How do you do it?

[sj022698]

Ok, as I type I have my RO unit (100 gpd) pumping water into my tank to fill for the first time. However, I will be doing a small bit of curing some rock.
From what everyone seems to be doing is keeping a 35-50 gallon rubbermaid trashcan full of RO water.
My question is once I put the water in there, do I add the salt or do I wait till I get ready for a water change and put it in a 5 gallon bucket and get the salinity to where it needs to be? Or, do I just put the water in the trash can and add the correct amount of salt for the whole 35 gallons? If so, when do I mix it and for how long? Right before I put it in, 24 hours before changes, etc...
Would love all your help!
Thanks,
Justin

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by sj022698
My question is once I put the water in there, do I add the salt or do I wait till I get ready for a water change and put it in a 5 gallon bucket and get the salinity to where it needs to be? Or, do I just put the water in the trash can and add the correct amount of salt for the whole 35 gallons? If so, when do I mix it and for how long? Right before I put it in, 24 hours before changes, etc...
Would love all your help!
Thanks,
Justin
Justin, my personal preference is to fill a container (29 gallon mixing tank in my case) with the RO/DI water then mix your salt in there after it is heated up, mix the salt rather slowly using a power head, continue to mix it till it is 1.025 or 35ppm if using a refractometer. Mix it and aerate it for at least 24 hours before doing the water change.
Simple as that.
Thomas

 

[sj022698]

I use 2. One for water (normal evaporation) and one for saltwater. Can I make about 20 gallons of RO water in a rubbermaid and add the salt and get it to the right point say on a monday. Then on Friday night start the powerhead and heater to do a water change on sat. Is this ok?
However, if I did one container with a heater, I could use that water for top offs and when I needed to do a water change I could just use a 5 gallon bucket with a small powerhead, correct? That way I have more space and I don't need 2 heaters, etc...How long do I need to mix the salt with the powerhead. If it's 24 hours, that means, I'll still need a heater, for both containers, am I right? Or, since it's such a small amount, couldn't I only mix it for an hour or so?
Also, can I set the heater directly in the trash can or tub without worrying about catching on fire? I'm assuming it doesn't put out that much heat plus it's in water.

 

[jumpfrog]

If you're not losing too much water to evaporation, say 1 gallon a day or so, you could fill up some water jugs with RO to have available for top offs. Then a couple days before your water change just add salt to you large RO container. Do your water change and then let the RO unit fill up you large container again to repeat the process for the next water change.
The heater won't burn anything. I keep a 150 watt in a rubber maid 28 gallon trash can. No problems.

 

[gold strip]

To simplify: Salt water in a dark, closed container should last a week as long as you have a powerhead in there keeping it stirred. I dont let mine go more than 2 or 3 days.
If the container allows light in or doesnt have a lid on it then you run the risk of evaporation messing up your salinity and/or allowing some contaminate to get in the water and screw it up. And if its an organic contaminate then you will have a nitrate problem and possible algae before you even do a water change with it.

 

[unleashed]

I keep a 50 gal rubbermade trash can on constant full with fw for daily top offs as i deplete the water I turn ro back on to keep full 24 hrs before my weekly water change i add my salts and heater with a powerhead .come time for water change the water is premixed and heated to perfect tank temp i do water changes on now 4 tanks so I make sure to keep fresh sw available 3 different days of the week