Mixing up new water

[ctgretzky9]

In the past, when I have done water changes, I used (2) 1 gallon jugs. Took a while! Mix up the water back and forth with the salt until well dissolved and clear and added it to the tank immediately. Temp was usually prety damn close, and my water source is awesome (well water tested very low alk, ph is only 7.2 though, no phosphates, no trates etc...) through a whole house filter and softener, then through a uv/ozone chamber and finally a .05 micron solid carbon filter. All tests were great.
Well, after learning more about alk relationship to co2 and I use instant ocean and it says best to let co2 and o2 reach equilibrium etc...I bought a 5 gallon container, a visatherm 150 watt heater, I'm swapping out my rio 800 that I'll use in the bucket for circulation (just bought a maxi jet 900 for the tank itself) and should I use an airstone?. Now does this sound right?:
Mix up salt in container to .025, then let sit overnight in bucket with the heater, powerhead and airstone?
Anything else I should do/add?
Any input would be great!
Thanks!

 

[loon]

Probably no need to anything, but it would be best to let the new saltwater "cure" for at least 24 hours.

 

[zbrook1]

I fill up my 5 gal bucket with RO/DI on Thursday night,add salt(use a meaure cup to what I know will get me to .024,saves time having to constantly adjust S.G.)on Friday with a Rio 400 and air stone.I have an old heater that is always stuck on so I add that to the water bucket about 1 1/2 hours before my change on Sat or Sun.Check my S.G. one last time and change away.This is also when I add my iodine and anything else that needs to be added on a weekly basis.Also do any equipment cleaning at this time.I Try to keep my hands out of the tank as much as possible during the week.

 

[ctgretzky9]

thanks people!
I went to lfs yesterday and home depot during lunch and bought a 5 gal bucket, maxi-jet 900, and a visa therm 150 watt heater. I took the rio 800 out of my fish tank and replaced it with the maxi jet since i wanted more circulation anway.
I cleaned out the bucket very well with warm water. Then I added my source water and then added the salt while mixing it really well. Put the rio in the bucket, put the heater in the bucket (which reading your post zbrook, makes sense to add a couple of hours before water change instead of having it run all night too! lol) and added my airstone.
This morning my hydrometer read .025 so thats perfect and temp is exactly 80 like my tank...so I'm ready for a water change tonight yay!
I plan on testing ph etc when I get home tonight before the change to make sure i"m putting perfect water in...

 

[acrylic51]

Kind of risky how you were mixing your make up water in the begininng... You should let your salt mix(water) aerate for at least 24 hours to get an accurate reading on the salinity... Even though the salt appears to be mixed thoroughly it hasn't been. That's why they suggest letting it aerate and stabilize and it gives you time to adjust temp and recheck the salinity.

 

[ctgretzky9]

Live and learn lol, thats why although I feel like I post too much sometimes, everytime i do i feel like i learn something. Even as what i thought was a minor issue of mixing the salt.
All is well now. Problem is, right on the box for instant ocean it says "it can be used immediately, though we SUGGEST waiting until co2 reaches equilibrium" or something to that effect. They should really insist that it be mixed a certain way and not leave it to an option, because for people like me who have very little time once they get home, i would tend to say ill just do it now!
Thanks for the input