Can a prepared water change go bad?

[fuppets]

I mixed up a water change and waited a few days and did a water change. I premixed way too much water and saved the rest for the next water change. Now it's time for that next change and the heater and airline tubing in the covered garabage can is all slimey. Is this water ok to use? It's been about 10 days since I first mixed this water up. It has had a heater and bubble strip going in it the whole time. It also has had the lid on it.

 

[omgsaltwat]

I think it will be ok just what I have read from other post like this one. I would test it first....JMO

 

[am3gross]

i dont know about now however in the future i would put a power head in there to keep the water circulating better then the bubble strip. i would probably test that water for everything before you actually put it in your tank.

 

[saltwater8]

Originally Posted by Fuppets
the heater and airline tubing in the covered garabage can is all slimey.
Hmmm, why take the chance? :thinking:
I would just mix up some new and use that.
In this hobby - better safe than sorry...
:happyfish

 

[sinner's girl]

ditto to sw8, it's just saltwater...best guess is it wasn't mixed enough, with just the bubble thing.

 

[agent707]

The sliminess is normal... Feel of the items in your main tank. I guarentee they all have the same slimmy feel to them. It's just the properties of the salt water.
There's nothing at all wrong with your salt mix. I do what you do all the time. I mix it up 50 gallons at a time... and use just 15 or so each water change.
And as mentioned, I keep a small powerhead in there running at all times.

 

[fuppets]

Agent, thank you, thank you, thank you. I bought a 44 gal container to mix up two water changes at a time and was starting to worry that that was a bad idea. Thank you, I will pick up a cheap powerhead today. is there a recomended GPH for this?

 

[agent707]

No recommended GPH. Just a cheap one. I think I'm running a 220 or something? And it's PLENTY enough. Paid like $15 for it. Think about how much water movement you get with it, vs an Air stone. TONS more.
Oh, and you do have a heater for it to? Just have to run the heater a couple hours before you use it. You want it the same temp just before putting it in your tank.
Other than then, just run the PH.