Salt Suggestions

[howze01]

Let me try to help everyone out here a little. What Sid is trying to tell you is that salinity will read differently at different temperatures. Unless you're using a refractometer that compensates for the temp. So, if the water your adding is a different temp than your DT but has the same reading on your hydrometer, it probably isn't the same. Your water change water should be the same temp as your DT. I have a little 50w heater that I run in my WC water for a few hours before I test the salinity (even though I use a temp. correcting refractometer). That way I get the same salinity readings. Also if your WC water is a different temp it can cause temp swings in your tank.

 

[JerzyFF61]

im reading bout that brand of salt right now. but how long have you been using that salt for?

ive been using it for over three years i beleive

 

[HerbieK]

I like Diamond crystal, but my favorite is Mortons salt (Kosher), when it rains it pours. That kid in the yellow raincoat on the label is so cute! Sometimes I will use the store brand (Stop and Shop), which I find is just as salty as the name brands.

Herb

 

[NewJerseyReefer]

i know this may be lot to ask but does any one mind doing a video on how they make there saltwater and water changes too? also what you use and steps by steps and what brand of salt and how many cups.

 

[The_Codfather]

Let me try to help everyone out here a little. What Sid is trying to tell you is that salinity will read differently at different temperatures. Unless you're using a refractometer that compensates for the temp. So, if the water your adding is a different temp than your DT but has the same reading on your hydrometer, it probably isn't the same. Your water change water should be the same temp as your DT. I have a little 50w heater that I run in my WC water for a few hours before I test the salinity (even though I use a temp. correcting refractometer). That way I get the same salinity readings. Also if your WC water is a different temp it can cause temp swings in your tank.

Thanks Jon.. hey ever see the movie.....

 

[redfishbluefish]

i know this may be lot to ask but does any one mind doing a video on how they make there saltwater and water changes too? also what you use and steps by steps and what brand of salt and how many cups.

Manual Water Change Method

I manually change 15 gallons of water a week. I state “manually” because some have automated their water changes and I’m hoping they chime in.

I make RO/DI water in 5 gallon water jugs. The water is added to a 20 gallon Brute garbage can. I have an old Koralia K4 in the Brute to agitate the water.

What is critical is that all water is added before adding salt. I say this because I originally was making the first ten gallons, then adding all my salt, and mixing while I make the last five gallons of RO/DI. What was happening was that the alk and calc concentrations were too high in ten gallons and were precipitating out. That’s why you want all the water before adding all the salt.

So I add about 10 cups of Reef Crystals to the 15+ gallons of water and allow it to mix at least overnight. I use a 200 W heater to bring it up to temperature and then test salinity using a refractometer.

When I’m ready for the water change, I siphon out three, five gallon buckets of old tank water using a Python siphon setup:

I siphon directly out of the DT with the pumps off.

I then use a MAG 7 with a little adaptor that attaches directly to the Python and pump the new water into the sump.

Once starting the pump into the sump, I turn the pumps back on to pump water up to the DT.

 

[Brando457]

Hmm i may need to get one of those pythons

 

[downbeach]

I have a 32 gal. Brute I use, put 25 gal.'s of RO/DI water in with one old Aquaclear 70 PH in the bottom for circulation and another hanging on the side with a venturi tube for aeration, a 200w heater(if needed). I aerate and heat(if needed) the water for 24 hr. Then I add the salt until I'm reading 1.026 on a Tropic Marin hydrometer @ 77degrees, and let it circulate/aerate for anther 25 hrs. before I start to use it. I just siphon 10 or 20 gallons out of the DT with a piece of 1/2" vinyl tubing, and replace it by using a 2 gal jug that I submerge in the brute, until I've replenished whatever I've removed.

I've tried a lot of different salt mixes, and have found that most are good. But, I've been happy with Reef Crystals, and can usually get it on sale somewhere for ~ $40 - $45 for the 200 gal. box. It's mixed at 1/2 cup per gal. but that isn't enough to get the salinity high enough, so I use the recommended dosage as a guideline and then, just keep adding a little at a time until I've reached the number I'm looking for.

 

[Hawkeye]

I like Diamond crystal, but my favorite is Mortons salt (Kosher), when it rains it pours. That kid in the yellow raincoat on the label is so cute! Sometimes I will use the store brand (Stop and Shop), which I find is just as salty as the name brands.

Herb

LMAO!!!!!

I user cargill salt diamond pellets. Great for the water softner. LOL.
http://www.amazon.com/Cargill-Salt-Diamond-Crystal-7336I/dp/B001CECONY

Thanks Jon.. hey ever see the movie.....

Sid - I saw LIT - that was scarlet johanson's big break movie (or at least that was the first time I recalled seeing her). Unfortunately I can't for the life of me recall the premise/other than two american expats in japan. ....obviously didn't leave much of an impression on me.

 

[Hawkeye]

i know this may be lot to ask but does any one mind doing a video on how they make there saltwater and water changes too? also what you use and steps by steps and what brand of salt and how many cups.

Best thing to do is obtain a large bucket. Fill with water. get the water temp up. Now count how many cups you need to get the water to the desired salinity. Get a sharpie and mark the bucket for how much water to add, and note down how many cups of salt you needed.

Now goign forward all you do is add water to line, then count out however many cups required to get the salinity.

Ingredients needed: Salt, Cup, Sharpie pen, Water.

fwiw i use Reef Crystals. I also use Kalk to help balance out the alk/calcium. Jerseywendy had an amazing tank and she used RC only. That was just one piece of the puzzle as she was diligent around all the other aspects of the hobby.

 

[NewJerseyReefer]

ok so i just placed an order of 50LBS of Reef Crystal with a heater of 100 watts and a power head of 240GPH im i missing anything else? i also have 2 5G buckets that im not using at the moment and a 18G container should i be worrying about anything else?

 

[JerzyFF61]

a bucket to mix it in....

 

[NewJerseyReefer]

a bucket to mix it in....

lol i thought about that before i placed the order that's the first thing i thought about =D

 

[NewJerseyReefer]

i was wondering after i get my 50LBS of R/C would any body want the UNKNOWN lol salt that i have? its free just bring a 5G bucket and its all yours just shoot me a PM =)