new to mixing my own saltwater

[capschamp]

Sorry if this question has been asked and answered a million times, but i have been searching for the last 2 days and havent found anything yet.
I dont want to continue spending the money on the natural sea water in a box so i bought some tropic marin pro reef salt, but it doesnt come with a recipe as how much salt to mix per gallon.
Does anyone know how much I need?
Do I fill my bucket with water first, then add the salt and let it get mixed with the powerhead?
All help is appreciated.

 

[dragonzim]

It should say on the box how much you should use, but generally its about a half cup of salt per gallon of water.

 

[sepulatian]

There should be directions on the package, but it is usually half of a cup per gallon of water. Mix it in a bucket for at least 24 hours, 48 is better. Be sure to use a heater and to adjust the salinity as needed to get it to match your display.

 

[megan84]

oh my gosh! stop spending your money on the premixed stuff! You're sure it doesn't have a ratio on the container of sea salt? I use Instant Ocean and I use 1/2 cup per gallon of water to give me a specific gravity of 1.026.
Yep, just fill your bucket, make sure you keep track of how many gallons are in there, dump in some salt, stick in a powerhead and let it mix for at least a day before you add it to any tanks that have fish, inverts, corals, anything in it. NEVER EVER EVER mix salt water in a tank that has living things in it. Heaven forbid, some unsuspecting fish swims through the cup of salt you just dumped in.
It's really a trial and error proces. I'd start with the 1/2 c per gallon, test your specific gravity, if it's too high, add more water, if it's too low, add more salt. Just keep track of what you add and then remember it for next time so there isn't so much guess work.
Oh, and don't feel bad for asking. I can't tell you how long I searched this site for the answer. Then...I read the package. HA!

 

[bountyhunter23]

Idk what kind you have but with instant ocean 3lbs makes 10gal, 7.5lbs makes 25gal, 15lbs makes 50. But yeah they are all right there should be instructions on the box, if not you could go to their web site, or there is prob a number on the box that you could call.

 

[bang guy]

Fill your bucket 2/3rds or so with cold water, as cold as is practical. While vigerously stirring the water slowly add about 1/2 cup of salt per gallon. Once it's all added stir for another minute if you can or until all of the salt has dissolved. It's important to dissolve the salt as fast as you can once it gets wet by stirring.
Aerate with a powerhead or airstone for an hour or so before using the water and heat it to match your tank temp before pouring it in.

 

[rudedog40]

Most salts I've purchsed have a 'formula' of how many ounces per gallon to add to get the desired SG. As a rule of thumb, to get an SG of 1.024 - 1.026, I add 2 1/2 cups of salt to a 5 gallon bucket. However, it can vary between the different manufacturer salts out there.
First off, make sure you use RO or RO/DI water. Don't use tap water and try to purify it yourself. You can buy RO water from Culligen-type dispensers for around 25 cents/gallon (machines are in a lot of Wal-Mart's). Many LFS sell it as well. You can also invest in an RO/DI machine. Some good ones out there run around $150 - $200. Once you get the water, also spend $30 - $50 on a refractometer. They are much more accurate than the somewhat useless hydrometers you get when you buy your tank. It's also a must have tool if you ever need to do hyposalinity in a QT for ich or other diseases. Go to Home Depot and buy a couple of their orange 5-gallon buckets. That's why I use to mix my saltwater. Finally, invest in an inexpensive powerhead that you can drop into the bucket to really mix the saltwater well for at least 24 hours. You can get a 100gph for about $15 at Wal-Mart, Petsmart, or most LFS. After you have all your materials. just drop a cup or two of your salt into the bucket, and let the PH mix it up for an hour. Grab your refractometer and check the SG reading. Add more salt if needed to get to your desired SG level. Cook it for the 24 hour period, and do your water change. Your fish and corals will thank you for it...

 

[capschamp]

WOW!
Thanks for all the responses. I do use RO/DI water, and for some reason I haven't found the recipe on the outside of the box of salt. It just says 4kg for 120l, and as i dont have a scale (and i dont do conversions well) it was easier to ask for help, and as usual everyone came through.

I just got my refractometer the other day, do i need to calibrate that before each use? i havent used it yet, i'll be picking up some distilled water tonight for calibration.
Thanks again

 

[gaboon1]

so wait a sec. if someone is setting up a salt tank (for the first time) they have to mix up 75 gallons of salt* or however big there tank is) and then dump it in or can people just fill there tank and then add the salt to the tank.

 

[metweezer]

If you are doing it for the first time, and only the first time, then you can add the salt to the water in your tank. Nothing else should be in your tank at this time. No rock or sand. Run a powerhead to mix it up.