Help - not enough salt water!

[fluff]

I didn't realize didn't have enough saltwater before I started the water change. The old saltwater was discarded. What should I do until the store opens in the morning?

 

[Ranjib]

How much salt water you need? and where are you located. I can make 5-6G in an hour, located at foster city.

This should not be a big problem either way. Just run power head, and may be an airstone

 

[fluff]

3 gallons

 

[fluff]

3 gallons

I am located in San Ramon

 

[NY_Caveman]

Is it a sump or all in one? I assume you do not have enough water to make a return. Unless you know someone near you or someone local offers, I would at least try to keep water heated and flowing in all areas even if the areas are kept separate overnight. That is just off my head. More info on your setup would help.

 

[fluff]

Is it a sump or all in one? I assume you do not have enough water to make a return. Unless you know someone near you or someone local offers, I would at least try to keep water heated and flowing in all areas even if the areas are kept separate overnight. That is just off my head. More info on your setup would help.

I have a biocube. I should run to pet smart before they close

 

[NY_Caveman]

How much salt water you need? and where are you located. I can make 5-6G in an hour, located at foster city.

This should not be a big problem either way. Just run power head, and may be an airstone

Nice!

 

[Ranjib]

I am located in San Ramon

Whoa, this will be like couple of hours drive then. How big is your tank, can tell us a bit about your setup ?

 

[JVU]

I’m in Walnut Creek, so not too far. I can make you RODI or saltwater, if you are ok with Reef Crystals. PM me if interested.

 

[fluff]

Back from petsmart. I bought a new airstone, reef crystals, circulation pump, and a 4-way gang valve for the air pump.

I am a newbie, and I have never made my own saltwater. I have an air pump for my protein skimmer, and a stock biocube. Nothing fancy. I have fish, coral and invertebrates in our tank. I have about 3 gallons of ROI water left over from my lfs.

With the saltwater I had leftover, I think I need to make about another 2 gallons of saltwater.

I am making 2 gallons of saltwater, leaving the last gallon to dilute the mixture if needed. I put my pump and extra heater into a clean bucket. It's pumping noisily.

In my main tank, I put the airstone and butches my protein skimmernfor the air source. Heat is running in the main tank.

Now what?

 

[fluff]

 

[fluff]

1st picture is my main tank with airstone and all the salt water that I have left. 2nd photo is my main tank before I added the airstone and water.

Do I need to install the circulation pump in the main tank too?

 

[JVU]

So if I understand you, you added the appropriate amount of reef salt to RO/DI water, added a pump to mix, and added a heater to get it up to tank temp? Or you can mix manually by stirring every few min.

At that point, the salt should dissolve in less than 30 min, when you don’t see any salt left, check the salinity, add more salt or water as needed and then add to your tank.

 

[Ranjib]

You are good. You can add the circulation pump in main tank as well, and keep the airstone in back chamber, that will keep thing fairly safe for the whole night or even more,

Regarding the saltwater mix, do what @JVU said. Make sure the water you are making is of same salinity (should be around 1.025-1.026) and same temperature (76-80). Thats all you need to do, after 30 min to an hour mixing, you are good to go, check the salinity before adding it to the tank.

 

[fluff]

You are good. You can add the circulation pump in main tank as well, and keep the airstone in back chamber, that will keep thing fairly safe for the whole night or even more,

Regarding the saltwater mix, do what @JVU said. Make sure the water you are making is of same salinity (should be around 1.025-1.026) and same temperature (76-80). Thats all you need to do, after 30 min to an hour mixing, you are good to go, check the salinity before adding it to the tank.

Thank you!

 

[divewsharks]

So if I understand you, you added the appropriate amount of reef salt to RO/DI water, added a pump to mix, and added a heater to get it up to tank temp? Or you can mix manually by stirring every few min.

At that point, the salt should dissolve in less than 30 min, when you don’t see any salt left, check the salinity, add more salt or water as needed and then add to your tank.

You can manually mix it. When all dissolved, check salinity

 

[NY_Caveman]

Should all be fine. And now you have salt mix. Maybe keep some distilled water in the future for emergencies if you continue to buy premixed. Is it the same salt as from the LFS? I would assume. Parameters may be different if not, but better than nothing.

 

[fluff]

Should all be fine. And now you have salt mix. Maybe keep some distilled water in the future for emergencies if you continue to buy premixed. Is it the same salt as from the LFS? I would assume. Parameters may be different if not, but better than nothing.

Not sure. I just bring my buckets into Aquatic Collection, and they fill me up. Anyone know what they use?

 

[fluff]

Should all be fine. And now you have salt mix. Maybe keep some distilled water in the future for emergencies if you continue to buy premixed. Is it the same salt as from the LFS? I would assume. Parameters may be different if not, but better than nothing.

Good point, I will keep that in consideration I swear I had another 5 gallons of saltwater before my family cleaned my garage.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Call them tomorrow and ask. If drastically different I would just monitor closely for a couple of days, especially corals. If there is an adverse reaction, do an extra water change or two with the LFS water perhaps.