Storing and mixing salt water.

Storing and mixing salt water:

It is very simple and fairly cheap to create the perfect saltwater mixing container to have available for emergency water replacements as well as your regular water changes.


These are the items you will need:

• New 30-55 gallon plastic trash container
• Floating or digital "with probe" thermometer
• Power head for water circulation
• 200 watt heater
• Salt mix
• Hydrometer or refractometer
• 10 feet of 5/8" tubing

Make sure the 55-gallon trash container (available at any hardware store) is very sturdy and does not have any holes or metal parts in the container. Rinse it well with tap water. Do not use chemicals, cleaners, or detergents.


What you need to do:



Place the container next to the aquarium or in a safe place that you and your significant other agree upon, and fill it with the amount of water you will need "RO/DI preferred". Note: Do not fill it to the top since you may need room to add more water if you accidentally add too much salt.

Set the floating thermometer in the container of water. Set the powerhead, and the heater, in the bottom of the container and plug them in. Take note of the display tank temperature. Slowly add about 1/3 of the salt you will need. When the salt is dissolved, add another third. Check the thermometer; adjust the heater if needed. When all the salt is dissolved, test the salt level with the hydrometer or refractometer and check the temperature. You will want these levels to be the same as the aquarium. Add salt if the specific gravity is too low, or water if specific gravity is too high, and adjust the heater if needed.


Once these levels match the aquarium or fit your needs for correction, unplug the powerhead and heater. Attach one end of the tubing to the output of the powerhead and put the other end in the aquarium "or 5 gallon bucket if you opt to place the mixing container in a remote location". Plug the powerhead back in (making sure the tubing will not jump out of the aquarium or bucket) and pump the new salt mix into the aquarium or bucket as desired. Pay attention to this step, I have had my fair share of floods cause I got distracted......


Salt storage
Moisture can turn salt mix into one large salt block. Always make sure the container holding the salt is well sealed as soon as you are finished with it. Do not store the salt measuring cup in the salt container as it often collects moisture while being used. Bags of salt are best stored inside a plastic container with a good seal.


Using a refractometer




Refractometers are an incredibly accurate way to measure salt levels, even at very low levels. They compensate for temperature AND are very easy to use. Just lift the plastic lid from the angular end, place a drop of water on the surface, and close the lid. Look through the viewing lens (round end) as if you are looking through a telescope. The line where the blue and white areas meet is your salinity (concentration of salt in water) or specific gravity, depending on which scale you use.
Note: When you place the drop of water on the viewing lens don't use your finger to dip a drop of water from your tank, your fingers have salts and oils on them and will void your refractometers reading. I use a syringe or a dripper, which ever is handy. Sometimes when I am being lazy I just dip the end of the refractometer in the tank.



TIP: When mixing saltwater for marine aquariums, always fill your container with all the water you will need BEFORE adding the salt. Adding a large quantity of salt to a small amount of water can cause the calcium to precipitate out, lowering pH to dangerous levels.

the tips are great. thnx. is there any type of container that shouldn't be used?
right now, i am storing salt water in 5 gallon buckets with air stones circulating it, b/c i only change 8 gals water each time.

thanks snikz that's a great tips you drop us

So what would happen if, for instance, I washed my new water storage container with dish soap. Should I get a new container or hope for the best.

me needs me question answered: is there any type of container that shouldn't be used?

Metal is bad. You're probably ok with most plastics. Buckets are definitely ok as long as they didn't have paint or something in them.

Any thoughts or suggestions on keeping any grime/bacteria out of the storage container? I keep a 5 gal bucket on hand of fresh salt and it still gets a sheen on top and some bacteria growing after a while.
I use two powerheads one to constantly mix and one with the tube going to the sump and cycle the one with the tube when doing water changes. This keeps your hand out of the bucket (putting the tube on and off of the PH).

Originally Posted by shmoliken

is there any type of container that shouldn't be used?

Yes there is, any used plastic container that has been used for anything but food storage. IE chemical storage.

I use my old salt buckets, my wife wouldn't let me have a large storage container so I am stuck with the buckets.

Originally Posted by IanH

Any thoughts or suggestions on keeping any grime/bacteria out of the storage container? I keep a 5 gal bucket on hand of fresh salt and it still gets a sheen on top and some bacteria growing after a while.
I use two powerheads one to constantly mix and one with the tube going to the sump and cycle the one with the tube when doing water changes. This keeps your hand out of the bucket (putting the tube on and off of the PH).

The only suggestion I have is to not let the salt mix sit around too long before you use it. One thing I notice is I get a dirty bucket after a few fill ups. This is from the salt mix. I just wash it out good.

Originally Posted by spinycheek

So what would happen if, for instance, I washed my new water storage container with dish soap. Should I get a new container or hope for the best.

I would say rinse the heck out of it, I have heard of people nuking their tank because they washed their hands with dish soap and didn't get all the soap off.

I would suspect it would be even worse with a larger container (like a 55 gallon drum)

Originally Posted by IanH

I would suspect it would be even worse with a larger container (like a 55 gallon drum)

It is after I use my water container twice I take it out and rinse it and wipe it back down otherwise the walls will get slimmy.

thanks for all the info. i will keep using my 5 gals bckts.

Yeah, I tried the garbage can but my wife shot that idea down right away. Now with the 40g tank I really don't need a lot of water storage.

Still have a trash can but would like to get something better.

Brute trash cans From Home Depot work well, They have wheels too. Also any tupperware container like the large trash cans work very well for smaller applications. Salt buckets and the Home Depot Orange buckets work great as well.

Originally Posted by spinycheek

So what would happen if, for instance, I washed my new water storage container with dish soap. Should I get a new container or hope for the best.

You need to rinse very well. There is really no need to use soap when a little bleach will work much better

Originally Posted by shmoliken

the tips are great. thnx. is there any type of container that shouldn't be used?
right now, i am storing salt water in 5 gallon buckets with air stones circulating it, b/c i only change 8 gals water each time.

Idealy you want to use something made from polyethylene. Polyethylene wont leach chemicals (afaik)


[QUOT
E=IanH;3715]Any ughtghts or suggestions on keeping any grime/bacteria out of the storage container? I keep a 5 gal bucket on hand of fresh salt and it still gets a sheen on top and some bacteria growing after a while.
I use two powerheads one tonstantly ly mix and one with the tube going to the sump and cycle the one with the tube when doing water changes. This keeps your hand out of the bucket (putting the tube on and off of the PH).[/QUOTE]

Grime and bacteria are going to get in no matter what you do. The grime will come from the salt mix its self and bacteria will find its way in even if you keep the lid on tight.

There is really not much to worry about either because the bacteria will eat nutrients in the mix and the grime is most likely precipitate and unless you dump it in shouldnt harm anything. Just bleach the tub out every few weeks, rinse well and you should be good.

Originally Posted by skinz78

Storing and mixing salt water:

It is very simple and fairly cheap to create the perfect saltwater mixing container to have available for emergency water replacements as well as your regular water changes.


These are the items you will need:

• New 30-55 gallon plastic trash container
• Floating or digital "with probe" thermometer
• Power head for water circulation
• 200 watt heater
• Salt mix
• Hydrometer or refractometer
• 10 feet of 5/8" tubing

Make sure the 55-gallon trash container (available at any hardware store) is very sturdy and does not have any holes or metal parts in the container. Rinse it well with tap water. Do not use chemicals, cleaners, or detergents.


What you need to do:



Place the container next to the aquarium or in a safe place that you and your significant other agree upon, and fill it with the amount of water you will need "RO/DI preferred". Note: Do not fill it to the top since you may need room to add more water if you accidentally add too much salt.

Set the floating thermometer in the container of water. Set the powerhead, and the heater, in the bottom of the container and plug them in. Take note of the display tank temperature. Slowly add about 1/3 of the salt you will need. When the salt is dissolved, add another third. Check the thermometer; adjust the heater if needed. When all the salt is dissolved, test the salt level with the hydrometer or refractometer and check the temperature. You will want these levels to be the same as the aquarium. Add salt if the specific gravity is too low, or water if specific gravity is too high, and adjust the heater if needed.


Once these levels match the aquarium or fit your needs for correction, unplug the powerhead and heater. Attach one end of the tubing to the output of the powerhead and put the other end in the aquarium "or 5 gallon bucket if you opt to place the mixing container in a remote location". Plug the powerhead back in (making sure the tubing will not jump out of the aquarium or bucket) and pump the new salt mix into the aquarium or bucket as desired. Pay attention to this step, I have had my fair share of floods cause I got distracted......


Salt storage
Moisture can turn salt mix into one large salt block. Always make sure the container holding the salt is well sealed as soon as you are finished with it. Do not store the salt measuring cup in the salt container as it often collects moisture while being used. Bags of salt are best stored inside a plastic container with a good seal.


Using a refractometer




Refractometers are an incredibly accurate way to measure salt levels, even at very low levels. They compensate for temperature AND are very easy to use. Just lift the plastic lid from the angular end, place a drop of water on the surface, and close the lid. Look through the viewing lens (round end) as if you are looking through a telescope. The line where the blue and white areas meet is your salinity (concentration of salt in water) or specific gravity, depending on which scale you use.
Note: When you place the drop of water on the viewing lens don't use your finger to dip a drop of water from your tank, your fingers have salts and oils on them and will void your refractometers reading. I use a syringe or a dripper, which ever is handy. Sometimes when I am being lazy I just dip the end of the refractometer in the tank.



TIP: When mixing saltwater for marine aquariums, always fill your container with all the water you will need BEFORE adding the salt. Adding a large quantity of salt to a small amount of water can cause the calcium to precipitate out, lowering pH to dangerous levels.

I just ordered a Refractometer RO/Di Unit and hope this will help with some level issues I've had. I had a guy who was helping me with my tank but, it turned into him not wanting to actually inform me on how to do thing, instead him doing it whenever he came around. So I have been asking questions to everyone I can find because I had one tank overflow and knew not what to do.

Well your in the right place Wright Place Ask away and we will help you out in any way we can

The best cans to use are brutes or rubbermaids they are food grade. most of the others leach chemicals.