Temperature for mixing and Time before using new saltwater

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'd just mix and store at room temp unless you plan to use a large amount soon. If so, heating after mixing instead of before may be desirable.

 

[malira]

I kept mine for a month or more, typically, unheated and unstirred.

Sometimes when I keep mine for longer than a week I get this brown stuff that coats the brute trash can.
Do you know what this is and is it harmful/avoidable?

 

[ksc]

I believe it's calcium carbonate. I think I've cleaned my barrel 2 times in 8 years. If you can break it out in nice pieces they make great homemade frag plates...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The solids on the bottom are mostly calcium carbonate, undissolved calcium hydroxide, and some magnesium hydroxide and other impurities precipitated out as oxides, hydroxides, and carbonates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sometimes when I keep mine for longer than a week I get this brown stuff that coats the brute trash can.
Do you know what this is and is it harmful/avoidable?

Which brand?

That is "normal" for Reef Crystals.

 

[malira]

Which brand?

That is "normal" for Reef Crystals.

Red Sea Coral Pro. It's just a film and comes off easy.

 

[fab]

Meant to say:

Randy, thanks for the clarification. My smart phone is always screwing up my posts by changing my perfectly good words to perfectly wrong words on me.

I've never heated my new saltwater but never knew it had any advantage, even if small. Do you know the temperature at which the precipitation starts to occur?
fab

 

[fab]

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

This looks like an outstanding mixing station setup for synthesizing seawater from RODI freshwater. Thank you for this excellent post.

fab

P.S., I have sent you a private message via this forum.

 

[fab]

I'd just mix and store at room temp unless you plan to use a large amount soon. If so, heating after mixing instead of before may be desirable.

Thanks, that is what I am doing now. I use an Apex to perform near-continuous automatic water changes so I am not worried about 'dumping' tiny increments of cool new saltwater into my system, even though it is quite frequent. In my case it works out to about a cup of water every 15 minutes, for about 25-30% volume change per month.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, thanks for the clarification. My smart phone is always screwing up my posts by changing my perfectly good words to perfectly wrong words on me.

I've never heated my new saltwater but never knew it had any advantage, even if small. Do you know the temperature at which the precipitation starts to occur?
fab

It happens even when cold, but faster and faster as it is warmed.

 

[bbpros2b]

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.

dang dude now that’s what I’m talking about. Inspiration towards my 1000 gallon reef tank goal I have. Nice mixing setup! I only have a 110 gallon Reef tank right now but now seeing this mixing station makes my dream seem a little closer to reality.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

dang dude now that’s what I’m talking about. Inspiration towards my 1000 gallon reef tank goal I have. Nice mixing setup! I only have a 110 gallon Reef tank right now but now seeing this mixing station makes my dream seem a little closer to reality.

Don't hold your breath for a reply. He has not been on the forum for 7 years.