How many cups of salt to a 5 gallon bucket?

[supermarvin76]

Hello y'all!

 

I understand the instructions say 1/2 cup of salt per gallon. But when I add 2 1/2 cups to a 5 gallon bucket, I always seem to have to spend additional time fine tuning the salinity.

 

Could someone pass a few tips to simifly this to me please?

 

Pretty please?

 

Thanks!

[nystang]

You always have to fine tune the salinity, unless:

1. you use lab grade scale for salt
2. you use exact 5 gallon of water
3. you stir salt mix in the original container before adding to water.

[metrokat]

Depends on the salt. Every brand should have instructions on the side.

[AZDesertRat]

They vary brand to brand and even batch to batch with the same brand. Use the 1/2 cup as a guide and fine tune at the end using a refractometer to get it correct.

[Veng]

Each 1/2 cup is not exactly 1/2 a cup. It's 0.45 to 0.55 cups depending on how careful you are when measuring. You are then adding it to "5 gallons" of water, which is probably closer to 4.5 to 5.5 gallons of water (at a minimum), so when your salinity goes from between 32 to 38 ppt, you really shouldn't be surprised. Fine tuning the salt is just something you have to do when you are shooting for a +/- 1.5% measurement when what you are using to combine them is very, very course measures.

[Hexadron]

I use one of those 1/2 cup measuring spons and always make sure to level it off. I don't know if I have been lucky, but I always get perfect 1.025 every time

 

I use Fluval SEA Pro Marine Salt.

[Grumblecakes]

i end up with almost 3. more like 2.75 then fine tune it. 1/2 per gallon is also for a 1.023 not 1.025 or 1.026

[nhart608]

Buy a digital scale, I got one for $8 with free shipping off ebay. Make sure it has a tare function so you can zero out the weight of the container you are measuring salt into. I use 275 grams of salt per two gallons RODI water (use the same distilled water jugs with water measured up to the first ring on the pour spout) and it mixes up to just a tad above 1.025 every time. Obviously adjust for the exact salinity you desire.

[rb1685]

One thing that has always helped me was to use a pitcher with measurements to mark the bucket with gallon levels, that way I get a fairly accurate water level every time.

 

I think it depends on the salt brand. I use a 1/4 cup scoop, and for Reef Crystals it takes 10 level scoops for 5 gallons, but Red Sea Coral Pro only required 8 level scoops.

[neverrain]

My red sea is .32lbs per gallon or 1.6 per 5 gallon.

 

I got a cheap digital scale at Walmart. My water always measures to 1.025.

[patback]

I add salt to taste. Check with a refractometer.

[seabass]

I mix it a little high and dilute as needed. I find it easier to add a little water than to dissolve more salt. It's also easier to guesstimate how much water to add based on a specific gravity reading, than to guess how much more salt to use. The result is almost instant too, as you don't have to wait for more salt to dissolve to get a good reading.

[rev138]

One thing that has always helped me was to use a pitcher with measurements to mark the bucket with gallon levels, that way I get a fairly accurate water level every time.

 

This. Plus, I find that keeping the salt mix sealed in an airtight container helps. Moisture absorption from the air has noticeably skewed things for me in the past.

 

3. you stir salt mix in the original container before adding to water.

 

I don't know what this means.

[Chadf]

I don't know what this means.

 

Mixing the dry salt before use, I do it as well.

[Mstefa1]

1/2 cup leveled out per gallon. I fill gallon jugs with RODI so my salinity comes out very, very close to perfect each time. If your just filling to a marker on the bucket you won't be as accurate. Also understand that the salt volume so if you start out with 1 gallon then add salt to it you actually have a little more then 1 gallon.

 

If your salt crystals swell as a result of moisture then it will take a larger volume (more then 1/2 cup) for each gallon of water.

And don't fill a 5 gallon bucket full. Only put 4 gallons in it.

[rev138]

Mixing the dry salt before use, I do it as well.

 

You mean mixing the salt and water together before putting it in the tank? Does anyone not do that?

[Veng]

 

You mean mixing the salt and water together before putting it in the tank? Does anyone not do that?

No, he means mixing the salt in the salt bucket to make sure it hasn't separated (like the top half has 2x the normal mag and the bottom half has 1/2 the normal mag because it settled in shipping or something). Personally, I don't bother but I know a lot of people do.

[rev138]

Crazy talk.

[NirvanaandTool]

I just add a ton of salt and a ton of RODI and fine tune. I guestimate based on the number of half cups I add in when I'm putting in the amount of RODI. But I also aim a little lower than 1.025 & use a 30g brute each for SW and RODI. Typically I end up at 1.028-1.030 & then bring it back down to 1.023-1.024 with more RODI

[Builder Anthony]

3.5 i think

[seabass]

Wah-unn... Two-hooo... Tha-reee...

 

[lljdma06]

Lol, this thread made me think of this...

 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ozSF-7_Fwec

 

In the beginning I got stressed about water, but now, not at all. You'll learn to eyeball & get good results. I'm at about 1.026, & I use my digital scale from eBay.

 

L

[ajmckay]

Wow, lots of comments...

 

IMO it doesn't really matter much. Unless you're doing a 50% + water change a small margin of error when diluted in your tank isn't going to change things much, if any.

 

I'm not saying that testing the water is not necessary - because it's always a good idea. I test my tank water and water change water to make sure they're reasonably close, but rarely do I spend much time at all "fine tuning" the water I'm mixing... I do use a specific bucket and I put a fill line mark in it such that the 1/2 cup per gallon gets me to where I want the salinity at - generally. Also I typically only put 4g in a 5g bucket as that reduces spills and such IME.

 

The exception might be if I'm trying to alter the S.G. of the tank, then I will purposely mix the new water I'm adding higher or lower.

[timothybui]

Wow, lots of comments...

 

IMO it doesn't really matter much. Unless you're doing a 50% + water change a small margin of error when diluted in your tank isn't going to change things much, if any.

 

I'm not saying that testing the water is not necessary - because it's always a good idea. I test my tank water and water change water to make sure they're reasonably close, but rarely do I spend much time at all "fine tuning" the water I'm mixing... I do use a specific bucket and I put a fill line mark in it such that the 1/2 cup per gallon gets me to where I want the salinity at - generally. Also I typically only put 4g in a 5g bucket as that reduces spills and such IME.

 

The exception might be if I'm trying to alter the S.G. of the tank, then I will purposely mix the new water I'm adding higher or lower.

I do the same exact thing. Never failed me. Since my days off are split, I normally spend the morning mixing and fine tuning.

[Gooburz]

add as much as it takes to get the desired level of salinity.......