Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jweisman54]

So, I did my first water change. Had 15 gallons of RO water mixed with the right amount of salt, right temp., mixed for 24 hours with pump in water. Removed exactly 15 gallons from tank....siphoned gallon by gallon and then measured the tank with a ruler so that the next time I will know where to stop. Attached tubing to pump, ran ro water into my tank and then...............ran out of ro water. I am about 2 inches from where I started which is about 3 gallons or so. Ok, so now I have NO ro water left and I had no choice but to take 3 gallons of my filtered well water and mix with salt. I am now using the circ. pump in my small bucket to mix it around. The filters are off in my tank. How long do I have to wait to put those 3 gallons in the tank?

 

[BigAl07]

Joyce I'd look at it like this . . .

In a normal situation (like you had previously) you wait a MIN of 24 hours. This isn't normal so you gotta make adjustments. You need to get it up to the same TEMP as the tank at the same time let it mix. Once it's to temp and the SG is the same as tank then I'd slowly add it to the system. Desperate times mandate desperate measures.


So how did the mis-match happen? measurement error?

 

[jweisman54]

I thought I had 15 gallons of ro water in my 20 gallon container but clearly I had only about 12. Next water change, I am filling the entire bucket of 20 gallons and have extra just in case, LOL!

I did add the 3 gallons slowly and the sal. is good, water temps good, I will keep checking things during the day. I am new at this and think I did pretty well for the first time doing a water change with all the equipment.

 

[lcstorc]

The first water change is always a challenge. Once you get into a routine it will get a lot easier. Glad to hear it seems to have gone fine.
Temp, SG, and PH are the 3 most important parameters to match, but like Al says sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[Monkeyboy]

Not a bad idea to make extra, thats what I do. It does allow for little mistakes.

Hope all goes well after this minor mishap.

 

[Seastuff]

Joyce, Another way to solve that is to just add back some of the saltwater that you have removed. I always keep 3 or 4 gallons reserved until I have my new batch of water mixed and seasoned. Then I throw it out.