New Tank and Mixing Salt

[ilott]

Hello,

I'm looking at getting a new tank, preferably around the 75 gallon mark, I would like some tips on the salt mixing process,

So I was thinking, filling the main display with water just underneath the overflow and mixing enough salt for the whole system, then filling the rest with water to level out the salinity and avoid salt particles passing through and getting stuck in the return pump, then I will add the sand and rock work etc.

Is this a good idea? or should I just mix buckets of salt at a time? or even buy enough water from my LFS, I have my own RODI system which achieves 0 ppm, I use it once every two weeks for 25 litres of water.

Olivia

 

[BackToTheReef]

Hello,

I'm looking at getting a new tank, preferably around the 75 gallon mark, I would like some tips on the salt mixing process,

So I was thinking, filling the main display with water just underneath the overflow and mixing enough salt for the whole system, then filling the rest with water to level out the salinity and avoid salt particles passing through and getting stuck in the return pump, then I will add the sand and rock work etc.

Is this a good idea? or should I just mix buckets of salt at a time? or even buy enough water from my LFS, I have my own RODI system which achieves 0 ppm, I use it once every two weeks for 25 litres of water.

Olivia

Do you mean just for the first fill or for water changes?

 

[ilott]

Do you mean just for the first fill or for water changes?

For the initial fill, as it's almost 300 litres

 

[Perthegallon]

What ever you choose keep the same salt mix dont change salts I really like the https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/accurasea1-salt-mix-two-little-fishies.html as its already measured but its up to you

 

[BackToTheReef]

The way I did mine was just to fill it up and then add salt until I hit the mark BUT there was nothing in the tank to worry about like live rock or live sand. It was just some PVC and foam at that point. (back in the day when great stuff was in vogue)

 

[K7BMG]

Yes agree same salt.
Mixing in the tank the first time without livestock is just fine.
The return pump can handle a bit of salt.

 

[ilott]

What ever you choose keep the same salt mix dont change salts I really like the https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/accurasea1-salt-mix-two-little-fishies.html as its already measured but its up to you

I've been using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt for my Fluval EVO, although I had speculated this was the cause of my almost permanent algae outbreak that I just can't shift, so I may change salts and see how I get along with something else, thank you!

 

[SPR1968]

You could do it the way you suggest, which I think you mean basically mixing the water up in the actual display before adding anything else.

The problem with that is it will make designing and adjusting your rock work much harder when it’s full of water.

Most people design the rock work, then add sand and then add the water which is mixed up in separate containers which is much easier for everything

Algae outbreaks are generally caused by high nutrient levels especially phosphate which needs to be kept close to 0.03 or less, rather than the Red Sea salt

 

[ilott]

The way I did mine was just to fill it up and then add salt until I hit the mark BUT there was nothing in the tank to worry about like live rock or live sand. It was just some PVC and foam at that point. (back in the day when great stuff was in vogue)

Okay! brilliant I feel that's how I'll do mine aswell, will the water be okay to sit stagnant for a few days as my rodi produces about 50 litres in 8 hours, I think my water pressure is kinda low. Does low water pressure effect anything with the rodi water produced?

 

[ilott]

Yes agree same salt.
Mixing in the tank the first time without livestock is just fine.
The return pump can handle a bit of salt.

So nothing will get clogged up etc? It's just I use a power head to mix my salt and when I go to mix salt the next time, I have to hit the power head with my hand to get it going, I'm assuming the salt hardens on the mechanism?

 

[ilott]

You could do it the way you suggest, which I think you mean basically mixing the water up in the actual display before adding anything else.

The problem with that is it will make designing and adjusting your rock work much harder when it’s full of water.

Most people design the rock work, then add sand and then add the water which is mixed up in separate containers which is much easier for everything

Algae outbreaks are generally caused by high nutrient levels especially phosphate which needs to be kept close to 0.03 or less, rather than the Red Sea salt

What if I did my aquascape outside of the tank on a cardboard foot measured to size? Would that be okay? I'm assuming I can't mix the salt with rocks and sand as it'll get stuck in them

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Hi and welcome to R2R! Go ahead and mix the salt in the bare tank. Remember as you add rock and sand the water level will rise, so don’t fill the tank all the way.

Remember to rinse the sand well.

Doing the rock on a cardboard the size of the tank is my preferred way. Gives you room to work and you can easily change it up until you like it.

Also if you don’t have one get a float shut off valve for your ro unit. It will prevent floods, I speak from experience.

 

[E_reefer]

Welcome!
You can really do it either way- Add your sand and rocks first, then fill up with rodi, then add the salt and mix with powerheads - or - do the sand and rodi then add salt and mix up then add your rocks. As stated, this way you will be adding rocks to the water so be ready for displacement. I did it the first way: sand and rockscape, add water then add salt and mixed it up. It mixed up fine overnight sg was perfect the following day. The rodi units are rated for different gallons per day, water pressure doesn’t really effect the output, unless it is very low. I have had same issues with powerheads in my mixing tank- they need to be cleaned in vinegar mix every once and a while- hydors seem to do it the most oftem, maxi jets not so much.

 

[ilott]

Hi and welcome to R2R! Go ahead and mix the salt in the bare tank. Remember as you add rock and sand the water level will rise, so don’t fill the tank all the way.

Remember to rinse the sand well.

Doing the rock on a cardboard the size of the tank is my preferred way. Gives you room to work and you can easily change it up until you like it.

Also if you don’t have one get a float shut off valve for your ro unit. It will prevent floods, I speak from experience.

Thank you! I was looking at live sand so I'm not sure if this makes a difference to adding it with the water full or not? What is the float shut off valve may I asked?

 

[K7BMG]

So nothing will get clogged up etc? It's just I use a power head to mix my salt and when I go to mix salt the next time, I have to hit the power head with my hand to get it going, I'm assuming the salt hardens on the mechanism?

Salt will dry up and make things sticky.
I dont know the powerhead you have but it sounds like it needs to be disassembled and cleaned.

There Re many ways to mix salt.
I use Tropic Marin Pro. I mix and store it for a long time like a month.
It gets stirred twice a day in my mixing station and I have no issues.
Other salts can do the same.

 

[SPR1968]

What if I did my aquascape outside of the tank on a cardboard foot measured to size? Would that be okay? I'm assuming I can't mix the salt with rocks and sand as it'll get stuck in them

You can do it that way of course yes, there’s many ways of doing things, it’s all personal preference

When I designed my new ‘big’ tank I designed and built the rockwork inside the empty display and secured it together while everything was dry. I did it over a period of weeks until I was completely happy.

Theres actually a picture of the dry tank and completed aquascape on the first page of my build thread in link below.

 

[ilott]

Welcome!
You can really do it either way- Add your sand and rocks first, then fill up with rodi, then add the salt and mix with powerheads - or - do the sand and rodi then add salt and mix up then add your rocks. As stated, this way you will be adding rocks to the water so be ready for displacement. I did it the first way: sand and rockscape, add water then add salt and mixed it up. It mixed up fine overnight sg was perfect the following day. The rodi units are rated for different gallons per day, water pressure doesn’t really effect the output, unless it is very low. I have had same issues with powerheads in my mixing tank- they need to be cleaned in vinegar mix every once and a while- hydors seem to do it the most oftem, maxi jets not so much.

Brilliant! My psi is around 50 - 55 so I imagine that's okay. As for the filling off the tank like I said it will take around 3 - 4 days to fill up with my rodi output, will this be okay or will the water go funny just sitting there? I mean it sits in my barrel for weeks on end and I still use it so maybe i'm just over thinking. Unless this is the wrong thing to do and I shouldn't use water that old?

 

[dbowman5]

they are talking about a shut off float to turn the RODI off when the bucket gets full

 

[dbowman5]

Brilliant! My psi is around 50 - 55 so I imagine that's okay. As for the filling off the tank like I said it will take around 3 - 4 days to fill up with my rodi output, will this be okay or will the water go funny just sitting there? I mean it sits in my barrel for weeks on end and I still use it so maybe i'm just over thinking. Unless this is the wrong thing to do and I shouldn't use water that old?

i have a brute for RODI and one for mixing salt. i fill the rodi barrel add prime and let it mix overnight.
then i transfer that water with a powerhead to the mixing drum and add salt and mix with a powerhead while heating.
next day i consider that SW to be ready for transfer if the refract is correct.
i just bought enough 1/2" i.d. hose to pump the SW directly to my sump while i drain into buckets for water changes.
i also have a 75 DT and do 10 gal WC's.
the rodi and SW drums are covered and i run the powerheads constantly . i have had water in them both for at least 6 months and have seen no problems with water being 'stale'

 

[K7BMG]

Brilliant! My psi is around 50 - 55 so I imagine that's okay. As for the filling off the tank like I said it will take around 3 - 4 days to fill up with my rodi output, will this be okay or will the water go funny just sitting there? I mean it sits in my barrel for weeks on end and I still use it so maybe i'm just over thinking. Unless this is the wrong thing to do and I shouldn't use water that old?

Yes overthinking it.
The more water preasure will reduce the amount of waste water generally.