mixing salt water

[droidus]

Is there a best way to get salt water mixed? I've attached an image of my setup. After about an hour, it was still like this. The salinity is about 1.023. Do I need to re-position or move the circulation pump? I've faced it downwards, but maybe I need to move it vertically down...

Also, what is the best way to increase salinity in my tank? Is it a good idea to have some solution that is higher in salinity to bring up the general tank salinity (maybe like 1.028)? And how slowly should the tank salinity be increased?

 

[miPapareef]

The salt will mix better in cooler water. I usually mix then heat. Try aiming the power head at the salt.

As for increasing salinity, you can top off with salt water until you get to the desired level then go back to RODI.

 

[Sashaka]

Is there a best way to get salt water mixed? I've attached an image of my setup. After about an hour, it was still like this. The salinity is about 1.023. Do I need to re-position or move the circulation pump? I've faced it downwards, but maybe I need to move it vertically down...

Also, what is the best way to increase salinity in my tank? Is it a good idea to have some solution that is higher in salinity to bring up the general tank salinity (maybe like 1.028)? And how slowly should the tank salinity be increased?

Welcome to the saltwater world, droidus!
I think you'll find that people have different opinions about how to do anything in the salty world you've joined, but that's a good thing. You'll likely receive multiple examples of how to do something and then be able to settle on what works for you. All I can tell you is what works for me.

If I'm mixing a water change for my little 29 gal BioCube, I have a 5 gal pail such as what you have pictured. I measure and stir in the salt to my RODI water by hand for a few minutes, and then I add a small pump and heater. The pump sits on the bottom of the bucket facing up to better oxygenate the water with surface agitation. Depending on the temperature and agitation of the water, the salt mixes within 1/2 an hour to several hours. You'll know when it is safe to use when the water is completely clear...not cloudy. Check the salinity, temp and ph before adding to the main display and adjust as needed. I just refill my bucket as I empty it, so the freshly made saltwater agitates for about a week before I do my next water change. This way I always have a water change on hand if an emergency comes up. BTW, I usually make the mix slightly salter than needed and then add RODI water to achieve the correct salinity. It's less aggravating for me to add more RODI than adding more salt and then wait for it to dissolve again when I'm ready to do the water change. When I first started in the hobby, I used to keep a gal jug of very salt saturated water on hand to add more salt to a mix when it was a little off, but after I got into the bigger tanks, it didn't make much sense anymore. You'll get a feel for how much salt to measure out using your brand of salt mix (different brands measure slightly differently) after mixing up a few batches.

I have two larger 33 gal Brute garbage cans I use to mix salt for my other tanks. I have one set up as a water mixing/changing station with an outside pump for the 180 gallon complete with hoses that run to and from the tank. I got tired of carrying 5 gal pails to and from the 75 gal, so when I set up the 180, I set up the water mixing/changing station. Best thing I ever did! LOL The other Brute can is used to mix saltwater for the 29 gal tanks, etc. I have a large pump sitting in that can-also facing up to agitate the surface of the water. Stagnant saltwater is not usable. Agitation, IMO, is a must. The pump in this can heats the water without needing a heater. Again, I mix new saltwater for all my tanks as I use it up, so I always have saltwater on hand when needed. With that said, there have been times when I wanted more water than I had ready. When that happened, I mixed more salt in the can with the largest pump and let that go for several hours until the water was clear again. For me, if I don't want to heat the water to dissolve the mix faster and then have to wait for it to cool down again, using the bigger pump seems to dissolve the mix faster.

Members here may have more suggestions. This is just what works for me. Good luck with the new tank! BTW, What size is your setup?

 

[droidus]

It's a 32g.
If I want to increase my salinity from 1.022 to 1.04, how slowly does the salinity need to increase in the tank?
I will try facing the pump downwards and moving it closer to the sand, and leaving the heater off while getting it mixed.

 

[Zeal]

It's a 32g.
If I want to increase my salinity from 1.022 to 1.04, how slowly does the salinity need to increase in the tank?
I will try facing the pump downwards and moving it closer to the sand, and leaving the heater off while getting it mixed.

If you're using a auto top off it could probably take a couple days. You don't wanna do it too fast

 

[Reeferdood]

Easy way to mix your water better using what you have is to move that powerhead near the bottom of the bucket. Face it downward to ensure more flow directed at the bottom to seep the solids suspended until they dissolve. As for raising the salinity, you don't need to mix 1.028, just mix the salt what your target is and do a couple water changes to bring it up slowly.
Good luck and.......

 

[lapin]

Do I need to re-position or move the circulation pump? I've faced it downwards, but maybe I need to move it vertically down...
Yes that will help to move it down to the bottom of the bucket. Dont put too much in at a time. Maybe 1/3 then 1/3 then 1/3

Also, what is the best way to increase salinity in my tank? Is it a good idea to have some solution that is higher in salinity to bring up the general tank salinity (maybe like 1.028)?
Yes

And how slowly should the tank salinity be increased?
1.023 now . Then 1.024 today then 1.025 tomorrow.

I will try facing the pump downwards and moving it closer to the sand???
You mean salt????

 

[JBKReef]

Welcome and as everyone has said, many opinion and many different approaches...

My advice would be careful and pay attention to your salts mixing instructions. Some have vastly different approaches. Reef Crystals say to mix for ideally 24 hours while Red Sea advises to mix for less than 4 hours.

I would say looking at your set up, increasing your initial agitation when pouring in salt stirring with your hand or a spatula until its all dissolved (3-4 mins) then let the power head circulate it until its clear.

 

[Dystinction]

For what it's worth, I use a return pump in my mixing bucket, as it is more powerful than any 'wave pump' I had on hand, and it was cheaper than obtaining a comparable wave pump.
Additionally, with this, after my mix is ready to go, I attach a 5ft section of flexible tubing to the pump, and let it do the work for me.

 

[JBKReef]

For what it's worth, I use a return pump in my mixing bucket, as it is more powerful than any 'wave pump' I had on hand, and it was cheaper than obtaining a comparable wave pump.
Additionally, with this, after my mix is ready to go, I attach a 5ft section of flexible tubing to the pump, and let it do the work for me.

I do this as well. Plop a MJ1200 into the bucket, then attach a length of silicone tube. No pouring straight from buckets.

 

[Zeal]

I do this as well. Plop a MJ1200 into the bucket, then attach a length of silicone tube. No pouring straight from buckets.

Hmm been looking for an alternative way to get the water out of my 5g bucket without having to pour it... Mind explain better? Or even a picture

 

[Dystinction]

Actually a pretty simple/basic 'setup'.
Got an inexpensive (I think Aqueon) return pump from Petco.
I place it in the bottom of the bucket with no tubing affixed. I lay it on its' side.
After I have my RODI to the level I want, I turn on the pump, and add salt.
I'm using Fritz, and it mixes up for me very fast, and complete.
Then I move the bucket to the tank. Pull the pump up and attach a 3/4" flexible tube, about 5 ft long. Point the buisness end of the tube in the tank, and power up the pump.
Inevitably, there still some water let in the bucket, but at that point it's less than a gallon, and easy to pour the rest in.

Right now, I'll also use the pump to drain water out of the tank as well, however, I currently have no livestock, so this may change in the future. Just put the pump in the tank and point the business end of the tube in the bucket.....just be close to the plug so you can get it shut off before overflowing...

** EDIT ** I like/prefer the return pump, as the outlet is 3/4" - 1", and provides a more powerful/focused stream....gets the water in the bucket churning better IMO.

 

[Captain Quint]

For what it's worth, I use a return pump in my mixing bucket, as it is more powerful than any 'wave pump' I had on hand, and it was cheaper than obtaining a comparable wave pump.
Additionally, with this, after my mix is ready to go, I attach a 5ft section of flexible tubing to the pump, and let it do the work for me.

+1 I use a model 2 utility pump in one bucket and a Maxi-Jet 1200 in another.

 

[Zeal]

How is everyone using a pump to drian water what is this witchcraft!

 

[Dystinction]

How is everyone using a pump to drian water what is this witchcraft!

I suppose this 'could' be tricky depending on your setup.
However, for me, I have the space to drop the pump into my tank. I'm also bare-bottom, so there is no issue with stirring up any sand.
I have a pre-defined bucket level to get water filled to. Plug the pump in (with attached tubing in the bucket), and unplug it when I have reached my level.
Pull the pump out of the tank.

If you did some 'balancing-act', and/or have some assistance, I think it would be easy to lower the pump into your tank and hold/suspend it deep enough to get the water out, but not too deep to disrupt anything in the tank. The trick here is holding the pump at the 'suspension level' in the tank, holding the tubing in the bucket, and having a hand on the plug to unplug the pump when you need to.

However, with a little creativity, I'm sure some slick little setups can be accomplished to make this job just a little easier.

For mixing, and refilling, it's a no-brainer for me....too easy!

 

[Zeal]

I suppose this 'could' be tricky depending on your setup.
However, for me, I have the space to drop the pump into my tank. I'm also bare-bottom, so there is no issue with stirring up any sand.
I have a pre-defined bucket level to get water filled to. Plug the pump in (with attached tubing in the bucket), and unplug it when I have reached my level.
Pull the pump out of the tank.

If you did some 'balancing-act', and/or have some assistance, I think it would be easy to lower the pump into your tank and hold/suspend it deep enough to get the water out, but not too deep to disrupt anything in the tank. The trick here is holding the pump at the 'suspension level' in the tank, holding the tubing in the bucket, and having a hand on the plug to unplug the pump when you need to.

However, with a little creativity, I'm sure some slick little setups can be accomplished to make this job just a little easier.

For mixing, and refilling, it's a no-brainer for me....too easy!

I'm going to have to rethink how I do water changes now. I'm over here lifting a 5g bucket over my head to dump it into the tank. It's just a matter of time before I cause a diaster.

Mind sending a pic I'm a visual kinda guy

 

[Dystinction]

At work now, and to be honest, I never considered taking any pictures of water changing activities!
But when I get home I'll snap some shots of what I have going on.
But don't over-think it, it's actually really straight forward.
And yes....I did not want to hoist any buckets for water changes....It would only be a matter of time till I screwed that up for sure.

To add to this, I got me a Rubbermaid Brute 20 gallon can, and added a roller attachment. No bucket carrying at all....just a roll-around from the bathroom (RODI unit) to the tank room.

I wanted to make water changing as pain-less as possible, in order to lower the chance of it becoming a pain, and potentially leading to skipping changes, or ignoring this maintenance.
There are people on here with way slicker setups, and automated systems, but that level was overkill for my particular situation.

 

[HotRocks]

At work now, and to be honest, I never considered taking any pictures of water changing activities!
But when I get home I'll snap some shots of what I have going on.
But don't over-think it, it's actually really straight forward.
And yes....I did not want to hoist any buckets for water changes....It would only be a matter of time till I screwed that up for sure.

To add to this, I got me a Rubbermaid Brute 20 gallon can, and added a roller attachment. No bucket carrying at all....just a roll-around from the bathroom (RODI unit) to the tank room.

I wanted to make water changing as pain-less as possible, in order to lower the chance of it becoming a pain, and potentially leading to skipping changes, or ignoring this maintenance.
There are people on here with way slicker setups, and automated systems, but that level was overkill for my particular situation.

I agree with you 100%, I wanted it to be easy so I didn't have an excuse not to stay on a good schedule with WC's.

I mix in a 44 gallon brute can in my basement. Then I have a pump with a water line plumbed directly to my sump upstairs. I can do a 45 gallon change on my 750XXL in about 15-20 minutes!!! Best part is I never have to touch a bucket other than salt bucket night before when I am adding salt to the can to premix before WC. My RO line is plumbed directly to the brute can with a float for auto shut off.

I actually have this same setup mirrored on the other side of my basement for QT tanks. @4FordFamily has the same setup inspired from mine and we hooked his up to his smart home controller (He doesn't have an ATO) so he can also go to tank every couple days, grab his phone, push a button to top off sump!