First, thanks to H@rry for allowing me to come over to his home early this morning. I have live rock waiting to go in the tank now.
I'm mixing in the 10 gallon tank since it was empty. I have about 7.5 to 8 gallons of RO in the tank. (5 1-gallon jugs + I drained the 3 gallon reservoir at work until it slowed to a trickle). I am using Instant Ocean (from the 25 gallon box) from Petsmart. It came as mostly a big chunk, but for the most part a little pressure turns it back to powder. I added 3.5 cups. (7 * 0.5).
Much of it dissolved right away, but after a few hours I thought to myself "Self. Remember in high school chemistry how they told you reaction rate increases with temperature..." so I put in a 300W heater that I had to pull from my 55 gallon because it is hard to control the temperature. I set it midway and ended up with almost 90 degree water after several hours. I turned it down to about 1/4 and went to work. When I came home, there were still some crystals on the bottom, obviously where the flow from the filter had allowed them to settle. I removed the heater since the water was still around 85.
I measured the salinity with the Instant Ocean plastic hydrometer. Had difficulty getting the bubbles to release from the pointer. At first, it read 1.026, then with the bubbles gone 1.020. Those tiny bubbles make a heck of a lot of difference. I also don't know how much my readings are off because of the elevated temperature. The thermometer is the cheap analog kind from Wal-mart. They had 3, all read differently. I took the one in the middle, which happened to match the stick-on thermometer that read 72.
Not having tried to figure out how to do the math, I added 1/2 cup more salt, and USPS was kind enough to drop off my Amazon package with a Hydro Koralia Nano 425, so I have now added that. Should the crystals completely disappear or will there always be a few leftover? In addition to the crystals, I now also have at least 5 little black fish that came off the point of sale Top Fin heater. I hope I can catch them with a net.
I did have one success so far -- I painted the back of the tank black with Krylon Fusion. That was easy, and I hope to never have to try to add a printed or solid vinyl background to a tank ever.
Thanks for feedback; I suspect it will be "patience, grasshopper".
By the way, the Wal-mart on South Parkway across from Parkway Place Mall has neither fish nor a Culligan machine. They did have a 15 gallon tank kit on the clearance aisle next to the pet aisles for $25 (down from $52). The employees there were pretty rude this morning.
I'm mixing in the 10 gallon tank since it was empty. I have about 7.5 to 8 gallons of RO in the tank. (5 1-gallon jugs + I drained the 3 gallon reservoir at work until it slowed to a trickle). I am using Instant Ocean (from the 25 gallon box) from Petsmart. It came as mostly a big chunk, but for the most part a little pressure turns it back to powder. I added 3.5 cups. (7 * 0.5).
Much of it dissolved right away, but after a few hours I thought to myself "Self. Remember in high school chemistry how they told you reaction rate increases with temperature..." so I put in a 300W heater that I had to pull from my 55 gallon because it is hard to control the temperature. I set it midway and ended up with almost 90 degree water after several hours. I turned it down to about 1/4 and went to work. When I came home, there were still some crystals on the bottom, obviously where the flow from the filter had allowed them to settle. I removed the heater since the water was still around 85.
I measured the salinity with the Instant Ocean plastic hydrometer. Had difficulty getting the bubbles to release from the pointer. At first, it read 1.026, then with the bubbles gone 1.020. Those tiny bubbles make a heck of a lot of difference. I also don't know how much my readings are off because of the elevated temperature. The thermometer is the cheap analog kind from Wal-mart. They had 3, all read differently. I took the one in the middle, which happened to match the stick-on thermometer that read 72.
Not having tried to figure out how to do the math, I added 1/2 cup more salt, and USPS was kind enough to drop off my Amazon package with a Hydro Koralia Nano 425, so I have now added that. Should the crystals completely disappear or will there always be a few leftover? In addition to the crystals, I now also have at least 5 little black fish that came off the point of sale Top Fin heater. I hope I can catch them with a net.
I did have one success so far -- I painted the back of the tank black with Krylon Fusion. That was easy, and I hope to never have to try to add a printed or solid vinyl background to a tank ever.
Thanks for feedback; I suspect it will be "patience, grasshopper".
By the way, the Wal-mart on South Parkway across from Parkway Place Mall has neither fish nor a Culligan machine. They did have a 15 gallon tank kit on the clearance aisle next to the pet aisles for $25 (down from $52). The employees there were pretty rude this morning.
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