Water change prep

[Cab01]

Noob question here. I've been reading up on mixing up my own water and saw that some mixes say don't mix more than 4 hours (or what ever depending on the brand). I have been buying my water from my LFS store and I have been dumping my buckets into my garbage can and throwing in a small pump and heater the night before so I'm good to go in the morning for my water change. Should I not be putting in the pump? My garbage can is clean and residue free when I'm done.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The potential concern with some mixes is precipitation of calcium carbonate. Heating and extended mixing of high alk mixes can promote that.

 

[Biglew11]

I wouldn't worry about this. Most salts will be fine overnight, probably even weeks.

I used to mix my own salt the night before add heat and circulation so it was heated the next day.

The salt mixes that say don't mix more than 4 hours generally mix at higher alk and cal and the companies think they may precipitate out if mixed longer. What do they think is happening with the water in our tanks.

 

[Cab01]

Thanks to you both for the replies. Just ordered my ro/di filters and this question just popped in my head. Learned something which is always good!!

 

[Joe31415]

What do they think is happening with the water in our tanks.

My understanding is that other chemical processes that happen within the tank prevent that.
FWIW, I use Reef Crystals and mix up several weeks worth at time. Occasionally I'll get some brown gunk in it (running it through a filter cleans it up), but that's it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What do they think is happening with the water in our tanks.

There’s actually much more propensity for new salt water to precipitate than reef tank water due to organics and phosphate in the tank water which reduce precipitation.