how do you measure your water?

[Zoanthkid]

OK, I've heard of many ways of measuring salt for mixing new water... from digital scales, to 1.5cups per gallon type recipes(figurative numbers), to people stuck in the stone age like me who guess n check, guess some more, check some more etc.... what I don't hear discussed much is how you technical folk measure water... from having the exact amount of water to mix with your perfectly measured salt of choice or how u systematically figured out that your system required "x" amount of top off water 6 times a day to be rock solid stable all the time... knowing not all 5gal buckets are created equal, and everyone's version of full is a slightly different story... how do you know you have just the right amount every time? Just curious.

 

[Steven R]

Trial and error i usually mix 1/2 cup per gallon of water but if the water is really pure it take's a little less salt to reach my desired S.G so if my water is really pure I use slightly less than a half cup per gallon I shake my measuring cup till the salt no longer will fall over the sides of the measuring cup then add it to the bucket. As far as the top off I don't guess I use a ATO to be sure.

 

[pumarjr]

I run esv 4 part salt. It tells you how many gal/pounds of r/o, then the same for the salts and additives. mixes perfect every time.

 

[Zoanthkid]

I run esv 4 part salt. It tells you how many gal/pounds of r/o, then the same for the salts and additives. mixes perfect every time.

so you weigh your water and salt?

 

[Mike&Terry]

As water weighs 8 lbs per gallon, an easy way to figure out the "fill line" in your 5 gallon salt bucket would be to weigh the salt bucket, then add 40 lbs of water and mark your fill line with a permanent ink marker.

We have a bucket that is marked and have used it to then mark 5 gallon increments on our sump so we know exactly how much water we've pulled out and need to add back during water changes.

 

[ruppertb]

i measure out alof into gallon baggies with a scale. then when i make water i can just dump in a bag to my 16gals

 

[Trex]

A solo cup -- 2.5 of them, give or take.

 

[_sludgefactory]

i measure out alof into gallon baggies with a scale. then when i make water i can just dump in a bag to my 16gals

That's a really good idea. Oceanic sells a prepacked 5 gallon mix bag like that.



Tank thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81000

LG P999 EaglesBlood 2.8, Trinity ELPmax

 

[BarbH]

Just starting so for me it has been trial and error 1/2 cup per gallon of water, let that mix and than check add more salt or water depending on what my s.g reads will add more salt or water. Using a 20 gallon brute container that I fill to 15 gallons, to know about how much water I have in my brute I am using a piece of pvc that is marked off at 5 gallon increments (an idea that I got from Mike and Terry :smile. To determine how to mark my pvc I used a five gallon bucket that is see through to add 5 gallons to the brute and than mark my pvc. Will take some time but hope to have this down to a science in the future, lol.

 

[Loki]

I weigh my salt. Thanks to Alton Brown I know that all cups by volume of salt/sugar/flour are not equal. so I add 1.5lbs of salt for every 5 gallons of water. I also use a 20 gallon brute can and mix 15 gallons at a time. I have not gotten it to a science yet because I don't know exactly how much water I put in the can. So I always adjust accordingly. I will try to weigh the bucket and see if that helps.

I am glad you asked! I have seen some good ideas already!

 

[swissgaurd]

mark my mixing container in gallon increments
weigh my salt with a digital scale then check with a refractometer.once you do it a few times its bang on 99.9% of the time

vic

 

[swannyson7]

I determined how much water I need in order to use a single bag from a 200g box of Reef Crystals and get a specific gravity of 1.026. Then I installed a float switch off of my RO/DI in my mixing tub so that I get the correct amount of water every time. I double check and fine tune before use, but it has always been between 1.025-1.027.

 

[CalmSeasQuest]

For me, add 4 cups of RC into a 7 gallon bucket of 80F water. This produces ~35 ppt. Wait a bit and confirm with a refractometer then adjust if needed.

 

[ruppertb]

i also roll my bucket around alot to stir up the salt b4 i bag it up, this way its mixed better imo

 

[btkrausen]

I use a 1 cup measuring cup and put salt in by counting by 2 until I get to the amount of water I have. I use a 40B for my mixing tank, so its fairly easy to fill it to the top and put in 20 scoops from the measuring cup. I also have a bigger Rubbermaid bowl that equals 6 cups, so it makes it a little faster

Then I use a refractometer to check

 

[Eggs]

I use a 1 cup measuring cup and put salt in by counting by 2 until I get to the amount of water I have. I use a 40B for my mixing tank...

Just about the same method here - 1 cup gets me about .002 salinity for the amount of water I fill the brute to - so about 12 cups of salt to get to approx. 1.024
I'll wait 24 hrs and test, then I just tune it in. I'm sure there are easier ways, but it works for me.

 

[Eggs]

A solo cup -- 2.5 of them, give or take.

Is it a "Red Solo Cup" :roll:

 

[Trex]

Is it a "Red Solo Cup" :roll:

I had to leave out the color because I despise one Toby Keith.