up to temp and pour it in, reading the other threads seems to me that you have to find your own way no one way seems better than other.
My brother used to mix his 10 litres at a time by hand and pour it straight in some people might frown at that approach but hey you had to see those corals they did not seem to mind.

 

[Reeferdude]

I mix 75 gallons at a time straight from the tap in a food grade container with power head and heater until proper temp and salinity is reached before using. Lasts about 2-3 months depending on how enthusiastic I get...Crazy Huh...

 

[NC2WA]

Reefgeorge,

Can't say I have heard of that one. What is the rationale of mixing up down vs whirpool effect?? Mixing water is mixing water, right ??

 

[DonW]

Reefgeorge,

Can't say I have heard of that one. What is the rationale of mixing up down vs whirpool effect?? Mixing water is mixing water, right ??

Sort of but not really. Here is a decent article.

http://web.archive.org/web/20011217234403/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/sep/bio/default.asp

 

[Jan]

I throw my salt in my bucket of cold RO/DI, right after putting in a pre-set heater and powerhead for mixing. What is the disadvantage of doing this way as opposed to heating the water to temperature first?

 

[DonW]

I throw my salt in my bucket of cold RO/DI, right after putting in a pre-set heater and powerhead for mixing. What is the disadvantage of doing this way as opposed to heating the water to temperature first?

Ph spike causes precip.

Don

 

[Jan]

Is that what that sediment layer is that builds up on the bottom of my bucket, and on my pump and heater? I thought it was just the salt I use....

 

[NC2WA]

Don,

Thanks for the article. This can explain why I have sediment build up at the bottom of my vat. I am using a RIO 2500 pump to stir the 55 gallon vat. Doesn't sound like this is good enough to mix the mixture fast enough. I may look into getting a propeller for mixing.

thanks
kirk

 

[DonW]

Is that what that sediment layer is that builds up on the bottom of my bucket, and on my pump and heater? I thought it was just the salt I use....

You get supersaturation. The article explains it well in plain english. The prop method does work well and nets the highest ca and mg from IO that I use.

Don

 

[NC2WA]

Don,

Where does one find a propeller to attach to a drill as mentioned in the article?? Lowes? Home Depot ?

 

[Dirtsquirt]

Hobby store....

But they also have something similar for mixing paint, you'd find that in the paint department.

-Dan

 

[NC2WA]

Thanks..Never would have thought of a hobby store.. Paint store makes sense.

 

[DonW]

Don,

Where does one find a propeller to attach to a drill as mentioned in the article?? Lowes? Home Depot ?

Us plastics has them with the prop and rod with metal insert.

Don

 

[chrisprkh]

call me crazy but i mix 5 gallon buckets by hand. i don't have live rock but it seems to work pretty well for me and each bucket only takes a few minutes to get a majority of the solt to ionize.