makeing sea water
- Thread starter pensky
- Start date
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tizzo
Guest
It will be ok considering 2 things... It is not exposed to light, if it is then you will get an algae outbreak because your water is now nutrien rich. and it would be a good idea to at least keep it circulating so that it is still oxygen rich. You do not want to replace tank water with airless salt water. Your replacement water should be like a breath of fresh...water? Yeah, well, you know what I mean...
pensky
Member
what do you mean by airless salt water. I have an over the top pegium filter with carbon, a protien skimmer, and a power head. There are no bubbles at all in the tank, but I can adjust the air flow in my power head. Should I have bubbles circulating in the tank?
as far as storing the water can I store it for a month or so and then put a bubble stone it the water before I do my water change. Will that work or do you need continous air bubbles?
as far as storing the water can I store it for a month or so and then put a bubble stone it the water before I do my water change. Will that work or do you need continous air bubbles?
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tizzo
Guest
No no... Sea water doesn't need an airstone. Air is absorbed into the water simply by exposure. In your main tank you should have as much surface agitation as you can without getting rediculous. Then you want powerheads to circulate that oxygen rich water through-out the tank. If the surface of your tank is still, then your tank is not getting enough oxygen. Your protein skimmer does contribute, and any other means of filtration that causes air contact.
As far as your premixed water, I think once it is completely oxygen deficcient, it will not absorb enough when you do try to oxygenate it. If you could somehow just keep it circulating...
I premix mine and simply put a pwerhead in the bin. It's 14 gallons and left dark, but the powerhead makes a big difference.
As far as your premixed water, I think once it is completely oxygen deficcient, it will not absorb enough when you do try to oxygenate it. If you could somehow just keep it circulating...
I premix mine and simply put a pwerhead in the bin. It's 14 gallons and left dark, but the powerhead makes a big difference.
pensky
Member
Well what I could leave it running but do you think it would help if I use the bio-balls I plan to use later in my 55 gal tank as a wet/dry filter. I have a large pump and could keep at least 15 gals of mixed seawater moving through this wet/dry filter with bio-ball. Would that be better? Here is a pic of my resources
although i do not have a lit but this is in a shed and the door shuts so no light but it is not exactly pitch black in the middle of the day
although i do not have a lit but this is in a shed and the door shuts so no light but it is not exactly pitch black in the middle of the day
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tizzo
Guest
Bio balls or the filter would be of absolutely no benefit with replacement water. Bio balls are beneficial in the tank because when food and fish poop break down, turn into ammonia, then nitrites gobble up that ammonia then trates gobble up the trites then your beneficial bacteria form on the surface area provided by the bio balls. The more surface area, the better. Your bio-balls are not beneficial because there is no fish poop or food to break down and start the "cycle".
monalisa
Active Member
So...now I'm a little confused . I read on another thread that an air stone and heater in my extra (5 gallon bucket) water for changes would be fine. I haven't gotten the air stone yet, but I was planning on it just to keep my salt water circulating. Will this be adequate?
Thank you!!
Lisa :happyfish
Thank you!!
Lisa :happyfish
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tizzo
Guest
Yeah, an airstone is fine, but due to all the salt creep and that annoying vibrating sound when it moves, some people like to use a powerhead instead.
The heater is to match the temp in your tank to reduce stress on your fish, corals, inverts, etc. When you do the actual water change, your water should be the same temp as your tank. But airstone or powerhead, same diff in the new water bin.
The heater is to match the temp in your tank to reduce stress on your fish, corals, inverts, etc. When you do the actual water change, your water should be the same temp as your tank. But airstone or powerhead, same diff in the new water bin.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Regardless of what modern literature says about the matter, I find no reason to make up large batches of synthetic seawater and store it.
I find it hard to concieve that a hobbyist with an established tank that regularily does water changes and water tests will run into a situation where more than 20% of the tank water would ever have to be changed at once (one helluva run-on sentence, eh?).
The longer your saltwater sits, the more of it evaporates. This just waste distilled/ro water in my opinion.
BTW, I'v always mixed my saltwater right before I add it to the tank with no ill effects on fish, corals, or other inverts. I do 5% changes every week, and that is one benefit of doing frequent, small changes.
I find it hard to concieve that a hobbyist with an established tank that regularily does water changes and water tests will run into a situation where more than 20% of the tank water would ever have to be changed at once (one helluva run-on sentence, eh?).
The longer your saltwater sits, the more of it evaporates. This just waste distilled/ro water in my opinion.
BTW, I'v always mixed my saltwater right before I add it to the tank with no ill effects on fish, corals, or other inverts. I do 5% changes every week, and that is one benefit of doing frequent, small changes.
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tizzo
Guest
Yeah, that's a good point. I'm saying what you need or don't need for storing the water and I completely forgot to ask why you want to store it to begin with. No need to store it!!
Don't know if I could bring myself to mixing and adding immediately though...I gotta let it circulate for at least a few hours. I couldn't bear to see an undissolved chunk of salt him one of my corals.
Don't know if I could bring myself to mixing and adding immediately though...I gotta let it circulate for at least a few hours. I couldn't bear to see an undissolved chunk of salt him one of my corals.
dragonfli
Member
SORRY ABOUT THAT. id keep an eye open but no dont worry. its been long enough now, and you havent noticed anything. i have a bit of a phenomenon goin on in my tank at the moment.
i have a skunk clown that will get about 5 ich spots on him for a day and then ina day they will be completly gone. a week and a half later i will see some again (in completly different places). nobody else has a trace of it, and i can explain it. i cant catch the little bugger so im thinking of ways to remedy this. so i should have taken my ownadvice!
i have a skunk clown that will get about 5 ich spots on him for a day and then ina day they will be completly gone. a week and a half later i will see some again (in completly different places). nobody else has a trace of it, and i can explain it. i cant catch the little bugger so im thinking of ways to remedy this. so i should have taken my ownadvice!
dragonfli
Member
A TINY WHITE SPOT. smaller than a grain of sand, but very white. you can best see them on the fins of your fish if they are (seethrough) but you will normally get a few at a time. my clown gets them (3-6 spots) for a day then looses them and in 5 days they come back. so he is healthy enough to fight --- but not healthy enough to keep'em off.
