How slow is pouring salt "slowly"?

[Collinslice]

As the title states, a lot of instructions require to slowly add your salt mix, but, how slow is that?

Is it dependent on how much water you're adding to?

How quick, or slowly, do you dump your salt mix bag into your RO water?

 

[jdpeters]

I generally dump it all in at once with no problems

 

[whatchamacallit]

In the 5 years of reefing I've done I don't think I've ever poured slowly lol I always just dump it in. Guess I've been doing it wrong haha

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The idea is to not have a big pile sitting on the bottom with locally high concentrations of alk and calcium interacting to precipitate calcium carbonate. So it depends on stirring rate, etc.

I pour half a 50 gallon bag into a stirred 44 gallon Brute can in about 1-2 minutes by moving the place the pouring salt enters the water around the top of the water.

 

[reefwiser]

I measure my salt out on a scale and then slowly shake the container into my mixing bucket. I always check to make sure after a couple of minutes that all the salt has dissolved. Then I let it mix for an hour and check parameters.

 

[Tautog]

First, think about how much water you need to make. As per instructions, add your salt once your water is up in temperature, it will dissolve quickly. Be sure to add a little less salt, if not you'll need more water. I make 30 gallons at a time, pouring water from the R/O right into my pail. Once full, I add the heater, wait 2-3 days, then add salt and mix. I use a hydrometer, to check temp. and salinity. Then I run a pump to circulate for a day. Check again your water for salinity, Ph, and temperature. Your salinity may be high, then simply add water. Now, and only now are you ready for a water change. Be sure to run your power heads on your live rock to kick up any debris for at least a half hour. Begin your change

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I use a hydrometer, to check temp. and salinity. Then I run a pump to circulate for a day. Check again your water for salinity, Ph, and temperature.

Why check it for pH? IOW, what would you do about it?

 

[Collinslice]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I'm mixing about 100g at a time (store use), and it takes me a minute or two. I too check my mixed water for pH as we've found it easier than checking multiple tanks more than the standard once a week.

 

[Jlobes]

First, think about how much water you need to make. As per instructions, add your salt once your water is up in temperature, it will dissolve quickly. Be sure to add a little less salt, if not you'll need more water. I make 30 gallons at a time, pouring water from the R/O right into my pail. Once full, I add the heater, wait 2-3 days, then add salt and mix. I use a hydrometer, to check temp. and salinity. Then I run a pump to circulate for a day. Check again your water for salinity, Ph, and temperature. Your salinity may be high, then simply add water. Now, and only now are you ready for a water change. Be sure to run your power heads on your live rock to kick up any debris for at least a half hour. Begin your change

This is possibly the most complicated and possibly worst salt mixing advice i have seen. There is no need to add a heater to rodi and wait 2-3 days, a hydrometer checks SG(not temp) and is a highly unreliable method, and lastly, there is no need to circulate your salt mix for a whole day, some salts have specific instruction to the contrary!

to the OP, what the others stated is pretty accurate. add it slow enough to dissolve and not leave large piles on the floor of container. your method of mixing and apparatus used will partly determine this amount.
I mix 25G at a time and add about 750-1000grams each addition, takes 3550grams to make 25G.

 

[joshkirkland83]

First, think about how much water you need to make. As per instructions, add your salt once your water is up in temperature, it will dissolve quickly. Be sure to add a little less salt, if not you'll need more water. I make 30 gallons at a time, pouring water from the R/O right into my pail. Once full, I add the heater, wait 2-3 days, then add salt and mix. I use a hydrometer, to check temp. and salinity. Then I run a pump to circulate for a day. Check again your water for salinity, Ph, and temperature. Your salinity may be high, then simply add water. Now, and only now are you ready for a water change. Be sure to run your power heads on your live rock to kick up any debris for at least a half hour. Begin your change

Cool. Whered you get a hydrometer that checks temp and salinity?? BTW most salts are no good after 24hrs.

 

[jason2459]

... BTW most salts are no good after 24hrs.

Which salt is that?

 

[Collinslice]

Which salt is that?

I think he means if left to sit, I've never seen any adverse effects from leaving salt mixing "too long"

 

[jason2459]

I stay away from salt brands with organics which helps but once my 50g brute is filled with RODI I will turn on a recirculating pump at the bottom and "slowly" add in the salt mix. Slowly to me is open up a bag and shake it back and forth and around the surface until the entire bag is emptied into the bin. I do not heat the water at all which helps the calcium disolve better.

After a few hours I turn off the circulation pump. I let it then sit there and used to change out about 1% of my water daily. It lasts a couple weeks. If I had room I would get a bigger container that would last month's and use the same procedure.

 

[joshkirkland83]

Which salt is that?

According to labels red sea and reef crystals off the top of my head.

 

[Jlobes]

Cool. Whered you get a hydrometer that checks temp and salinity?? BTW most salts are no good after 24hrs.

I cant imagine doing water changes when it takes 3-4 days to mix salt water. :/

 

[Collinslice]

I cant imagine doing water changes when it takes 3-4 days to mix salt water. :/

I barely manage to do them even when I have the water in the store haha. Gotta have some super delicate creature in my tank to keep me on top of it, or else I get lazy

 

[Cory]

Stir the water inthe bucket, get it going into a wirlpool. Dump enough salt in. Start stirring a whirlpool again until the salt dissolves. Measure salinity. Repeat.

 

[jason2459]

According to labels red sea and reef crystals off the top of my head.

AFAIK red Sea salts don't contain organics and should be more then fine sitting in a closed container with out circulation for a very very long time. Even those that do contain organics like reef crystals would be more then fine sitting for more then 24 hours.


Edit: also to add I wouldn't trust the labels or marketing of products that are sold in two industries. One being the fitness and nutrition industries ( I count that as one) and the other the aquarium hobbiest industry. Too often we are lied to straight out or the truths stretched very thin. Or proprietary ingredients that aren't even there or hidden because it can be home brewed for pennies on the dollar compared to the "commercial" product. Take chalk for instance... Or iron... Or carbon...or lanthanum chloride... etc etc. The list goes on.

 

[joshkirkland83]

AFAIK red Sea salts don't contain organics and should be more then fine sitting in a closed container with out circulation for a very very long time. Even those that do contain organics like reef crystals would be more then fine sitting for more then 24 hours.


Edit: also to add I wouldn't trust the labels or marketing of products that are sold in two industries. One being the fitness and nutrition industries ( I count that as one) and the other the aquarium hobbiest industry. Too often we are lied to straight out or the truths stretched very thin. Or proprietary ingredients that aren't even there or hidden because it can be home brewed for pennies on the dollar compared to the "commercial" product. Take chalk for instance... Or iron... Or carbon...or lanthanum chloride... etc etc. The list goes on.

Im still going to use mine in 4 hours or less tho, but good point.

 

[jason2459]

Im still going to use mine in 4 hours or less tho, but good point.

Nothing wrong with that as long as it's fully mixed and like Randy pointed out the Alk is stabilized.