Mixing Saltwater - Is it a Batch or Continuous Process??

[blange3]

Many of us mix and maintain large barrels of saltwater.

I was wondering if you mixed and used in single batches, or do you just keep topping of and adding salt?

I can see some pros and cons to both methods.

Since I was asking this question, I decided a poll might be interesting to capture some statistics about the usual ways of mixing/acquiring saltwater.

 

[blange3]

So pros and cons for continuously replenishing your saltwater reserve:

PROS - You generally have the maximum amount of fresh saltwater available for random water change opportunities.

CONS - Is that stuff growing in there? What is the SG/ALK/CA/PH today?

Single batch pros and cons:

PROS - Clean out gunk between batches if necessary. Adjust levels once per batch.

CONS - I only have x gallons left and I just dumped more than that on the floor!

 

[Carlo]

I try and keep two full containers of salt water mixed and ready to use at all times. When I use part of it I add RO/DI water to it with some salt to get it back to 35 ppt.

Typically I try and alternate complete use of containers so I can clean them out but as long as stuff is precipitated to the bottom I'm not to worried about it as long as I don't use that. Typically my pumps sit about 2" off the bottom for this reason.

I myself don't have a powerhead constantly mixing my salt water. Once it's mixed I only use an airstone so that I can allow precipitation (good thing) of anything in my mix bucket versus in my tank.

Oh I also try and keep a couple of containers full or pure water with some minerals thrown back into it to make it potable again. Storing pure ZERO TDS water isn't a good thing to do. I don't know if you guys are aware of it or not but RO/DI water isn't considered potable and very few containers are designed to do this. With some minerals thrown back in (even a little bit of salt mix) the water is potable again.

Carlo

 

[blange3]

So Carlo, you're a continuous mixer with an occasional cleanout. Makes sense.

I can understand keeping 2 barrels for the amount a tank capacity you have.

I also keep a smaller RO/DI reserve. I turn my RO/DI supply over weekly.

I don't add minerals back, but I do check the TDS to see if anything is leaching. Since my barrels came from food grade/FDA regulated processes, I havent had a problem.

I do aerate the RO/DI reserve as it is filling.

 

[Phyl]

We typically mix up a 55g drum, which is single use for our system (10%). Sometimes it gets used right away. Sometimes it is covered and left mixing for a week or so before we get around to doing the laborious change (LOL.. throw some ball valves, watch it drain, throw some more, watch it fill, shut off ball valves... not so tough).

 

[billyr98]

i do the samething as Phyl, but 100g trash can is used for now... i might use something bigger one day

850g of total system is getting huge!! STOP THE MADNESS!!

 

[Brian]

I don't store any saltwater, I basically mix it up, wait a few hours and then do the water change. I know this isn't considered "proper" but it's what I've been doing and so far it works.

 

[Candi]

I don't have anywhere to keep stored mixed water so I use a big rubbermade trash can to mix up what I need for the next day's water change... which means I have a big ugly garbage can sitting in my dining room at least a couple days a week LOL I do keep a decent supply of RODI water on hand though in 6g jugs which in case of emergency I would mix up and use with crossed fingers. I also use 2 types of salt (tropic marin in my 24g skimmerless nano and IO in my bigger tanks) so mixing just what I need is easier. If I had the room and an easy way to transport it from storage to use I'd probably keep a decent supply made at all times in 2 containers so I used one up and could clean it as needed, still had the backup running alternating like that.

 

[Carlo]

I didn't mention it earlier but ironically the water I keep mixed up hasn't been used for a water change on my system. I've yet to do a water change on my systems since Easter when I started the system up at my new house.

I have used it for every new system I've brought online so in a way that's been kind of like a water change since new salt water is added to the system. I also "steal" water from the system to use for QT tanks (ran through UV) which I'm not doing much of anymore since I'm pretty well stocked. Any time I stole water 10/20 gallon at a time it was replaced with new salt water. I also skim wet with a few skimmers and replace about 10 gallons of salt water a week due to this.

I've got a bunch of people coming over to purchase mixed/aged salt water at $1/gallon plus everytime I add a new tank or something I need it myself for filling the tanks.

I myself add trace elements to my top off water so I know my trace elements are fine but don't rely on water changes to "export" out stuff as I try and design the system to handle different water problems itself. This tends to be cheaper in the long run since I don't go through a lot of salt. Right now to do a 10% water change would require a little more then a bucket of salt.

With that said I did just ordered a whole lot of new stuff for my water purification system which will allow me to make anywhere from 300 (with membranes) to 1000+ gallons a day (kati-ani) depending on membrane versus DI usage with automatic cleaning and bypass. This thing will filter out anything from anybody's water! I'll be using this in a mobile kind of way for tanks I've been servicing and working on. Being able to drive again (need vehicle now!) I figured I might as well build a system that could do "water-on-demand" at anyone's house/business. I'm also working on getting two 200 Gallon holding tanks for water with built in heating elements.

Carlo

PS with some loaner containers I should be able to handle much of the water that was requested by some vendors for the frag swap. If one of the officers or people in charge of this request want to PM/call me I should be able to help with this or play something of a key part in it.