Keeping Ready Mixed Seawater

[Dextereef]

Hi all. I was wondering if those of you who keep seawater mixed and on hand at all times can chime in on pros/cons, to-do's, not to-do's, and detail your setup please. I am thinking of investing in an auto water change system and would love some advice. Thank you so much!

 

[zemuss]

Following

 

[nerdymunky]

I am working on a system using food-certified Brute trash cans to hold the water. I believe the trash cans need to have either NSF certification #2 or #4 for it to be safe. TIP: Depending on the location of the fresh and dirty water trashcans, you may want to place the trashcans on a wheeled platform to make it less painful to empty\refill the containers.

Inside, I'll be using a heater (keeping the saltwater the same temp as the DT), circulation pump (helps mixing the salt), and powerhead (to pump the water to the DT).

As for ATO\Auto Water Change, I'll be follow-ing this DIY video:
[video=youtube;XtekO7RRRcA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtekO7RRRcA[/video]

 

[Waters]

I store saltwater (and freshwater) in Brute cans (one green, one blue) and have not had any issues at all with Phosphates or anything else. As far as my setup...nothing really to it lol. The blue can holds RO/DI water which is replenished every other week and the green can holds mixed (heated and aerated) saltwater which is also replenished every other week.

I guess I should have read your entire post.....just saw that it is for setting up an auto change system. Please ignore my entire post :bigsmile:

 

[d2mini]

I store and mix my water in these.
Fresh on top, saltwater on the bottom. (ATO is a separate container)

I mix until the saltwater is throughly mixed and then I have about 10 days worth of auto water changes.
The auto water changes are performed by my Profilux. It's part of the standard programming. And it utilizes level sensors in the sump so it's very precise with no chance of salinity changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I store my salt water in grey Brutes (2 x 44 gallons plumbed together).

For Instant Ocean, there no need to stir it after the initial mixing. I don't heat it either, since I change it really slow (1% daily in a bunch of 15 minute periods on a timer).

 

[zemuss]

i don't know if it is me or that I like the old school methods of changing water. Meaning 1:1 ratios, you take out 1 gallon you put in 1 gallon, take out 5 add 5. etc...

The reason the auto water changes or perpetual changes might concern me is because you can be removing the same water that your adding.

 

[d2mini]

Randy, this kind of on topic.... hopefully the OP doesn't mind... is there any difference chemically (that we need to worry about) between colors of the Brute trash cans?

 

[d2mini]

The reason the auto water changes or perpetual changes might concern me is because you can be removing the same water that your adding.

When doing them multiple times per day you are taking out a very small percentage of newer water over time, but with a properly setup AWC system, first it removes the old water, then it puts back the new water. It's not running both pumps at the same time. I prefer small daily changes for two reasons. 1) Nothing in the tank notices anything is happening since it's such a small amount and it takes like an hour and a half to swap out just a few gallons. 2) It makes sure that my water changes always get done and on a consistent basis, no matter what's happening in my life. As long as there is a steady supply of fresh saltwater, anyway.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

i don't know if it is me or that I like the old school methods of changing water. Meaning 1:1 ratios, you take out 1 gallon you put in 1 gallon, take out 5 add 5. etc...

The reason the auto water changes or perpetual changes might concern me is because you can be removing the same water that your adding.

If you do simple mixing, 30 x 1% water changes (or even a huge number of really small ones that add up to 30% total water changed) is equally effective to one 26% water change, so the difference is small.

Better yet, if you add the water downstream of where you take it out, as I do, the ratio is a lot better and closer to the 30% of a single water change.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When doing them multiple times per day you are taking out a very small percentage of newer water over time, but with a properly setup AWC system, first it removes the old water, then it puts back the new water. It's not running both pumps at the same time. I prefer small daily changes for two reasons. 1) Nothing in the tank notices anything is happening since it's such a small amount and it takes like an hour and a half to swap out just a few gallons. 2) It makes sure that my water changes always get done and on a consistent basis, no matter what's happening in my life. As long as there is a steady supply of fresh saltwater, anyway.

I don't necessarily agree that a "properly set up AWC" does not do both at the same time. I actually like changing in and out at the same time so there is no change in the sump level.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, this kind of on topic.... hopefully the OP doesn't mind... is there any difference chemically (that we need to worry about) between colors of the Brute trash cans?

This was some info I had from 2008. Not sure if it is still accurate:

Gray, White and Yellow are USDA Meat & Poultry Equipment Group Listed and assist in complying with HACCP guidelines.
Certified to NSF Standard #2 (gray, white and yellow) and Standard #21 (gray, white, yellow, blue, red and black).

 

[d2mini]

I don't necessarily agree that a "properly set up AWC" does not do both at the same time. I actually like changing in and out at the same time so there is no change in the sump level.

Ah, yes... I see how that could be a concern.
I'm able to pull my water from my return section so nothing is effected by the change in level and my ATO is disabled while the AWC is running.

This was some info I had from 2008. Not sure if it is still accurate:

Gray, White and Yellow are USDA Meat & Poultry Equipment Group Listed and assist in complying with HACCP guidelines.
Certified to NSF Standard #2 (gray, white and yellow) and Standard #21 (gray, white, yellow, blue, red and black).

Maybe I should stop using my green one. Oops. ainkiller:

 

[Dextereef]

I store my salt water in grey Brutes (2 x 44 gallons plumbed together).

For Instant Ocean, there no need to stir it after the initial mixing. I don't heat it either, since I change it really slow (1% daily in a bunch of 15 minute periods on a timer).

I didn't know that about IO salt I figured they all needed to have flow.moving through them.

 

[Dextereef]

Thank you everyone for your input.

 

[d2mini]

I didn't know that about IO salt I figured they all needed to have flow.moving through them.

You can check with each manufacturer. It will differ.
I believe the recommended mix time for Aquavitro Salinity is about 24 hours and their customer support will tell you that it will begin to precipitate after that.

 

[Dextereef]

Hmm good to know

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Unless the salt has organic matter added to it (Reef Crystals, Tropic Marin Bioactif, possibly others), there's no need to stir it beyond the initial mixing.

Some salt mixes have significant precipitation of calcium carbonate on pumps and heaters, so mixing more them may actually be counter productive.

 

[zemuss]

Randy,

Can you explain your system or post a link? And any required hardware.. please

 

[dlbowlin]

I was wondering where you got that sheving... I just bought those tanks to attempt this exact setup but need to find shelving or build it.