Guess What EVeryone!!

[f1shman]

I'm mixing my own saltwater for the first time today!!! Yay!!!! I'm using reef crystals and 5 gallons of r/o dechlorinated water!!! I poured 2.5 cups of reef crystals in (said .5 cup per gallon) Instead of mixing I added a maxijet powerhead and pointed the flow director downward, to let the it do the mixing for me.
Am I doing it right!!!

 

[f1shman]

The powerhead has seemed to compltely dissolved the salt, teh water is now crystal clear and its pointing directly at the bottom where the most would be sitting at. Do I test the specific gravity now or in 24 hours?

 

[kdfrosty]

You may want to add a heater. After you've mixed, let it run for 24 hours and test SG/Salilnity

 

[f1shman]

Well theres nothing in the tank at the moment except LR and LS, but I have an extra heater I could use in the future. I tested it now, it was 1.023. So if tommrow I test it and it is still 1.023, when I add more to raise it to 1.025 do I have to wait another 24 hours?

 

[f1shman]

Also, should I leave the powerhead in? Or just until it is fully mixed (which it already is 1 min later)

 

[hkgar]

Check the ph you might want to use an airstone to get o2 into the water.

 

[f1shman]

pH is 8.1

 

[bergamer]

seems like a lot of work, considering sea water at the lfs is only about $3-4 for 5 gallons

 

[stessman]

yeah i just bring some buckets to my LFS and buy already mixed water that is $1 gallon

 

[oceana]

1 dollar a gallon> :scared: !!!
holy crap thats alot. our LFS sell it for 38cents. and the high ones round here sell it for 50

 

[f1shman]

ours is $1.00 a gallon and its crappy salt, not reef crystals.

 

[bergamer]

mine is not mixed, I get catalina water- right from the ocean

 

[f1shman]

okay its been 24 hours and the water is at a specific gravity of 1.023 and in the tank its about 1.024. So can I add it now?

 

[dogstar]

Once you start to have livestock you should check the tempeture, PH and SG and it should match the main tank befor changing your water. But if theres nothing in your tank then go ahead.

 

[f1shman]

pH was 8.1, but ill adjust temp in the future.

 

[oaktree]

Our lfs gives us the water for being a valued customer!

 

[f1shman]

our LFS gives it to us for $1 a gallon at the wrong salinity and without any trace elements and they use crappy coralife salt.

 

[xpdition03]

.79 cents a gallon for sea water at my local fish store. SG is 1.025

 

[jayc]

Its a $1.00 at my LFS.