pirates
Member
Yes Welcome and have fun that is what this is all about yes your calcium should be at least 400 my calcium is 480 there is phosphates i had problems with the phosphates my phos. was .5ppm till i used my ro/di now 0
For the first time since I started a SW tank!
- Thread starter flower
- Start date
Yes Welcome and have fun that is what this is all about yes your calcium should be at least 400 my calcium is 480 there is phosphates i had problems with the phosphates my phos. was .5ppm till i used my ro/di now 0
sparty059
Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3294020
Yes FW is a whole different world. For Saltwater you need RO (Reverse Osmoses) water never tap unless it can’t be avoided. Tap water is not pure enough and you will land up with hair algae and all kinds of water troubles.
This is what I do on my 90g 2xs each month:
Step #1…When I plan a water change I use a plastic garbage can marked FISH ONLY and has never been used for anything else.
Step #2…I get my RO water, I have my own unit, but I have gotten it from Wal-Mart for .37 a gallon. And fill my container,
Step #3…After I have enough water in my container, I add my salt..1/2 cup per gallon. I use a power head to churn the water and let it mix for 24 hours before I use it. I cover my container with a tablecloth to keep dog hair out ( I have 2 dogs that shed everywhere) and it looks nice in my livingroom so I don’t have to look at an eye sore.
Step #4…Remove the old water from your tank, I put the old water in a FISH ONLY marked bucket, then use that water to rinse the filter media in. The last bucket I save just in case I remove too much water and I have to put it back in. This has happened to me twice so I always do it.
Step #5…refill the tank from my container with the new mixed saltwater
Mission accomplished.
Saltwater water changes are easier than freshwater tanks. Because of the CUC (clean up crew) of crabs and snails there is no need to vacuum the sand, no cleaning algae off of everything and you only remove a small amount of water so the critters don’t have to be placed in buckets while you do it.
So let me get this right. To start out, I need to get 125 gallons of water from my local store? How much do units cost to have on your own? Why do you put the old water in another bucket? What do you mean you use that water to rinse the filter media in?
http:///forum/post/3294020
Yes FW is a whole different world. For Saltwater you need RO (Reverse Osmoses) water never tap unless it can’t be avoided. Tap water is not pure enough and you will land up with hair algae and all kinds of water troubles.
This is what I do on my 90g 2xs each month:
Step #1…When I plan a water change I use a plastic garbage can marked FISH ONLY and has never been used for anything else.
Step #2…I get my RO water, I have my own unit, but I have gotten it from Wal-Mart for .37 a gallon. And fill my container,
Step #3…After I have enough water in my container, I add my salt..1/2 cup per gallon. I use a power head to churn the water and let it mix for 24 hours before I use it. I cover my container with a tablecloth to keep dog hair out ( I have 2 dogs that shed everywhere) and it looks nice in my livingroom so I don’t have to look at an eye sore.
Step #4…Remove the old water from your tank, I put the old water in a FISH ONLY marked bucket, then use that water to rinse the filter media in. The last bucket I save just in case I remove too much water and I have to put it back in. This has happened to me twice so I always do it.
Step #5…refill the tank from my container with the new mixed saltwater
Mission accomplished.
Saltwater water changes are easier than freshwater tanks. Because of the CUC (clean up crew) of crabs and snails there is no need to vacuum the sand, no cleaning algae off of everything and you only remove a small amount of water so the critters don’t have to be placed in buckets while you do it.
So let me get this right. To start out, I need to get 125 gallons of water from my local store? How much do units cost to have on your own? Why do you put the old water in another bucket? What do you mean you use that water to rinse the filter media in?
flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3294139
So let me get this right. To start out, I need to get 125 gallons of water from my local store? How much do units cost to have on your own? Why do you put the old water in another bucket? What do you mean you use that water to rinse the filter media in?
Okay…Yes when I first filled my tank I got 5g jugs and made allot of trips to the local Wal-Mart to fill my 90g. with RO water. Good water is the life of the tank, it was worth every trip. Wal-Mart water is .37 a gallon.
I put old water when doing water changes into 5g buckets marked FISH ONLY. Media are the bio balls, sponges… whatever you reuse in your filter system. Rinsing in tap water will kill the good bacteria, so by rinsing in saltwater you loosen the solid stuff out of it but save the bacteria colony to take care of your tank. Old saltwater is free and you were going to toss it anyway.
The last bucket I pull out of my tank I leave clear. If I over draw water from my system for the water change I can add it back from the bucket. If I overdraw water out and dump it , then I have to make more water and wait 24 hours for it to churn. I speak from personal experience on this.
http:///forum/post/3294139
So let me get this right. To start out, I need to get 125 gallons of water from my local store? How much do units cost to have on your own? Why do you put the old water in another bucket? What do you mean you use that water to rinse the filter media in?
Okay…Yes when I first filled my tank I got 5g jugs and made allot of trips to the local Wal-Mart to fill my 90g. with RO water. Good water is the life of the tank, it was worth every trip. Wal-Mart water is .37 a gallon.
I put old water when doing water changes into 5g buckets marked FISH ONLY. Media are the bio balls, sponges… whatever you reuse in your filter system. Rinsing in tap water will kill the good bacteria, so by rinsing in saltwater you loosen the solid stuff out of it but save the bacteria colony to take care of your tank. Old saltwater is free and you were going to toss it anyway.
The last bucket I pull out of my tank I leave clear. If I over draw water from my system for the water change I can add it back from the bucket. If I overdraw water out and dump it , then I have to make more water and wait 24 hours for it to churn. I speak from personal experience on this.
sparty059
Active Member
So I can continue to reuse my water every time? So really I should only need 125 gallons one time and 20 gallons one other time. And then I'll always have 20 gallons spare and I can just reuse it every time I change water? Is it really that dangerous to use tap water for the first 125 gallons if I let it sit for a week or two?
How much does a RO system cost?
How much does a RO system cost?
flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Sparty059
http:///forum/post/3294157
So I can continue to reuse my water every time? So really I should only need 125 gallons one time and 20 gallons one other time. And then I'll always have 20 gallons spare and I can just reuse it every time I change water? Is it really that dangerous to use tap water for the first 125 gallons if I let it sit for a week or two?
How much does a RO system cost?
You will need to fill the tank only once. Then each time you do a water change you will need more. If you swap out 20g you have to add the 20g. of fresh made saltwater.
You also have evaporation, water evaporates not salt, so you TOP OFF with RO fresh water..you keep the right SG (saltiness) level by keeping the same amount of water in the tank…so if you fill the tank 1 inch from the rim, always keep the water level 1 inch from the rim by adding RO freshwater to “top off” the tank. So you need a steady flow of RO water to keep things going.
RO units run around $200.00 filters are where the money costs. Me, I rent from Culligan 39.99 a month and they swap my filters. It comes with a built in TDS meter as well so you know the system is working. I have horrible well water and filters would break me.
Normal water would be different. For years I just got my water from Wal-Mart..what a pain going to the store and filling all those jugs were. If your water isn’t bad like mine, get your own unit, until you do, go to Wal-Mart.
http:///forum/post/3294157
So I can continue to reuse my water every time? So really I should only need 125 gallons one time and 20 gallons one other time. And then I'll always have 20 gallons spare and I can just reuse it every time I change water? Is it really that dangerous to use tap water for the first 125 gallons if I let it sit for a week or two?
How much does a RO system cost?
You will need to fill the tank only once. Then each time you do a water change you will need more. If you swap out 20g you have to add the 20g. of fresh made saltwater.
You also have evaporation, water evaporates not salt, so you TOP OFF with RO fresh water..you keep the right SG (saltiness) level by keeping the same amount of water in the tank…so if you fill the tank 1 inch from the rim, always keep the water level 1 inch from the rim by adding RO freshwater to “top off” the tank. So you need a steady flow of RO water to keep things going.
RO units run around $200.00 filters are where the money costs. Me, I rent from Culligan 39.99 a month and they swap my filters. It comes with a built in TDS meter as well so you know the system is working. I have horrible well water and filters would break me.
Normal water would be different. For years I just got my water from Wal-Mart..what a pain going to the store and filling all those jugs were. If your water isn’t bad like mine, get your own unit, until you do, go to Wal-Mart.