How quickly do you add salt?

[OrionN]

I have a 50 gal drum with a small power head. I just dump 15 lbs of salt into it. Stir it up with a homemade stirrer paddle. It takes me just a few minutes. The small pump keeps the water in the drum circulated until use. as long as I don't do a 50% water change, new saltwater mix is fine to use as soon as the water clear up.

I NEVER EVER add salt into a tank with animals in it to raise the salinity. Is this what you are asking?

 

[EricR]

My only concerns (based on reading) line up with posts #15 and 18 so I spread a reasonable amount across the surface and slosh it around with a large, plastic spoon,,, then let the pump do the rest.

I just do multiple iterations over the course of maybe 5 minutes or so,,, FWIW

 

[OrionN]

My only concerns (based on reading) line up with posts #15 and 18 so I spread a reasonable amount across the surface and slosh it around with a large, plastic spoon,,, then let the pump do the rest.

I just do multiple iterations over the course of maybe 5 minutes or so,,, FWIW

No, not the surface but where the salt is, which is at the bottom. As the salt dissolves, without enough agitation, the concentration of the solutes can reach very high. Calcium carbonate can, due to increased concentration, precipitated and does not dissolve again. This is why dump salt in the drum and let the power head circulate the water can result in “salt not completely dissolved”. The solid is not undissolved salt, rather it is precipitation of diluted that reach supersaturated in the micro environment. Some of these, namely CaCO3 will not redissolve.

that is why I use the paddle

 

[EricR]

No, not the surface but where the salt is, which is at the bottom. As the salt dissolves, without enough agitation, the concentration of the solutes can reach very high. Calcium carbonate can, due to increased concentration, precipitated and does not dissolve again. This is why dump salt in the drum and let the power head circulate the water can result in “salt not completely dissolved”. The solid is not undissolved salt, rather it is precipitation of diluted that reach supersaturated in the micro environment. Some of these, namely CaCO3 will not redissolve.

that is why I use the paddle

I didn't mean to suggest the surface was relevant, just used it as reference for how I attempt to not get a lot of salt all condensed in one spot while adding.

 

[dadnjesse]

I always have 30 gallons pre made. I just dump it in my RO/DI water and use a Maxi Jet 1200 to mix it until I do a water change. I usually do bi weekly water changes. I also store 50 gallons of RO/DI.