Keeping Premixed Saltwater in Barrel

[CCK_8814]

Who here keeps new/fresh mixed saltwater in a barrel or other storage container? I’m looking for those that do this for times longer than a week, ideally 2 weeks to a month. My thought it to keep enough saltwater mixed & ready to go for at least 2 water changes as well as a few gallons extra for if I need to add actual saltwater (I.e. after selling several things out of a system). For me this would be somewhere between 20-30gal. It would be kept in either a food grade storage barrel or a brute trash can. If I did keep it I would leave a pump and heater in and running with the mixed saltwater. Any and all input is appreciated as usual!

 

[sde1500]

I use a brute can and a super cheap pump to circulate. No heater though. Lasts me near a month.

 

[JimFuller]

I keep about 75 Gallons mixed up at most times. I just remix with the pump an hour or so before use. I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals .

 

[SomethingfishyPKNY]

I keep about 75 Gallons mixed up at most times. I just remix with the pump an hour or so before use. I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals .

I have 105 made at all times

 

[Billldg]

I usually have 30 gals in a brute can mixed at 1.026 on hand and have kept it up to a month. I do turn a pump on to circulate it before I use it though.

 

[CCK_8814]

So the consensus is you don’t keep a pump or heater running 24/7? How long do you mix before storing?

 

[NinnJinn]

The longest I have stored water is approximately 45 days

 

[tupes]

I keep 50 gallons fresh and 50 gallons salt mixed at all times. No heater but I do keep a korillia pump on 24/7 and have mag 12 no give it a good mix the day of a water change.

 

[saltyhog]

30 gallons here at all times. Circulate and heat for a couple of hours before use.

 

[CCK_8814]

Thanks everyone. Looks like I’m going to give it a go.

 

[JOKER]

I store water for a month always. I do AWC of 1-2 gallons daily. I have a 60 gallon storage tank. I mix for a few hours, and let sit afterwards with no heat or circulation. IME experience after the water is mixed it stays stable. I have checked alk and calcium after 20 days, and doesn't lose much at all. I use RPM ATM, but I have used red sea blue bucket, IO, Brightwell, and many others this way.

 

[SomethingfishyPKNY]

So the consensus is you don’t keep a pump or heater running 24/7? How long do you mix before storing?

I only turn the heater on before I use it and pump runs 3xs a day for an hr each time

 

[CCK_8814]

I only turn the heater on before I use it and pump runs 3xs a day for an hr each time

So you have the pump come on randomly each day just to “remix” everything basically?

 

[SomethingfishyPKNY]

So you have the pump come on randomly each day just to “remix” everything basically?

Yup just a simple timer is all y ip u neef

 

[SomethingfishyPKNY]

Yup just a simple timer is all y ip u neef

You need lol

 

[CCK_8814]

Yup just a simple timer is all y ip u neef

Ok perfect. I have a few of those laying around. Then when I transfer from container to my water change buckets I’ll put in heaters and small powerheads to warm it up to tank temp.

 

[PDR]

I usually have 30 gals in a brute can mixed at 1.026 on hand and have kept it up to a month. I do turn a pump on to circulate it before I use it though.

Same here.

 

[SomethingfishyPKNY]

Ok perfect. I have a few of those laying around. Then when I transfer from container to my water change buckets I’ll put in heaters and small powerheads to warm it up to tank temp.

Perfect! Is this your first system all together or just your first storage system?

 

[Burrito]

I keep a brute trash can of salt water and also rodi. I leave a cheap pump in the saltwater can 24/7, no heater since I do awc and the amount I put in over time doesn’t affect my temp

 

[CCK_8814]

Perfect! Is this your first system all together or just your first storage system?

No I’ve been in the hobby for around 8 years. I used to keep a 50gal barrel of reef crystals and a 50gal barrel of basic IO mixed at all times when I had around 2,000gal total volume with all our systems in our house combined. I had heard so many different things about keeping premixed water I just got away from it. When I had to shut down several systems due to a last minute 5 month trip to Germany and when I got back I setup a few small systems. But having to transfer water from my RODI storage barrel and mix water every water change day has become a major PIA. So before I mixed up a bunch of water I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t be a waste of good salt mix basically.