Microwaving saltmix, good or bad?

[20 gallon nano]

I had a question about heating up my salt mix in the microwave when I'm doing a water change, is this okay for the water or is there Any negatives with doing this? Once I get my water to desired salinity I will place a glass bowl of the water I made up in to the microwave for 7 to 10 minutes and add in back into the salt mix, I keep doing that until the water gets to around 78. I read people saying there kenetic energy entering into the water and others say there no change at all with doing this. I would think it would be bad, here's what I found what microwaves do which sounds like it could be changing the molucles and add unwanted things of the salt mix .

Microwave ovens are so quick and efficient because they channel heat energy directly to the molecules (tiny particles) inside food.Microwaves heat food like the sun heats your face—by radiation. Amicrowave is much like the electromagnetic waves that zap through the air from TV and radio transmitters

 

[kimba]

I'm not sure if it's good or bad, but it seems like a lot of work just to heat up your water. I guess it depends on how much water your heating. I only need 2 gal a week so I just fill my sink with hot water and let my jugs sit in there until temp. (takes about 5 min).

 

[Dtackett]

@Randy Holmes-Farley would be the best one to ask for this.

I remember seeing a study done by a kid on the effects of water that has been microwaved. he used 3 identical plants all controlled so everything was the same. microwaved the water for one plant, boiled the water for the second plant, then just used tap for the third plant. the microwaved water plant died, the boiled water lived, the tap did best.

basically what I gather from that is that the microwave essentially killed all the nutrients in the water. I can imagine it would be much the same with saltwater but I would wait for randy to answer.

 

[20 gallon nano]

@Randy Holmes-Farley would be the best one to ask for this.

I remember seeing a study done by a kid on the effects of water that has been microwaved. he used 3 identical plants all controlled so everything was the same. microwaved the water for one plant, boiled the water for the second plant, then just used tap for the third plant. the microwaved water plant died, the boiled water lived, the tap did best.

basically what I gather from that is that the microwave essentially killed all the nutrients in the water. I can imagine it would be much the same with saltwater but I would wait for randy to answer.

That sounds pretty convincing on not to use the microwave."kimba" s idea sounds good except it will take a while to get 5 gallons to heat up. I know the best thing would be with a heater and pump inside of it but I use 2 buckets for my water changes so I would have to by 2 sets of heaters and pumps or get myself a ten gallon container, both options would be to spend more money.

 

[Dtackett]

could just buy a used scratched up 10 gallon tank off craigslist for about 5 bucks.

 

[Reefrookie220]

Or put a spare heater in your mixing station....

 

[20 gallon nano]

could just buy a used scratched up 10 gallon tank off craigslist for about 5 bucks.

The problem with that would be how would I dump that water from the used tank in my display tank, I guess I could use a pump.

 

[njtiger aquariums]

Or put a spare heater in your mixing station....

I agree. I just ordered a cheap heater just to warm up my mixed water.

Microwaving your water could lead to issues (but I don't know for fact)

 

[Ebone]

strangest thing I've heard.... never thought of prepping for a water change with a microwave haha

 

[Dtackett]

you can buy heaters on ebay for about 5 bucks. ive used them as my main heaters for years. promise they'll do fine for a heater for a water change. but yes a pump would be how you would move the water to the tank/

 

[njtiger aquariums]

I do a 10gal (two 5gal buckets) water change every other week. Now I use RO water and I know it takes about 30 or more minutes to make a bucket of RO water. Now I wasn't using a heater but letting my buckets get to room temp. My last water change I felt the room temp was too cold so I grab a heater of a tank I was taking apart and found that my tap water was extremely cold. I warm up my water but it did take a while. This time I am going to warm up one bucket while the other is still making. Once the first bucket is to temp I then will do the second bucket. I just ordered a spare heater and a cheap temp off of Amazon. I paid about $20 for both. I will see how well it goes next weekend (when I'm due for a water change)

 

[20 gallon nano]

you can buy heaters on ebay for about 5 bucks. ive used them as my main heaters for years. promise they'll do fine for a heater for a water change. but yes a pump would be how you would move the water to the tank/

The only ones I can find is out of the country, I ordered from china before and it too me like a month to get the item. I make both of my buckets up in a day and then next day I do my water change and the water is still too cold. I like the idea of placing a container in some hot water. Maybe I should fill my tub up with super hot water and place both of the bucket in it with a termomitor in the bucket.

 

[Dtackett]

yeah, you can order from hong kong and it take a month but only cost 5 bucks or you can run to walmart and buy a cheap heater for 3-4x the cost but have it right away. they'll work just fine. honestly I would just pickup a 10 gallon tank and a pump. its a few bucks that's well worth it.

 

[Shep]

@Randy Holmes-Farley would be the best one to ask for this.

I remember seeing a study done by a kid on the effects of water that has been microwaved. he used 3 identical plants all controlled so everything was the same. microwaved the water for one plant, boiled the water for the second plant, then just used tap for the third plant. the microwaved water plant died, the boiled water lived, the tap did best.

basically what I gather from that is that the microwave essentially killed all the nutrients in the water. I can imagine it would be much the same with saltwater but I would wait for randy to answer.

......Yea that's not actually possible, a microwave is not going to "kill" nutrients. I'd like to see this study you are talking about.
I'll leave this here
http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp

 

[HM3105]

You could get one of those electric tea kettles, warm the water and dump into miximg water. High Def corals uses that method for frag swaps.

 

[Dtackett]

yeah apparently it was a hoax, figured that out trying to find it... but notice how I said it was done by a kid. not it was a scientific study lol.

http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp

 

[20 gallon nano]

yeah apparently it was a hoax, figured that out trying to find it... but notice how I said it was done by a kid. not it was a scientific study lol.

http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp

I would still want a easier and cheap method of warming the water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Heating water with microwaves doesn't produce anything different than other forms of heating.

If anyone sees any difference, it would be from the containers used, the mixing methods, etc.

For example, it would not be a good idea to heat one gallon of salt water to very hot or boiling and add it to a larger volume to try to raise the temp of the whole thing. Boiling seawater could lead to issues with precipitation of calcium carbonate and maybe other ions. You could do that with fresh water, as long as the very hot water was not added to highly concentrated salt water (or dry salt).

So the OP should not, IMO, heat small portions of the the salt water very much in the microwave (or by any other method).

 

[TheEngineer]

Make sure you don't heat up just pure RODI water in a microwave. Note this was one of the only useful things the Mythbusters ever did

 

[20 gallon nano]

Heating water with microwaves doesn't produce anything different than other forms of heating.

If anyone sees any difference, it would be from the containers used, the mixing methods, etc.

For example, it would not be a good idea to heat one gallon of salt water to very hot or boiling and add it to a larger volume to try to raise the temp of the whole thing. Boiling seawater could lead to issues with precipitation of calcium carbonate and maybe other ions. You could do that with fresh water, as long as the very hot water was not added to highly concentrated salt water (or dry salt).

So the OP should not, IMO, heat small portions of the the salt water very much in the microwave (or by any other method).

Yea that's what I've been doing is heating up my already mixed salt mix. I'm no longer going do that. I will heat up the freshwater to desired temp and then start adding the salt. The reply to icecool2 ,mythbuster mentioned that they microwaved to boiling hot to get it to explode . I'm only warming the water up.