Give-up
- Thread starter scarecrow
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xcali1985
Active Member
Depending on where you stay you can visit a feed store near you. They usually have blue or white barrels that that can be used to store 50 gallons of water. You can drill a hole near the bottom of it and place it on a stand. Use a uniseal to "bulkhead" the hole and then place a pvc tub along with a ball valve on it and you can fill the barrel up and then turn the ball valve to fill up buckets.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by scarecrow http:///t/393728/give-up/20#post_3503838
I bought the RO water and the hydrometer nobody had the refractometer so now I follow instructions on the hydrometer and it is high just a bit over the 1.026 what do I do ! Also just bought 1gal of the RO not sure how to store more! I added the RO before using hydrometer!!!!
To lower the SG....just remove a bucket of water (do not toss it out yet)....replace the bucket of saltwater removed with a bucket of fresh RO water. Wait for the water to be well mixed and retest the SG. If the SG is now in safe range on your hydrometer, you can discard the water in the bucket.
Keeping the bucket of saltwater is my anal way of being in control, in case I removed too much salt...I can undo my mistake. You do not have to remove a whole bucket...a gallon at a time will be fine...the slower you bring down the SG the better. Just be sure to allow some time for the fish to adapt to the new SG..about an hour between.
Once you have the SG where it should be....Mark the water line with a piece of tape. Always maintain that water level with freshwater (RO) in the morning or evening once a day. Now to do a water change...always make sure the new mixed saltwater matches the water in your tank. Remove some old water from the tank, and replace with the same amount of the new saltwater. Top off is what you call it when you add the RO each day to maintain the water level.
Originally Posted by scarecrow http:///t/393728/give-up/20#post_3503838
I bought the RO water and the hydrometer nobody had the refractometer so now I follow instructions on the hydrometer and it is high just a bit over the 1.026 what do I do ! Also just bought 1gal of the RO not sure how to store more! I added the RO before using hydrometer!!!!
To lower the SG....just remove a bucket of water (do not toss it out yet)....replace the bucket of saltwater removed with a bucket of fresh RO water. Wait for the water to be well mixed and retest the SG. If the SG is now in safe range on your hydrometer, you can discard the water in the bucket.
Keeping the bucket of saltwater is my anal way of being in control, in case I removed too much salt...I can undo my mistake. You do not have to remove a whole bucket...a gallon at a time will be fine...the slower you bring down the SG the better. Just be sure to allow some time for the fish to adapt to the new SG..about an hour between.
Once you have the SG where it should be....Mark the water line with a piece of tape. Always maintain that water level with freshwater (RO) in the morning or evening once a day. Now to do a water change...always make sure the new mixed saltwater matches the water in your tank. Remove some old water from the tank, and replace with the same amount of the new saltwater. Top off is what you call it when you add the RO each day to maintain the water level.
sepulatian
Moderator
Scarecrow, bring a sample of your water to the local fish store (lfs). Have them test it just to be sure. 1.026 is not high, but who knows if your hydrometer is accurate. I kept all of my tanks at 1.026. If you do need to lower it, be sure to trickle fresh back in. No big changes to the SG.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by scarecrow http:///t/393728/give-up/20#post_3503902
Flower, how do I store the RO water, if I buy say 5 gallons but only use 1 gallon ? Thanks for the info you are very kind to offer your knowledge !
Everyone on this site you will find to be kind and helpful, except Darth...but we love him anyway. By the way if you do see any of his mean remarks, it's all in fun, and he just wants to get a rise out of folks, just poke back or ignore him. Me, I don't usually engage him, I just read his comments and laugh (I recommend that response to others)
Storing RO is easy. if you keep it in a 5g container run an airline into the water...it doesn't even need an air stone...as long as it circulates air into the water to keep it from going stagnant, so just leave the top open. I kept my RO in a 5g jug for a long time when I first started.
Originally Posted by scarecrow http:///t/393728/give-up/20#post_3503902
Flower, how do I store the RO water, if I buy say 5 gallons but only use 1 gallon ? Thanks for the info you are very kind to offer your knowledge !
Everyone on this site you will find to be kind and helpful, except Darth...but we love him anyway. By the way if you do see any of his mean remarks, it's all in fun, and he just wants to get a rise out of folks, just poke back or ignore him. Me, I don't usually engage him, I just read his comments and laugh (I recommend that response to others)
Storing RO is easy. if you keep it in a 5g container run an airline into the water...it doesn't even need an air stone...as long as it circulates air into the water to keep it from going stagnant, so just leave the top open. I kept my RO in a 5g jug for a long time when I first started.
sweatervest13
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/393728/give-up/20#post_3503906
Everyone on this site you will find to be kind and helpful, except Darth...but we love him anyway. By the way if you do see any of his mean remarks, it's all in fun, and he just wants to get a rise out of folks, just poke back or ignore him. Me, I don't usually engage him, I just read his comments and laugh (I recommend that response to others)
Storing RO is easy. if you keep it in a 5g container run an airline into the water...it doesn't even need an air stone...as long as it circulates air into the water to keep it from going stagnant, so just leave the top open. I kept my RO in a 5g jug for a long time when I first started.
+1
5g jug is all you need. I have never ran an air line in my RO storage container and no issues. But there is nothing wrong if you want to run one.
Here are some storage containers for RO that I used when filling up my tank. I still use the Rubbermaid totes to do water changes (marked new and old saltwater to not cross contaminate). I have switched to an Auto top off unit instead of manually topping off fresh RO water every day (or twice a day). I now keep a 32g brute trash can next to my sump that pumps a small amount of fresh RO water into my sump multiple times throughout the day. I have to fill the big brute container once every 2 weeks (give or take a day or two depending on the evaporation amount from the tank). But I used those 4 5g jugs for almost a year and did not have any issues, well, maybe some back issues.
I think you will find if you buy a few of the 5g jugs it will keep you in fresh RO water for your top offs for a few weeks. If you are buying 1g of fresh RO water at a time from your LFS, you are going to be spending more in gas $$ they you are on water. You can find those at Walmart for like 7-9 bucks.
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/393728/give-up/20#post_3503906
Everyone on this site you will find to be kind and helpful, except Darth...but we love him anyway. By the way if you do see any of his mean remarks, it's all in fun, and he just wants to get a rise out of folks, just poke back or ignore him. Me, I don't usually engage him, I just read his comments and laugh (I recommend that response to others)
Storing RO is easy. if you keep it in a 5g container run an airline into the water...it doesn't even need an air stone...as long as it circulates air into the water to keep it from going stagnant, so just leave the top open. I kept my RO in a 5g jug for a long time when I first started.
+1
5g jug is all you need. I have never ran an air line in my RO storage container and no issues. But there is nothing wrong if you want to run one.
Here are some storage containers for RO that I used when filling up my tank. I still use the Rubbermaid totes to do water changes (marked new and old saltwater to not cross contaminate). I have switched to an Auto top off unit instead of manually topping off fresh RO water every day (or twice a day). I now keep a 32g brute trash can next to my sump that pumps a small amount of fresh RO water into my sump multiple times throughout the day. I have to fill the big brute container once every 2 weeks (give or take a day or two depending on the evaporation amount from the tank). But I used those 4 5g jugs for almost a year and did not have any issues, well, maybe some back issues.
I think you will find if you buy a few of the 5g jugs it will keep you in fresh RO water for your top offs for a few weeks. If you are buying 1g of fresh RO water at a time from your LFS, you are going to be spending more in gas $$ they you are on water. You can find those at Walmart for like 7-9 bucks.
flower
Well-Known Member
LOL...That is what my livingroom looked like...my poor mother. Now I have one of my 37g plastic cans (marked FISH ONLY) in the kitchen, behind a counter by the door. I keep it filled with RO water from my unit (with a power head to churn the water), then I add salt when I'm ready to do a water change. Saltwater stuff just seems to accumulate...my garage is full too of all kinds of gizmo's I have used over the years, along with 7 or 8 of those 5g jugs, which I keep for emergencies. OH...and extra lights.
Right now I have 2 sets of 48" lights that will fit a (55g, 75g or 90g tank)175w MH x2 with 96w actenic x2 ...one is a Coralife Elite (very heavy) and a retrofit...the ballists are heavy. Anyone interested in them can just pay the shipping, and you can have them. I don't keep corals anymore, so I went to T5s because they don't give out heat on my seahorse tanks. The big Coralife Elite has a short on one side, and I was told it's an easy fix...The thing came with flimsy plastic legs that snapped in a heart beat...so I hung the lights....you can order the extra legs if you want them, but I would recommend hanging them, or putting them on wood blocks (I've done that too). The retro fit is a Hammelton brand, and made for the DIY type of canopy. They will be going to the Goodwill store very soon, so speak up if you want them...send me a PM to set things up.
robertmathern
Active Member
I agree with Sep a hydrometer can be off quite a way. I find they work ok at first but start to drift away over time. For 50 bucks you can get a nice you and I happen to know a great place to get it from. Right here on SWF.com
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/Refractometer_p_135.html
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/Refractometer_p_135.html