Salt mixture question

[LaloJ]

How long can the salt mixture with fresh water be working before entering the DT or the QT? I had this doubt the weekend after I planned to change the water but in the end I couldn't do it due to other tasks, so I thought I would make the mixture and use it when I had time, my question is whether to put the water and salt and simply will letting them mix there for days will it work?

 

[MNFish]

What kind of salt. Some are meant to be used faster that others red sea pro for example should be used within a day of mixing. I would say most salts are fine mixing for longer periods.

 

[LaloJ]

Instant Ocean, I only keep fish.

 

[MNFish]

Then you should be perfectly fine letting it mix for as long as you would like before using.

 

[LaloJ]

I only had the doubt about ammonia, I once read that it appears in fresh salt water after a certain time of being mixed, which did not make sense to me since there is nothing in decomposition inside the new water that can generate it, unless the salt residue at the bottom can do it.

 

[MNFish]

I always have some salt water in my container and sometimes go weeks before I use it... never had any issues.

 

[ndds73]

I even let my Instant Ocean Reef Salt sits for couple weeks before doing water change on my mixed reef tank and it was ok. I did this on regular basis and not just a one time occurrence.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Instant Ocean, I only keep fish.

I used normal IO over a month or so after making it. The only concerns relate to some precipitation of calcium carbonate in the mixing tub.

 

[LaloJ]

Thank you all for sharing your experience, I'm going to prepare my water as soon as I can to use it later, maybe over the weekend.