Start mixing my own salt water?

[Diver4242]

I've been at the hobby since June, and learned a lot through experience, and here. I've become a little distrusting of the salt water I get from my LFS. At least once I filled my clean, food-grade 5-gallon bucket with their salt water for a water change and found my parameters really out of whack in my testing cycle a short time later. I inquired and they said something about their lines.

Anyway, should I simply be getting fresh (RODI I'm assuming, I'll ask) water from them and mixing myself? It's just a Fluval Nano Evo 13.5 gal tank. If so, any recommendations on salt mixes?

 

[lapin]

13 gallon
You could go with bottled rodi water from a water store or big box store.
2 gallons a week would not cost much. Even distilled water would work
Fritz makes a good inexpensive salt mix

 

[Heart of Dixie]

Coralife from Petco is easy to find, mixes clean and is inexpensive if it matches the parameters you are trying to hit.

 

[Uncle99]

Their RODI is usually as bad as their salt mixes.
Test that water with a TDS meter, if it’s more than one, you don’t want to use that.

Good saltwater comes from great freshwater.

 

[Crabby48]

Their RODI is usually as bad as their salt mixes.
Test that water with a TDS meter, if it’s more than one, you don’t want to use that.

Good saltwater comes from great freshwater.

This sums it up. If you can’t trust their saltwater don’t trust them with fresh. I would be hesitant to trust them for anything at that point

 

[jmichaelh7]

Diy super easy man .

 

[PeterC99]

Their RODI is usually as bad as their salt mixes.
Test that water with a TDS meter, if it’s more than one, you don’t want to use that.

Good saltwater comes from great freshwater.

Really like your line - Good saltwater comes from great freshwater!

Thank you!

 

[I’m Batman]

Anyway, should I simply be getting fresh (RODI I'm assuming, I'll ask) water from them and mixing myself?

Get Walmart purple cap distilled. Can’t trust the LFS changes media appropriately. Get a scale from your gas station and mix your own salt then test with Hannah salinity checker.