Do I need to heat saltwater?

[MSB123]

Will do.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Agree with @KrisReef .....take a small sample of newly mixed water and float it in you DT and then measure with refractometer. I don't measure the temperature of my newly mixed, but I'd guess mid to upper 60's. The refractometer would read maybe 1.030. However, when heated to 78, it would be 1.026.

 

[MSB123]

I am doing it in the morning, I have a pack of very vicious raccoons who are outside eating cat food right now. I am not kidding,
I have been bitten before. Rabies shots aren’t cheap.

 

[MSB123]

I have an idea. I am going through my basement and then entering the side yard through the weird door we have.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Here kitty, kitty, kitty.

That's got to be scary.

The question is how did cat food get outside?

 

[MSB123]

Here kitty, kitty, kitty.

That's got to be scary.

The question is how did cat food get outside?

2 outdoor cats.

 

[MSB123]

Agree with @KrisReef .....take a small sample of newly mixed water and float it in you DT and then measure with refractometer. I don't measure the temperature of my newly mixed, but I'd guess mid to upper 60's. The refractometer would read maybe 1.030. However, when heated to 78, it would be 1.026.

Got it.
It went up from 1.025 to 1.026 at 78.3 degrees.

 

[Instigate]

Thanks guys!
All mixed up to 1.026!
Changing 4 gallons a day on a 180!
My UPS driver officially hates me!
8 200 gallon salt mix boxes (65lbs each)
I helped but still! He didn’t even have a Dolley!

I always feel bad for the delivery driver when I order salt. And they almost never have a hand truck...

 

[vetteguy53081]

Temper generally has an impact on salinity but you should be fine without heater. Just make sure to mix it well before adding to tank

 

[Dennis Begley]

I do a water change of about 15% every two weeks. I have a 40 gal Brute container as my salt reservoir. Use RO water. I keep a heater and two circulation pumps going all the time in that Brute container. I want the temperature similar to the temp in my tank when I do the water change. Try to keep things as stable as I can when I add the new salt water. I replenish the RO water and salt mix after I do the change and so it sits for about a week or two depending on how quickly I get the new RO water in the Brute and the salt added. I don't heat my ATO fresh water reservoir though. Use to heat it but realized that was not necessary.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

I use natural sea water but it is northern so I add salt. I understand that salt mixes even better at the lower temps so no need to pre heat when adding salt. I used to leave my water for days before using it until a local fish station biologist said he had done tests on the ocean water and it was best used within 2 days to really get the benefits.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

I use local ocean water and since it is northern, I have to add salt. My understanding is that salt mixes even better at the cooler temps. In any case, a local fish station biologist told me they had studied the water and determined that it was best used within 2 days so that's what I've done for sometime. I offload the new water into barrels, add the missing salt immediately, turn on the heaters and leave it filtering thru two socks.