Adding Water to Tank

[Slayvoff]

Planning the long process of my first saltwater tank, and trying to learn everything as I work towards it.

Two main questions:

I know you need an RO/DI unit, and I know you need salt...but when exactly and how exactly do you combine before adding to your system? Say I pour a gallon of RO/DI water into a jug. Do I then go to my sea salt (let's say Red Sea brand bc seems so popular) and pour in x amount of cups (if there is a cup-per-gallon ratio or something) and shake it up? And then test salinity using whatever that test kit is? And THEN add it to the aquarium? If so, is the water added right into the tank?

Second, is the water you put in the ATO reservoir just straight up RO/DI water with nothing else whatsoever?

 

[jsker]

Depending on how many gallons I mix to 1.025 salinity. It is best to get a refractometer to check salinity

Yes one uses the straight RO/DI in the ATO

 

[Reefer1978]

I have a separate container, with a powerhead, to mix salt in. Shaking it up might take a lot of shaking.

And only clean RO/DI for top off also, as jsker mentioned.

 

[jaws789832]

Yes and yes.
In my opinion mixing salt water is not rocket science. Just get a vessel depending on how much water you need and using a measuring cup, stir in the recommended amount of salt, circulate it a bit then test the salinity and fine tune.

The salt does not evaporate from the tank, only water so only add pure water (RO/DI) to top off the tank

 

[jaws789832]

And you can add freshly mixed saltwater to the tank as long as you pull out the same amount of tank water. For example when I do a water change, I pull out 20 gallons of tank water and replace it with 20 gallons af freshly mixed saltwater that has been temperature and salinity mathed

 

[Slayvoff]

Thanks all. So with the temperature, would you just drop a heater into the jug of water you're about to add and wait for it to heat to same temp as your tank is set at?

 

[Reefer1978]

Thanks all. So with the temperature, would you just drop a heater into the jug of water you're about to add and wait for it to heat to same temp as your tank is set at?

Depends on size of tank/amount of water being changed. I change 5 gallons weekly on a 120g total system, I don't bother heating the water. Tank maybe drops by .2 degrees. If doing a larger water change, I heat it up.

 

[jaws789832]

Exactly. What size tank are you looking at? The smaller the tank the more important these things are. If you are talking mixing up 1 gallon at a time it must be pretty small. If you mix 1 gallon of water that has a big temperature or salinity difference into a say 5 gallon tank you are going to cause a big spike and cause stress to the occupants, whereas putting 20 gallons into 200 doesnt really affect it too much

 

[Slayvoff]

Exactly. What size tank are you looking at? The smaller the tank the more important these things are. If you are talking mixing up 1 gallon at a time it must be pretty small. If you mix 1 gallon of water that has a big temperature or salinity difference into a say 5 gallon tank you are going to cause a big spike and cause stress to the occupants, whereas putting 20 gallons into 200 doesnt really affect it too much

I was just using 1 gallon to keep things simple - but I am looking at anywhere from 40-55 gallons. I really love the idea of a drop off tank but there are none in that range. Largest I can find is the Reef Crest 35.

 

[Girthrockwel]

I use a five gallon bucket, an old powerhead and a cheap heater. Half a cup of salt per gallon of water usually gets it pretty close

 

[Reefer1978]

For bigger drop-off tank you gotta go custom.

 

[Martin Kuhn]

For most salt mixtures ~ 150 grams per galleon are needed to bring it to 1.026 SG@77F / 34.8 psu (= typical salinity we go for)

If you e.g. Take 10 gallons RO/DI you get a bit more saltwater (~ 10,2)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Many people use large Brute plastic trash cans for water mixing.

 

[Slayvoff]

Many people use large Brute plastic trash cans for water mixing.

If only I had that kind of space lol. Live in a 670 sq. foot 1 bedroom in NYC.


As for custom drop-off, say a 55 gallon...any idea what something like that would cost? At least, more or less expensive than a Red Sea Reefer 250 (1,299)?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have no idea on costs of such an aquarium.

 

[Reefer1978]

From experience, anything custom costs more.

 

[Slayvoff]

From experience, anything custom costs more.

Yeah...custom screams expensive. It's really too bad drop-off tanks aren't more common. I think they are so cool and really allow for additional creativity. The Sea Crest 35 would be great I just wish they made one with another 15 gallons.

 

[Breadman03]

https://www.marinedepot.com/Mode_Aq...uariums-Mode_Aquariums-6M99374-FIAQML-vi.html