best way to mix salt and are 2 contianers needed?

[celbrise]

my ro/di filter came in today so i should recieve it this afternoon but the problem is i have nothing to mix the salt with but my cheap power head that i just bought for aquarium use. it's pretty weak for my aquarium so i was planning on keeping it for my Ro/DI but i seem many people using heaters so was wondering if a heater is needed as well. i live in Hawaii it is pretty humid here all year round. i was also wondering if it's okay to simply just leave the water and salt stationary and simply mix with your hand or something or will the salt dissolve into the water all on it's own. i've done this before and it doesn't fully dissolve but i don't wait long either plus they are smaller batches and more salt.

i was also wondering if 2 containers would be needed. 1 for ro/di water and 1 for prepared salt water. i only have a 55gal tank majority other then water changes once per week i will be topping off.

 

[pegasus]

Many people use a heavy-duty plastic Brute garbage can for the sole purpose of mixing saltwater. Ideally, you would mount a float inside the can, and a shutoff valve on the line to the float. The other end of the line would go to your RO unit. You would simply open the valve to let RO water run into the can, and the float would cut the flow off once it reaches the float. A strong power head is very handy when mixing saltwater, as you want it to blend as soon as possible. You should base your power head size on how much saltwater you mix at a time. I use a strong return type pump to mix my saltwater. It lays on it's side, and blows across the bottom of my container. A power head on the other side keeps the water moving after the initial mixing has completed and the water is clear. Unless the ambient temperature warms the freshly mixed saltwater to the same temp as your tank water, you'll need a heater. It's not necessary to keep it heated all the time, especially if you have extra water mixed up. As long as it's warmed up to tank temp just before use, it'll be fine. If you have enough saltwater left over for the next water change, always be sure to check the salinity and temp of it before use.

You can use practically anything to store RO/DI water in, as long as it has a good seal. If you are going to manually top off the tank, gallon jugs work great. If you know how much evaporation there is every week, you can fill that many gallon jugs (or any container of your choosing) in one session. An ATO on you sump (or even tank) is ideal, as it gives you one less thing to have to keep up with.

When you get your RO/DI unit set up, be sure to let it run for awhile before using the water. Let it flush a bit to make sure no filtration media gets into your tank (ie: DI resin). Hope this helps...

 

[celbrise]

just set it up a while ago looks like i will be using my 700gph power head to mix it. going to invest on another power head soon.

 

[jay0705]

I mix in old 5 gal salt buckets. Add ro and salt let my powerhead mix it for about 24hrs. I do fairly small water changes weekly. Maybe 3gal a wk. During the summer my room temp is 75-80. So I just add no heater. The winter I do warm it to tank temp

 

[celbrise]

i bought this cheap trash can couldn't find a brute one which was thicker and more sturdy will end up using that for now until it breaks. i don't think i need to heat it up as the tank temp is kept at room temp which is just in the range for my fish. it doesn't drop or go over luckily otherwise i'd need to invest in a chiller. i think it is the hottest summer here ever in my state still not really affecting my temps.

luckily i didn't buy 2 trash cans when it's full man is it hard to move without splashing i don't trust these cheap trash cans with their lids. probably will do a water change on saturday it's only about half way full and it's a 32 gal trash can. have yet to mix it but i tossed the remaining salt i had in their. i have to buy more tomorrow i doubt it will be the correct salinity as is.

 

[flower]

just set it up a while ago looks like i will be using my 700gph power head to mix it. going to invest on another power head soon.

Hi,

As with all things fishy, we all have our own methods that work for us.

I use a 37g plastic garbage can for my mixed saltwater (mark it FISH ONLY) For mixing salt you don't need anything fancy, as long as it moves the water to prevent it from becoming stagnant. Even an airline will work.

I stir the water as I add my salt, once you have a nice swirl going, add your half cup at a time....don't just dump the salt in, sprinkle it with a side to side motion. The idea is to not let the new salt clump at the bottom, once it's added by sprinkling it in, it won't settle like sand does, it will dissolve. I use an old power head...as you keep fish, you will find that you accumulate all kinds of odds and ends pieces of equipment, they come in handy. However before I had an extra PH, I used a double airline.

 

[bang guy]

As Flower mentioned, vigorously stir the water as you slowly add the salt. By vigorously I don't mean some small powerhead circulating the water, I mean put some muscle behind it using a wooden spoon. The best results are with a hard plastic paint stirrer on a drill set to high but not everyone has that. The idea is to dissolve the trace elements in the salt as fast as possible. Use cold water to start with. In warmer months I dump RO/DI ice cubes to get the water chilled before mixing saltwater.

 

[celbrise]

alright thanks i just used the new powerhead i bought seemed to do a good job salt dissolved very fast