Auto water change with Aquaforest

[porkchop-rob]

I am in the midst of building my 155 gallon cube reef. I would like to set up auto water changes on this system. That said, the product info for the reef salt says to use the salt within 5 days. Is there a reason for this? Has anyone had success using the salt for auto changes? I am not using the pro-biotic salt, just the regular reef salt.

thanks!

 

[ichthyoid]

So you will buy more salt!

 

[Cflow]

It’s shouldn’t make a difference if it isn’t the probiotic salt. Maybe make a batch, wait a week, and see if anything interested happens. Or just switch to another salt. I’ve personally used the probiotic salt and found the parameters are way off. Red Sea blue bucket is what I use now with my aquaforest tank.

 

[Aquaforest]

Evaporation can change water parameters, so keep freshly mixed saltwater in a sealed container if you don’t use it right away. You should check the salinity of your saltwater again before use if you store it for a couple of days.

 

[Clownfishy]

Evaporation can change water parameters, so keep freshly mixed saltwater in a sealed container if you don’t use it right away. You should check the salinity of your saltwater again before use if you store it for a couple of days.

So just to confirm, you cannot use Aquaforest Reef Salt for auto water changes? I raised the same question here and still awaiting a response -

Reef Salt Used By

I emailed Aquaforest with this question but received no response so thought I would try here. Aquaforest state that their Reef Salt should be used within 5 days of mixing it. I would like to know what happens to the salt if you leave it longer. I mix enough salt and dose it slowly over 7 days...

www.reef2reef.com

I aerate the freshly mixed salt over the entire week I dose it and continually monitor the salinity. Therefore, I would like to understand what chemistry change Aquaforest have seen on their salt after 5 days (alk drop?).
I would like to start using your salt but I am concerned Aquaforest are saying to use it before 5 days as I perform water changes using this salt over 7 days.

 

[Clownfishy]

Any update from Aquaforest on why specifically changes in their salt after 5 days?

 

[Wildcats1023]

Evaporation can change water parameters, so keep freshly mixed saltwater in a sealed container if you don’t use it right away. You should check the salinity of your saltwater again before use if you store it for a couple of days.

Is the reason it says use within 5 days because of evaporation and the possible change of parameters or is there another reason? I want to switch to the regular aquaforest salt but I do auto water changes and make water on the weekend for the upcoming week. Any info on storing pqst the 5 days would be a huge help.

 

[Tastee]

I run AWCs on my two tanks with Aquaforest Reef Salt every 6 weeks. I mix about 80 litres of SW and change 25 litres in one tank and 50 litres in the other, leaving about 5 litres left over. I then refill my SW mixing reservoir with RODI to 80 litres. 6 weeks later I measure salinity level in the SW reservoir and add more reef salt to bring it up to 1.024 and repeat the process.

I’ve done this 4 times so far. Due to a couple of user issues initially (overfilling due to automation not working the way I needed) I haven’t completed a repeatable change but expect to do that next time and that will tell me close to exactly how much salt I need to add each time which will reduce the salinity level testing.

Leaving the leftover SW there for 6 weeks doesn’t appear to have caused me any issues, both tanks are happy.

 

[Aquaforest]

Is the reason it says use within 5 days because of evaporation and the possible change of parameters or is there another reason? I want to switch to the regular aquaforest salt but I do auto water changes and make water on the weekend for the upcoming week. Any info on storing pqst the 5 days would be a huge help.

There is no other reason. Parameters could change that's why its important to control salinity.

 

[Clownfishy]

I run AWCs on my two tanks with Aquaforest Reef Salt every 6 weeks. I mix about 80 litres of SW and change 25 litres in one tank and 50 litres in the other, leaving about 5 litres left over. I then refill my SW mixing reservoir with RODI to 80 litres. 6 weeks later I measure salinity level in the SW reservoir and add more reef salt to bring it up to 1.024 and repeat the process.

I’ve done this 4 times so far. Due to a couple of user issues initially (overfilling due to automation not working the way I needed) I haven’t completed a repeatable change but expect to do that next time and that will tell me close to exactly how much salt I need to add each time which will reduce the salinity level testing.

Leaving the leftover SW there for 6 weeks doesn’t appear to have caused me any issues, both tanks are happy.

Could you clarify the levels of your alkalinity in the mixing reservoir after storing the water for 6 weeks. It would also be interesting to see what the pH and Calcium levels are as well.
I do the same with D&D salt but I start dosing it the day I make up the water and use it within 7 days. I see a slight drop of alkalinity from day 3 storing the water but nothing that will cause a problem and all within the range I require (8.5 DKH). I use an air line to aerate the water during the 7 days.
It would be good to understand if you see the same with AquaForest salt.

 

[Tastee]

Could you clarify the levels of your alkalinity in the mixing reservoir after storing the water for 6 weeks. It would also be interesting to see what the pH and Calcium levels are as well.
I do the same with D&D salt but I start dosing it the day I make up the water and use it within 7 days. I see a slight drop of alkalinity from day 3 storing the water but nothing that will cause a problem and all within the range I require (8.5 DKH). I use an air line to aerate the water during the 7 days.
It would be good to understand if you see the same with AquaForest salt.

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I mix my SW with fresh salt about 24 hours before my AWC and then change out water over the next 24 hours. I am then left with about 10 litres of SW. I refill the SW mixing station with RO and then leave it for the next 6 weeks. When that rolls around I measure the salinity in the (now heavily diluted) SW, add fresh salt to mix to 1.024 and repeat the process.

So any loss of Alk, Ca or other elements will only be at most in 12% or so of the NSW. I have not measured the levels in the mixed batch but have not seen any significant changes in parameters of either tank. As I am only changing out ~15% water in each tank any possible change is small (15% of 12%).

 

[Clownfishy]

I see, many thanks for the clarification. I was hoping to use Aquaforest salt over a 7 day period and then mix up a new batch and use that over a 7 day period etc. etc. Aquaforest state it must be used in 5 days but does not offer any information on what happens each day after the 5th day!!! So I have carried on using the D&D salt as I cannot understand what happens to their salt after that 5th day.

Thanks again.

 

[Tastee]

I see, many thanks for the clarification. I was hoping to use Aquaforest salt over a 7 day period and then mix up a new batch and use that over a 7 day period etc. etc. Aquaforest state it must be used in 5 days but does not offer any information on what happens each day after the 5th day!!! So I have carried on using the D&D salt as I cannot understand what happens to their salt after that 5th day.

Thanks again.

My guess is very little happens and that they are just being cautious. If I wanted to do this I would just test the water on day 1 and 7 to check but would not expect any issues.

 

[Stackrat]

Aquaforest have answered the question twice in this thread alone! I'd suggest that the folk threatening to move their business elsewhere unless they get an answer read the entire thread. Stop acting like you are so important!