Probably a dumb question but...

[Brenda]

I got my tank yesterday, tested it with fresh water to make sure it holds. It does. (YAY!)

 

Getting the fresh water to the tank was easy, I put the tube from the RO/DI unit directly into the tank and waited 8 hours.

 

But now I'm wondering how to get 28 gallons of salt water into the tank? I'd rather not mix it in tank if I can help it. I've read scary things about salt residue being left over, and I'd rather have that in the bucket than in the tank. Nothing else is in the tank right now. Am I overly paranoid? (Don't answer that..)

 

The tank sits over hardwood floors, so keeping spilling to a minimum is good. A 5 gallon bucket filled with water is a bit heavy for me to lift up to where the tank actually sits. (I'm small. so. that's my excuse..) There is no way I could pour the water into the tank without half of it ending up on my hardwood floors. Can I pump it up there? What would I need to do something like that? I figure I would have to stop it before the pump runs dry? Or is there a pump that can run wet/dry to get most of it in there before I'd need to pour the rest? This would be handy for water changes too, I'd wager..

[Nathans_Dad]

First, there are no issues with mixing salt directly in the tank as your first fill. There is no risk. Not sure what you mean about salt residue, everything that is in a good marine salt mix is good for your tank!

 

Second, if you can't lift the bucket for later water changes you could buy a pump I guess and connect it to a hose. You would have to shut down before the pump runs dry though I would think.

 

I usually spread some towels around before I do water changes, keeps the spillage to a minimum.

[jeremai]

get a smaller bucket. or a powerhead and some vinyl tubing - an MJ900 works great both for mixing the saltwater in the bucket and for pumping it into the tank.

[wartskin]

Since this is a new tank i would mix it right in the tank. Go slow, But from here after it needs to be done in buckets and mix for about 8hrs with a heater. Just use common sense when mixing the salt don't pour in 4cups at once add a small amount each time and have your powerheads on since you have a cycling period to wait out you should have plenty of time to figure out the tank levels

[kamikaze_fish]

I use a mj1200 with a line running up to the tank. Then when it gets to about empty, I unplug the pump and just dump the rest in. If you have a sump, it gets even easier. Put the water in the sump and have the sump pump it up to the display tank.

[DK_Reef]

I will use a pump and some hosing they sell at petco for $1 a foot. However I might copy this mod.