Ratio Saltwater mix

[Texas Rick]

Unfortunately, i have to start mixing my own salt. My shop that i used to buy water from closed. They are no longer in business. I bought Red Sea Coral Pro Salt and a Red sea Refractometer. But I'm at a loss when it comes to mixing. What is the rule of thumb to mixing ratio? Also, i was thinking of using a wave pump to mix it with. Thats what i heard to do. Im open to any ideas to get this going.

 

[Bryknicks]

I've never used Red Sea salt, but most of the salts on the market are mixed at a .5 cup to 1 gallon ratio to achieve 35ppt/1.026. I'm sure a red sea user will chime in here for you.

Also see that you are new here, welcome to the R2R family!

 

[tk111]

I've never used Red Sea salt, but most of the salts on the market are mixed at a .5 cup to 1 gallon ration to achieve 35ppt/1.026. I'm sure a red sea user will chime in here for you.

Also see that you are new here, welcome to the R2R family!

Yep, I use it and it's about a half cup per gallon.

 

[AcroNem]

Most salt mixes are 1/2 cup per gallon, but you will need a good refractometer to measure salinity if you don't have one already. It is a good idea to use some kind of flow pump to mix, a brute and a big power head works well, also a water pump to get water out is another good idea.

 

[dopey]

The side of the container has mixing ratios on Red Sea, atleast does in europe. I weigh my salt (use a small kitchen digital scale). (38.2 grams per liter).

Depending what size tank you have, find a suitable container. I don't have a 'mixing station' nor space for large brutes. For my first tank a small 'mop bucket' from local 'walmart' type store let me mix a 15% water change. With my new tank (still small to many but massive to me), I found a larger bucket at the local hardware store.

General routine is:
Make RODI Water (Hooking RODI unit to the shower - Make sure it's on cold before connecting)
Add heater + pump
Mix in salt by weighing it.

I usually do this on Saturdays, and let it mix overnight, then do the water change Sunday.

Always do a sanity check using the refractometer. Checking both the tank and the newly mixed water.

I use a second identical bucket to drain same amount out, then put the new water in.

I used to just pour it in, but now use a small tunze return pump + hose to pump the water in. Much nicer than pouring by hand.


Do you have an RODI unit? It's probably fair to assume your LFS used one to make the SW you were buying. Depending what's in your tap water, you may(probably will) run into issues using it straight from the tap.

So a summary of 'parts' needed:
0.) Unit to make RODI water, or buy RODI water.
1.) Two buckets of equal size. One to mix, one to drain into. Can also stack them when not in use.
2.) Pump of *any* kind to mix water. (I've used power heads, return pumps, etc whatever is around)
3.) Heater set to right temp
4.) Hose to syphon water out
5.) Refractometer
6.) (My preference) a kitchen digital scale to weigh salt

 

[saltyhog]

I use Red Sea blue bucket and for 30 gallons (according to the mark on my mixing station) it takes 16 cups. I would use the 1/2 cup per gallon recommendation, test once mixed and adjust by adding more salt or RO/DI as the salinity dictates. You will get it down to an art pretty quickly.

 

[Rmckoy]

The side of the container has mixing ratios on Red Sea, atleast does in europe. I weigh my salt (use a small kitchen digital scale). (38.2 grams per liter).

Depending what size tank you have, find a suitable container. I don't have a 'mixing station' nor space for large brutes. For my first tank a small 'mop bucket' from local 'walmart' type store let me mix a 15% water change. With my new tank (still small to many but massive to me), I found a larger bucket at the local hardware store.

General routine is:
Make RODI Water (Hooking RODI unit to the shower - Make sure it's on cold before connecting)
Add heater + pump
Mix in salt by weighing it.

I usually do this on Saturdays, and let it mix overnight, then do the water change Sunday.

Always do a sanity check using the refractometer. Checking both the tank and the newly mixed water.

I use a second identical bucket to drain same amount out, then put the new water in.

I used to just pour it in, but now use a small tunze return pump + hose to pump the water in. Much nicer than pouring by hand.


Do you have an RODI unit? It's probably fair to assume your LFS used one to make the SW you were buying. Depending what's in your tap water, you may(probably will) run into issues using it straight from the tap.

So a summary of 'parts' needed:
0.) Unit to make RODI water, or buy RODI water.
1.) Two buckets of equal size. One to mix, one to drain into. Can also stack them when not in use.
2.) Pump of *any* kind to mix water. (I've used power heads, return pumps, etc whatever is around)
3.) Heater set to right temp
4.) Hose to syphon water out
5.) Refractometer
6.) (My preference) a kitchen digital scale to weigh salt

You meant salinity test ?

Or was sanity test correct ?

 

[dopey]

You meant salinity test ?

Or was sanity test correct ?

Haha yes salinity.. we all already failed the sanity test by starting this hobby

 

[Rmckoy]

Haha yes salinity.. we all already failed the sanity test by starting this hobby

Sanity test failed as soon as I noticed every visit to 3 different lfs they all know me by name .
And my wife known were spending between $100-$300 per visit .

 

[mcshams]

@Rmckoy My wife and I have been the same since we've entered the hobby. My lfs all try to show me the most expensive stuff first to see if my wife bites on it, and I try to be the voice of reason. We are not so easily lured, but we do drop way too much money in this hobby. (Thus far has been worth it even with the occasional fish or coral death).

But mixing salt is not hard or messy if you follow @dopey 's advice above. Your set up can vary, but the concept is the same. Start with RODI water, mix in based on recommendations on the label (btw, some salts give recommendations to 1.023 salinity and NOT 1.026 so you'll NEED (and should always use) a refractometer to measure and use a little more salt.)
Use a heater to get it to temp. A few salt mixes can be used quickly but as a general rule you should wait 12-24 hours to use the salt mix to be assured that the salinity measurements and dissolved salt has been obtained.

And per chemistry, mixing salt into warmer water dissolves slightly quicker/easier. I make the RODI water and get it moving and heated as I make it into my storage and then add salt manually stirring it and allowing the pump to do the rest of the work. Best of luck!

 

[lapin]

Let me add:
What size tank and what do you have in it? Red Sea Coral Pro is for tanks that use a lot of alkalinity and calcium. If you dont have a lot of hard corals you run the risk of having to much of a good thing in your tank.( Alk and Calcium). The Red Sea Blue bucket is for non heavy SPS tanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Rmckoy My wife and I have been the same since we've entered the hobby. My lfs all try

And per chemistry, mixing salt into warmer water dissolves slightly quicker/easier. I make the RODI water and get it moving and heated as I make it into my storage and then add salt manually stirring it and allowing the pump to do the rest of the work. Best of luck!

I actually recommend mixing into cold water without heating. Precipitation of calcium carbonate is less likely in cold water because it is more soluble in cold water. Might take longer, but could produce better results.

 

[NS Mike D]

Here is the Red Sea mixing instructions including the ratios. The pH information relates to the equilibrium that is reached with regard to the CO2 in the ambient air.

You can compare this to the regular Red Sea salt and other brands of salt. Fwiw, I concur with @lapin 's post. With high Alk salts can be hard to maintain the high Alk an are usually an unnecessary expense for newer tanks and tanks that are not sps dominant. I recently switched from Reef Crystals to Instant Ocean, as it took me 4 years to realize RC was overkill and IO was better matched for me.

https://5w56d28u4co20frgwagf5y18-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Coral-Pro-Salt__Multilanguage-Manual_GB_FR_DE_IT_ES_PT_JP_CH_v17a.pdf

 

[mcshams]

I actually recommend mixing into cold water without heating. Precipitation of calcium carbonate is less likely in cold water because it is more soluble in cold water. Might take longer, but could produce better results.

Never really gave much thought to precipitate, as you would be right. I haven't seen it in water that is 74-78 degrees F, but not sure how I would in my container anyway. Either way, as long as you are not trying to mix and use your salt instantly, both dissolving and resolving of precipitate would fix itself in 24 hours for use in the tank.
Great point @Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I haven't seen it in water that is 74-78 degrees F, but not sure how I would in my container anyway. Either way, as long as you are not trying to mix and use your salt instantly, both dissolving and resolving of precipitate would fix itself in 24 hours for use in the tank.
Great point @Randy Holmes-Farley

This is what it looks like in my Brute can after a long time without cleaning it. Calcium carbonate will not redissolve.

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.htm

Figure 1. The residue on the bottom of the plastic trash can that I use to mix Instant Ocean. I rarely clean it out. The solid is most likely calcium carbonate.