Storing water for a water change... question

[aquablizz]

When storing water for a water change, how do most people handle it... My water changes are approx. 25 gal which takes up a lot of room in the garage. I have been using 5 gallon buckets to make it easier to transport into the house.. I was thinking of using a 25 gal. trash can and then transferring the water into the 5gal buckets when needed.

Any thoughts from you pros ??

I am also curious how long you can store salt water... Certainly don't want to hurt the tank by doing water changes.

Blizz

 

[PurduePete93]

I keep about 35g of water in a 42g industrial rubbermade trash can with auto top off from my RODI for evaporation top off and to have plenty of supply for water changes.

 

[aquablizz]

I have a separate auto top off system but it contains no salt..

Wondering how long you can store salt water for water changes in a large trash container before it goes bad (if it goes bad)

Thanks in advance
Blizz

 

[Bob Escher]

Since I live in a small 2nd floor condo I use 5 gal buckets myself. I have a RO/DI filter setup up under my kitchen sink. the filter is setup linked into my faucet. I fill the five gallon buckets ( 3 each week including two 3 gallon jugs for fresh water) and then carry them over to my " fish room" or next to my tank. My wife allows me to keep things there unless we have company and then I have to take everything downstairs to the garage. I generally make saltwater the day before I use it

 

[mcarroll]

When storing water for a water change, how do most people handle it... My water changes are approx. 25 gal which takes up a lot of room in the garage. I have been using 5 gallon buckets to make it easier to transport into the house.. I was thinking of using a 25 gal. trash can and then transferring the water into the 5gal buckets when needed.

Any thoughts from you pros ??

I am also curious how long you can store salt water... Certainly don't want to hurt the tank by doing water changes.

Saltwater can be stored almost indefinitely if the container is covered. I even had used tank water sealed in buckets for most of a year and there was nothing funky about them when I opened them later.

Give up the buckets. As you noticed, "easier to transport" is quite relative. Five gallons is over 40 pounds per bucket.

Either make 25 gallons of storage where you actually use it or invest in a 3/4" vinyl hose and a pump with decent GPH to move the water where you need it. Like a Rio 3100. Hose will seem expensive, but it lasts forever and it'll save your reefing soul from bucket-lifting he**. Make the investment.

BTW, mixing saltwater should only take about 5 minutes. If it takes longer, you're probably not doing it quite right.

Check out the saltwater mixing videos on my mcarroll's Favorite Chemistry Links post. I think it's item 8 or 9 in the first list of links. Interestingly, your hand or a mixing paddle is better and faster than most other mixing methods. I exclusively use a mixing paddle after trying lots of pumps in different positions and airstones. Airstones are terrible. And it's actually not easy to use pumps well. On the bottom of the mixing container, they are slow and inefficient.

2¢

 

[kateater]

I use two 35 gallon water storage containers I bought from Tractor supply. One is fresh water that stays full, and the other is used for saltwater mixing. I mix my salt 24-48 hours in advanced and use a big Rio pump with a Venturi to aerate and mix my saltwater. I use the same pump and vinyl tubing to pump the water into the tank. I've kept saltwater mixing for up to a week with no ill results.

 

[aquablizz]

These idea's sound great but in the area that I live in, my garage where I would be storing the water, gets into the 40 degree mark during the winder months which creates another problem,,,, would need a large heater to preheat the water prior to the water change. Never ends.. LOL

does someone make a large heater for a quick recovery??

 

[recess62]

I would think. 300w heater in a 25 gal Pale would heat up pretty quickly. The water out of my well is around 55 degrees and this heater has it up to temp in a few hours

 

[AZDesertRat]

I have a 23 gallon Rubbermaid for my ATO storage and use both 5G clear drinking wat.er jugs and the blue cube style camping jugs found at Walmart or any outdoors store for storing 25-30 gallons of RO/DI for water changes. I dump the water in a 30G Rubbermaid Roughneck on wheels for mixing the salt then either pump it into the display with a MJ1200 powerhead and hose or dip it out with buckets.
The cubes are really nice since you can stack them several high in a corner or closet and they are stable. You can also get them in up to 8 gallon sizes at Sportsman's Warehouse and other places.

If I need to heat the water in winter months I toss an old Mag9.5 pump in the trashcan and it heats the water very quickly. About all it is good for!

 

[Albz]

i got a 14g biocube so i just get 3 jugs of 5g waters for lfs... 2 salts and 1 fresh for top offs... I hope saltwater staying in a jug for a week or so doesnt go bad lol

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Not all saltwater can store for extended periods of time, such as red sea salts. like previously mentioned, any stored saltwater needs to be protected from airborne pollutants. I'd look for a brute trash can with wheels.

 

[DeniseAndy]

As far as storing, I have stored up to two weeks, but I use it too fast. I store about 30g at all times. Usually it is salt, but for a while it is fresh as it is made. I just have too many dang tanks to store water. Of course, I don't do many changes on my large system.

I mix the salt and have an airstone and pump in it to keep it mixed and going. In the winter I may add a heater too.

I would definitely consider the hose and pump as your back will thank you. In your garage, I would worry about the toxins of the cars and such. Brute sealed container may be fine though.

 

[aquablizz]

LOL my garage has never seen a car.... my wife tells me every day....LOL

 

[cbrack83]

I recently setup a pair of 40 gallon bins that are connected one for RO and the other for Salt and then the Salt just drops into my sump (which is in my basement), but before that I had a 35 gallon trash can with wheels and i just rolled it over next to the tank once everything was mixed and used a pump to just pump it up in the tank... Worked a lot better then buckets and definitely made less of a mess..

 

[mcarroll]

Not all saltwater can store for extended periods of time, such as red sea salts.

I've never used it, but I'm still surprised. What's supposed to happen if you mix up a 5gal of Red Sea and put a lid on it?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Elements precipitate. I learned that the hard way. red sea even admits it will happen and recommends the saltwater be used within a day or so. they also recommend that you mix it with room temperature water then heat it up after it's mixed.

I've never used it, but I'm still surprised. What's supposed to happen if you mix up a 5gal of Red Sea and put a lid on it?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Here's a video that explains how to mix rscp, however my results were different. I experienced way more than 2% of elements ca, mg and alk. I also mixed it at room temperature, shut off the mixing pump after 2 hours, then stored it heated at 78 degrees. the water didn't turn cloudy but I got major precipitation. on one batch I even tested the elements right after mixing to make sure it was a good batch of salt. still got precipitation after storing it for a week. went back to instant ocean, no issues.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I never store saltwater, I found it gets slimy, precipitates and smells after just a couple days.
I keep 50+/- gallons of RO/DI on hand at all times and can make 135-150 gpd with my boosted RO/DI system so can have 50 gallons mixed up and ready to use in less than 30 minutes. I never hold it more than an hour or two unless the temperature is not close to the display. It only takes a few minutes to get the pH and salinity where I want it.

 

[azbigjohn]

I have two 55 gallon plastic food safe barrels that I keep RODI water and Saltwater in. They are connected by PVC pipe with shut-off valves that go to a water pump. I have 30 feet of 3/4 inch vinyl hose that I can pump either water to my aquarium or top-off container.

I have the exact opposite storage problem, as they are in my laundry room, which is not air conditioned, and in Phoenix easily gets 90 degrees in the summer. I keep 2 1-gallon water jugs in the freezer, and drop them in the barrel if I am pumping saltwater to my aquarium for a water change.

I do empty and clean the barrels every 4-6 months, but have never had any issues with smell, cloudiness, or loss of quality after a week or two.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I'm in Phoenix too, never have a problem with the water being too hot since I insulated my garage and installed an insulated door. Its the winter months when the CAP water from Lake Pleasant is much cooler when I have to heat the water. If it needs cooling at all I just bring the Rubbermaid in the house and stick a clip on fan on the edge so it blows across the surface and cools it down.