Temperature for mixing and Time before using new saltwater

fab · Jun 8, 2016

What is the best temperature range for mixing new saltwater.

How long should newly mixed saltwater be allowed to stabilize before using it in our systems, presumably while still being mixed by an in-situ pump? Or better, on what measurable criteria should we decide a new batch of saltwater is ready for use? Does this vary by whether the aquarium is Fish Only , Fish Only With Live Rock, Coral Reef Only, or Mixed Marine Reef?

What are the drawbacks for mixing new saltwater outside of these temperatures and times before usage?

And a huge thank you for all the mythbusting you have so ably done for us aquarist out here in tanklandia.

HiddenUser · Jun 8, 2016

I've mixed water at room temp and at the same temp as my tank water; not sure if one matters from the other, but I haven't noticed any advantage to either method.

As for length of time...depends on what salt you use. RedSea salts tell you to only mix for a small amount of time before adding to the tank. Mixing their salts for longer periods of time can cause the water to become cloudy. Otherwise I mix IO from anywhere between 24-72 hours.

I think Randy has mentioned that with some of the salts if you mix longer you may begin to lose some of the stuff that's beneficial to coral.

fab · Jun 8, 2016

I have read somewhere recently on this forum that it is best to disolve at some low temp. I have searched, but can't find that post.

jason2459 · Jun 8, 2016

I'd say once it's clear or once alkalinity is stabilized and so far for me that's been around 45 minutes if not before for various brands of saltmix. Aquavitro Salinity took the longest to clear up.

Rybren · Jun 8, 2016

fab said:
I have read somewhere recently on this forum that it is best to disolve at some low temp. I have searched, but can't find that post.

I believe that Randy has said that the salt will dissolve better at lower temps, but I'm not 100% certain and can't find a reference or quote.

fab · Jun 8, 2016

As an extension to my opening post on this thread...
Are there additional best practices we should be mindful of and incorporate into our mixing stations and designs, beyond using RODI water, FDA food-safe rated reservoirs and plumbing, and a high quality salt mix?

jason2459 · Jun 8, 2016

Rybren said:
I believe that Randy has said that the salt will dissolve better at lower temps, but I'm not 100% certain and can't find a reference or quote.

I missed the temp part. Yes, the colder the water the easier it is for Ca to dissolve.

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium?

Calcium Carbonate Precipitation: Elevated Temperature
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/#15

fab · Jun 8, 2016

Rybren said:
I believe that Randy has said that the salt will dissolve better at lower temps, but I'm not 100% certain and can't find a reference or quote.

That is what I also recall. The search engine in this forum is hard to query for this.

ksc · Jun 8, 2016

I always let it mix for a day or 2, mostly because my water is in the basement and is in the 40-60 degree range. IO recomends overnight for their mix.
http://www.instantocean.com/Instant-Answers/Instant-Ocean-FAQs/Sea-Salt.aspx

Q: What is the proper way to mix salt water?
A: Always add the salt mix to the water, not the other way around. Adding water to the salt mix briefly creates a highly concentrated solution that can lead to precipitation of some ingredients.
Always allow newly mixed salt water to circulate with a powerhead or airstone at least overnight before use. This allows the carbon dioxide in the aquarium water to reach equilibrium with the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which normalizes pH. It also adds oxygen.

fab · Jun 8, 2016

I am designing my new mixing station and would really like to get it right on all points. That is why I opened this thread.

My mixing station will serve freshwater ATO and AWC for saltwster, all under Apex control. The room it is in is usually cool relative to the rest of the house, but well above temperature of my supply water mains.

I plan to have 3 reservoirs, 1 freshwater and 2 saltwater. I have 2 Spectrapure RODI systems and an RO from my prior incarnations. I don't plan to use the RO system for the mixing station. My RODI system is self-flushing. Plus I divert the initial RO product water to waste each time the RODI starts running. I only run the RODI to produce 30 or more gallons at a time, so wasting a few cups of initial product water to avoid startup TDS problems isn't too bad for efficiency.

My AWC performs a near-continuous exchange, moving about 25% of total system volume per month through the system, on average, in frequuent tiny increments.

Wbr46797 · Jun 8, 2016

I have my saltwater mixing tank on a timer, it mixes two hours 8 times a day and I keep a heater in tank set at same temp as aquarium...

Omahadanny · Jun 9, 2016

I mix 2 5 gallon buckets of Rodi with aquavitro salinity for about 24 hours. I use a maxijet1200 for each bucket. The water temp is ambient and then raises with the heat of the pumps to about 75 degrees F.

txfatcat · Jun 9, 2016

fab said:
I am designing my new mixing station and would really like to get it right on all points. That is why I opened this thread.

My mixing station will serve freshwater ATO and AWC for saltwster, all under Apex control. The room it is in is usually cool relative to the rest of the house, but well above temperature of my supply water mains.

I plan to have 3 reservoirs, 1 freshwater and 2 saltwater. I have 2 Spectrapure RODI systems and an RO from my prior incarnations. I don't plan to use the RO system for the mixing station. My RODI system is self-flushing. Plus I divert the initial RO product water to waste each time the RODI starts running. I only run the RODI to produce 30 or more gallons at a time, so wasting a few cups of initial product water to avoid startup TDS problems isn't too bad for efficiency.

My AWC performs a near-continuous exchange, moving about 25% of total system volume per month through the system, on average, in frequuent tiny increments.

This is exactly what I have . 200g "clean water" tank and a 110g mix tank.

The clean water is used for top off and the mix or salt tank is what I use for automated water changes. 4 gallons on Monday Wednesday Friday.

I use a separate Apex to control the water change system. It stirs every hour for 5 minutes. I have a big air pump that I with air stones to inject Ozone for ultra purified water.

So every few weeks I just dump a 50g mix bag of Instant Ocean reef salt in when the mix tank gets down to half way and then fill it back up with clean water from 200g tank. I have found that by keeping the salt stirred and aireated that it keep the mix happy. I am also never making a complete 100g so there is 50g sitting there already stable and mixed.

The pump for that system is a single iwaki 20 pump so nothing huge or needed

I make water once 200g gets down to 25g. This way my RO/DI is not running all the time. I have two 75g per day systems with a booster pump. Also have 6 additional pre-filters (micron/carbon) due to all the rust in out city water. I monitor TDS to be always zero and watch DI rain beds closely. The oy reason the RO/DI system is so big is because I have them from over the years and just using them.

It has been working out great.

With that Apex. I monitor ORP. Salinity and ph. Temp not so much. It's in my garage but the water changes are so small that heat is not really an issue. Water temp may be 85 on a hot day.

I found that these small water changes are more consistent and keep it stable.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 9, 2016

I think if you can adequately stir and aerate it, you can use it quite quickly. Craig Bingman makes the case for 5 minutes here:

How to Mix a Batch of Synthetic Seawater in Under Five Minutes
http://web.archive.org/web/20011217234403/www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/sep/bio/default.asp

I'd generally not heat the water until it is dissolved (if at all, I never heated mine since I changed water slowly).

skipb1956 · Jun 9, 2016

Ok so I'm new to this and read that I should always have enough water ready on hand to refill my tank so I have a 33 Gall tub with mixed water. So is this bad, I use about 5 gallons a week and replenish. Sounds like I'm losing some of the good stuff in the water? Should I just mix up what I need the day before?

twilliard · Jun 9, 2016

My salt heats the water up for me lol
If using brightwell keep your hands out of the salt as it burns

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 9, 2016

skipb1956 said:
Ok so I'm new to this and read that I should always have enough water ready on hand to refill my tank so I have a 33 Gall tub with mixed water. So is this bad, I use about 5 gallons a week and replenish. Sounds like I'm losing some of the good stuff in the water? Should I just mix up what I need the day before?

I never had enough water to refill my system. It might be a nice in emergency situations, but it is not a need to have, especially for larger tanks.

Keeping the new salt water sitting around is fine. If you heat it all that time, or there may be a bit more calcium carbonate precipitation, but it ids not a big deal, IMO. I kept mine for a month or more, typically, unheated and unstirred.

ksc · Jun 9, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I never had enough water to refill my system. It might be a nice in emergency situations, but it is not a need to have, especially for larger tanks.

Keeping the new salt water sitting around is fine. If you heat it all that time, or there may be a bit more calcium carbonate precipitation, but it ids not a big deal, IMO. I kept mine for a month or more, typically, unheated and unstirred.

I find the longer I leave IO in the mixing tub (I always have 5-10 gallons in my 30 gal tub) the lower the dkh gets. I've measured it as low as 6-7dkh. This is preferable for those running their alk at 7-8.

fab · Jun 10, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
If you heat it all that time, or there may be a bit more calcium carbonate precipitation

Randy, looks like a typo. But it throws me off.

Are you saying that keeping it heated will cause the precipitation?

What is a good temperature range for mixing? ...and for storing?