Pre-mixing SW?

BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
Ok I have two tanks. One at home and one here in my office. Both are in the "Nano" catagory so I don't have a need for massive amounts of SW at any one time. My 10g at home is easy to deal with. I mix the water and let it set up (usually over night) and then do WC. But my tank at work is different. I can't mix it up here in my office and just leave the bucket sitting here over night (cleaning crew comes in at night and don't want to risk something being "dropped" into an open bucket of SW). I need to pre-mix it in a container that is "sealable" at the house and transport it to work. My question is...

How long can SW stay in a "Freshwater" sealed jug? The jug looks like a 5g gas can but it's a bluish/white FreshWater 6g can. It's specifically made for Drinking WATER and that's ALL that has been or WILL Be in it (SW not drinking water). How far in advance can I make up the water and leave it stored in a sealed container with no circulation or heat?

Allen
 
murkywaters

murkywaters

Well-Known Member
that's a good question. From the threads about people buying 50 gallon drums I'm guessing a while. I'll be watching for answers from our reef genius' with you.
 
blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
I would think if the saltwater was already pre mixed VERY well if you put it in a container and left room at the top of the jug so you are able to shake it up and keep it mixed periodically it would be ok for a week or so.

I have never tried it.. Im not sure if the salt would clump or cause salt creep on the container making the salinity of it change..

Good question... You would have to try it and let it sit and over a period of time see what changes (if any) would occur..

Another problem would be keeping it the correct temperture for the changes.
 
kinghokus420

kinghokus420

Active Member
i use the 5 gallon water bottles for everything. ( i deliver spring water for my job) i have stored mixed water for a few weeks so i know firsthand it wont be a problem. the main issue is the cap. wallyworld here sells bottles with a screw on cap. that is the best idea vs the pop on kind that is usually on delivery water bottles. the pop on kind have a tendency to get weak and leak after popping on and off a few dozen times.
 
blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
I havent read the instruction on the bottled premade SW in the stores.. Im wandering if they have to be mixed with air before being added to the tank? I would check on those container for instructions. If they say add right to the tank than it should be fine.
 
H

HowardW

Member
If you're making it with RO/DI water and any good salt mix it should last indefinately in a sealed container.
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
The temp thing isn't an issue... I just run some HOT water into a catch basin here and it takes about 15 minutes to get the JUG temp up to 79 to match my tank. If I were working with larger quantity I guess I would have to invest in a set-up that would allow me to use a HEATER in the storage tank. As for right now it's pretty easy to get it up to temp either with the BASIN method or I can work on it at the house and bring it down here AT the right temp. I only live 2 minutes from my house.

Allen
 
saltyfishtanks

saltyfishtanks

Member
HowardW said:
If you're making it with RO/DI water and any good salt mix it should last indefinately in a sealed container.
Click to expand...

I think howard is right here but i must say only if the bucket is very clean to start with if there is small amounts of bacteria or grime the water is only good for a day or two.

I say this because i mixed up a 5 gal bucket with a tite seal and did not clean the bucket and the water stank real bad after 4-5 days and i discarded it.
 
burning2nd

burning2nd

Well-Known Member
i dont beleave any of this.....

ive only ever used tropic marin (switched to pro 2 buckets ago)

ive never let it sit more then 25 seconds.... as soon as its mixed and the salt level is right, its rdy.....

i understand why you have to let it sit... but i think thats just crazy.....

you have to then watch the temp, and make sure its airated.... thats just crazy...

my RODI tank is heated to the same temp as my tank....
i could mix 50 gals of fresh salt water in about 10 min ( i also have left over buckets from old buckets of salt)


If i had to do that (buffer over night)

i would switch salts
 
mps9506

mps9506

Well-Known Member
burning2nd said:
i dont beleave any of this.....

ive only ever used tropic marin (switched to pro 2 buckets ago)

ive never let it sit more then 25 seconds.... as soon as its mixed and the salt level is right, its rdy.....

i understand why you have to let it sit... but i think thats just crazy.....

you have to then watch the temp, and make sure its airated.... thats just crazy...

my RODI tank is heated to the same temp as my tank....
i could mix 50 gals of fresh salt water in about 10 min ( i also have left over buckets from old buckets of salt)


If i had to do that (buffer over night)

i would switch salts
Click to expand...

I would check the pH of your freshly mixed SW and you will see why many people let it aerate and wait. If the water is saturated with oxygen while mixed then yes it can be safe to use right after mixing. But I would check the pH first before doing it.
 
burning2nd

burning2nd

Well-Known Member
mix's 2 8.2 every time......... aerated when i mix it.....

(the ro tank has 2 air stones in it, and a movement pump)

maybe its just cause of my rodi tank setup....

air, movement. heat
 
prow

prow

Well-Known Member
burning2nd said:
mix's 2 8.2 every time......... aerated when i mix it.....

(the ro tank has 2 air stones in it, and a movement pump)

maybe its just cause of my rodi tank setup....

air, movement. heat
Click to expand...
na i mix mine in 5 gal arrowhead plastic bottles. i mix it and let it sit with cap while i clean the tank. i wait maybe 4-5 hours than do the water change. i have dropped in my ph probe a few times and the ph has alway been at about 8.2 i am using water straight from my RO/DI unit and mixing with reef crystals.


i am not saying that doing all the suggestions is not a good thing. to me its like if you collect cars. do you need to change the air filter every 100miles? is it good to? ---no/yeah. as long as its clean no worries. same for mixing salt. do you need to aerate? is it good to?----no/yeah. as long as it is mixed well. in a tank with good water parameters a 10-20% water change with well mixed SW is not going to alter things much, unless your mixed water is like lime or reactor effluent levels.
 
bluespotjawfish

bluespotjawfish

Well-Known Member
Shhhh, don't tell anyone, I used to mix mine in my sump for a few minutes (until the water cleared), checked the salinity, then turn the pump on, then did that again and again until the tank filled up again. Never, ever, checked the pH back then either. However, I never changed more than about 15% at a time. Oh, and I did this for about 8 years. But, if I were you, I'd probably take a different approach than that.
 
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