Getting Water Ready?

[FroggyFox]

Hey guys, quick question/poll.

How do you prepare your water change water? Exactly...I mean details. How long before the change do you mix it up? What equipment do you have specifically for that?


Oh, and if you were setting up a brand new tank, how long would you let the water and the salt mix, mix, before adding live rock? (assuming SG and temperature are stable/good) # of hours, or just until the SG is stable and the mix seems to be dissolved, or something else...

 

[Katie217]

Froggy are you thinkin about going SW?

But anyways, I just take a milk jug and fill it with RO then add the salt and shake it throughout the day...So far so good

 

[FroggyFox]

I actually have a saltwater tank already up and running, have for quite awhile, it just doesn't have anything in it except some chaeto and LR and a nassarius snail. I just set up a new 29 that I'm doing salt and pondering if I should add LR tomorrow or not.

So you just add it room temperature after a day of mixing by shaking the water/mix?

 

[Katie217]

Yeah pretty much...my fish and crew are all doing great too

 

[1979camaro]

I use RO/DI that I filter so my schedule is a bit more complicated:

I filter 20g of RO/DI on Thursday.
I add the salt on Friday evening and run an Aquaclear 802 and heater until Saturday morning.
I check the SG/Temp Saturday morning and do my water change if it is good. If not, I add salt or RO/DI to fix it and let that mix until Saturday night and do the W/C. If somehow things are still off I fix it and do the W/C Sunday. Generally my mixed water is spot on as I use a measuring cup for the salt and markings on my mix basin tell me how much H2O I have...

Edit: Lotus reminded me of something - I use the same AC802 to fill the sump from the basin...

 

[Lotus]

More or less the same as Camaro. On Thursday night I run the RO, and fill up a Brute container with RODI water, then add the salt. I let the pump run until Friday, check the SG, adjust as necessary, then leave it circulating until Saturday or Sunday when it's water change time.

We use a Mag pump attached to a hoseline, with the hoseline all in the bucket. Then when it's time to fill up, we use the pump/hose to fill.

Room temp these days is about 80, so no need for a heater. Even in winter, I doubt we'll need a heater.

 

[TRe]

i use natural seawater that i buy for .50 a gallon from a lfs ... i guess thats the advantage to living in south florida

 

[FroggyFox]

Thanks guys

Anyone want to chime in on how long you'd let it mix before adding live rock?

 

[Lotus]

It should be safe within a couple of hours. While 24 hours is considered ideal by many, you can use it earlier.

 

[TRe]

i agree with lotus.. ive used it after a few hours but its best to wait like a day

 

[Lorna]

on another note.....how long is mixed water good for? I have had some mixed up with a powerhead running in it for a month or two.....checked the sg which was a little high due to evap ......I added some more ro/di to it and it is now correct. Can I use this?

 

[Lotus]

Supposedly, once it's mixed, it's good indefinitely, assuming there hasn't been any contamination.