Mixing ASW - need advice please!!

[JT101]

OK, after almost a year of doing weekly 50% natural seawater changes on my AquaPod 24, I FINALLY broke down, purchased and installed my brand-new 6 stage RO/DI unit and I am now able to make my OWN seawater lsmile: .

Only problem is, I have a VERY bad habit of making very simple things VERY complicated :columbo: !

My initial question is so simple that I am actually embarrassed to ask it but here goes:

How do I go about actually “making” my seawater?

I have read of people that “mix and pour” with impunity, and on the other side of the spectrum there are those that will mix, aerate and “age” their water for days. Somewhere in between there must be a “popular” or “happy” medium.

I have a lot of other dumb questions (I’m loaded with those…!)

1. Can you store RO/DI water? If so, for how long?
2. Can you store artificial seawater? If so, for how long?
3. Do I really need to aerate my ASW?
4. When do I check salinity – right after mixing, or after aeration?

I appreciate any help! Wow, it was so much easier to just go down to the Jones Inlet jetty and collect jugs of water….LOL.

Thanks
John

 

[tippMANn98]

I fill a 7 gallon jug every week with r/o, water change time i mix it(2 gallon jugs at a time), let is sit, shake it, sit, and shake before I put it in, always mixes just fine.

 

[Woodstock]

1. Can you store RO/DI water? If so, for how long?
2. Can you store artificial seawater? If so, for how long?
3. Do I really need to aerate my ASW?
4. When do I check salinity – right after mixing, or after aeration?

1. Yep. I keep 50 gallns of ro/di in storage. As long as it is covered well and is not contaminated, it can keep for a long time.
2. Yep. I keep 50 gallons of saltwater in storage with a heater and powerhead to keep it circulating.
3. You should aerate/mix the newly mixed salt water for at least one day to be sure it has reached 'equillibrium' within itself.
4. Check the salinity once the salt is completely dissolved AND the desired temperture is reached.

 

[rmlevasseur]

Using IO, I find that it takes about 5 hours to get a good stable salinity reading on a new batch of water.

 

[JT101]

1. Yep. I keep 50 gallns of ro/di in storage. As long as it is covered well and is not contaminated, it can keep for a long time.
2. Yep. I keep 50 gallons of saltwater in storage with a heater and powerhead to keep it circulating.
3. You should aerate/mix the newly mixed salt water for at least one day to be sure it has reached 'equillibrium' within itself.
4. Check the salinity once the salt is completely dissolved AND the desired temperture is reached.

Thanks for the info. How long can you keep mixed salwater in storage.

 

[bluespotjawfish]

Some folks say to mix it for several days before using it. Keep it covered and circulating.

 

[Cougra]

I'm in the camp that mixes the water at least a day before making a water change so that the salts have time to disolve properly and the pH has time to stablise.

I've kept premixed saltwater for two weeks without noticing any problems or changes in readings.

 

[JT101]

Thanks for all the advice folks

Well, I finally did it. I filled a 4 gallon bucket with RO/DI, added 2/3 + 2/3 + 1/4 cup of Tropic Marin and aerated it overnight. This morning it was at 1.025 - what I would call "perfect". I did a 20% WC and my fish seem fine (I have to admit that after a year of doing NSW changes I was pretty worried!). I'll do a few more changes in the next few days to let my livestock get used to the ASW mix and then from here on it it's no more natural sea water changes.

 

[charlestonemt]

I have a RubberMade trashcan that I would like to stay beside my tank to mix and hold SW for water changes. Until now, it has contained dog food. Will a 5g water w/ 1 tsp bleach solution to clean it out be sufficient, or should I just scrap it and buy a new one?

Another question for those of you who mix/store large quantities of water...What is the best way to get it from the storage container to the bucket to pour into the tank? Simple syphon? (I know this sounds like a question with a very simple answer.) I do approx. 5g changes weekly and until now have used 1 5g bucket for dirty water and a seperate 5g bucket to mix ASW and pour it in.