For how long i can keep prepared salt water ?

[Charith1986]

Can I know for how many weeks I can keep the prepared salt water ?

[seabass]

My suggestion is to store RO/DI water, and only mix enough saltwater for what you immediately need.  However, any excess saltwater can still be stored in a covered container for later use.

[Charith1986]

6 minutes ago, seabass said:

My suggestion is to store RO/DI water, and only mix enough saltwater for what you immediately need.  However, any excess saltwater can still be stored in a covered container for later use.

Thanks, 

[Poison Dart Frog]

I've been buying boxed ocean water from Petco. The boxes have an expiration date about a year out.

[Jrill]

It's not uncommon for folks to store water for weeks at a time. That's how the daily water change systems work.

[Clown79]

Depends on the brand of salt.

 

If you want to keep salt water premade for weeks, use Instant Ocean.

 

You can't do this with all salt brands. 

 

 

 

[Humblefish]

It all comes down to precipitation. If you mix SW and weeks later the vat still looks fairly clean, nothing has precipitated out. However, if you're seeing white or brown residue on the walls of your vat then something (most likely calcium) has precipitated out and you are not getting the full benefit of "new" saltwater.

[j.falk]

 

 

 

[seabass]

I would have liked to visually see the residue (if any) that was in the containers that BRS used.  I'd also like to see how continuous mixing affected the outcome.

[Charith1986]

14 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Depends on the brand of salt.

 

If you want to keep salt water premade for weeks, use Instant Ocean.

 

You can't do this with all salt brands. 

 

 

 

I use Red Sea brand

[Charith1986]

14 hours ago, j.falk said:

 

 

 

noted

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, Charith1986 said:

I use Red Sea brand

Red Sea coral pro and aquaforest are 2 that can only be stored for 7 days.

[xM3THODx]

2 hours ago, Charith1986 said:

I use Red Sea brand

I used to think that you can store saltwater for days, until I actually read the instructions on the salt mix I use, Red Sea Coral Pro. It said to use within 4hrs. 

[Clown79]

30 minutes ago, xM3THODx said:

I used to think that you can store saltwater for days, until I actually read the instructions on the salt mix I use, Red Sea Coral Pro. It said to use within 4hrs. 

It can be stored for a week but not mixed for more than 4 hrs.

[xM3THODx]

27 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

It can be stored for a week but not mixed for more than 4 hrs.

huh, I took "not to mix over 4hrs" as to use it in 4hrs. I eventually just added directly to the tank through the overflow, lol and/or only do half gallon changes...zero precipitation.  

 

***Beginner reefers, please don't do what I do.

[Clown79]

5 hours ago, xM3THODx said:

huh, I took "not to mix over 4hrs" as to use it in 4hrs. I eventually just added directly to the tank through the overflow, lol and/or only do half gallon changes...zero precipitation.  

 

***Beginner reefers, please don't do what I do.

Ya, the instructions on the back aren't very clear.

 

I used to use Coral Pro and through reading threads from users and hearing various "instructions", I decided to email red sea.

 

They told me RSCP shouldn't be mixed with pump/heater no more than 4 hours and stored for no more than a week.

 

Aquaforest has the same instructions but even more stringent. 2 hrs mixing with no heater and pump, after 2 hrs pump and heater can be added. No more mixing after 4hrs, use within a week.

 

Instant ocean can be mixed and stored with no limits. 

[Clown79]

23 hours ago, Humblefish said:

It all comes down to precipitation. If you mix SW and weeks later the vat still looks fairly clean, nothing has precipitated out. However, if you're seeing white or brown residue on the walls of your vat then something (most likely calcium) has precipitated out and you are not getting the full benefit of "new" saltwater.

I've also read that the brown buildup occurs from binding agents in certain salts.

[seabass]

2 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I've also read that the brown buildup occurs from binding agents in certain salts.

Yeah, that's why I like to mix and use; then I don't have to worry about binding agents, and precipitate.

From: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.php

 

I also get a brownish film on the pump and sides of the mixing container, and even a thin invisible film on the surface of the water, if I leave it mixing for a few days.  IDK, bacteria, and/or resulting residue/precipitate?   I guess it could just be from over mixing or the resulting heat zones.  Note: I've used this water without any noticeable problems.

 

Anyway, if you use it right after it's thoroughly dissolved, then there's no worries.  However, I completely get why some people wish to store mixed saltwater (like for auto water changers or to just have it available for immediate use).  And the BRS video indicates that alkalinity and calcium concentrations remain relatively stable for various brands of salt.

[Clown79]

36 minutes ago, seabass said:

Yeah, that's why I like to mix and use; then I don't have to worry about binding agents, and precipitate.

From: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.php

 

I also get a brownish film on the pump and sides of the mixing container, and even a thin invisible film on the surface of the water, if I leave it mixing for a few days.  IDK, bacteria, and/or resulting residue/precipitate?   I guess it could just be from over mixing or the resulting heat zones.  Note: I've used this water without any noticeable problems.

 

Anyway, if you use it right after it's thoroughly dissolved, then there's no worries.  However, I completely get why some people wish to store mixed saltwater (like for auto water changers or to just have it available for immediate use).  And the BRS video indicates that alkalinity and calcium concentrations remain relatively stable for various brands of salt.

Wow, I've not seen it like that.

Visually in my bucket I can't see it, it's when I wipe it down there is a brownish film.

 

The only salt that didn't do this was RSCP.

IO, aquaforest, blue bucket, and RC all did it. The worst being RC, I could see the discoloration on the bucket with RC

 

I do the same thing, mix and use, sometimes theres a bit left over but I've never stored salt for more than a week.

 

Apparently through reading if you mix the salt with just a pump and then near the end add a heater before use, it prevents the brown film.

 

I'm trying it today to see if that actually works.

[Humblefish]

58 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I've also read that the brown buildup occurs from binding agents in certain salts.

I recently learned that the binding/anticaking agent used in some aquarium salts is actually just sand. Which would explain the brown colored residue.

[Clown79]

3 minutes ago, Humblefish said:

I recently learned that the binding/anticaking agent used in some aquarium salts is actually just sand. Which would explain the brown colored residue.

That makes sense and through the yrs I've always read that its he binding agent and not a concern whereas white flaking or brown flaking is precipitation. 

[kimberbee]

There is a big difference between "can" and "should" here.

 

I've used RSCP for 5 years. For the first 4 years I ALWAYS made my saltwater the day before a water change: so the water was mixing with a heater for about 24 hours. I had great success with this as I was able to come home from working and do a water change right away without having to wait for the salt to dissolve.

 

I knew someone who also mixed up their water ahead... except he was very lazy and it would take him 2, 3... sometimes 4 weeks to do a water change. He would just add ro/di to his evaporated bucket and go about the water change. He also used RSCP and had a good looking tank. 

 

As with most things... YMMV

[seabass]

12 minutes ago, kimberbee said:

I knew someone who also mixed up their water ahead... except he was very lazy and it would take him 2, 3... sometimes 4 weeks to do a water change. He would just add ro/di to his evaporated bucket and go about the water change. He also used RSCP and had a good looking tank.

IDK, with alkalinity being so high to start with, a drop in alkalinity due to extended storage might even make the parameters more desirable.

[mcarroll]

On 9/22/2019 at 5:55 AM, Jrill said:

It's not uncommon for folks to store water for weeks at a time. That's how the daily water change systems work.

 my daily water changes were always mixed fresh, 5 gallons at a time. Ready in five minutes every time. 

 

That said, there's nothing wrong with storing salt water.

 

If there are any complex compounds added like vitamins or amino acid's, they may break down… But it will not hurt the quality of the water.

 

I have even stored "dirty" water from an old fish tank for years at a time with no issue. (It was a customer's tank and there were circumstances. I'm not suggesting anyone else take it that far.)

[Charith1986]

Is it advisable to use "Eiho Ammonia Detox" as a water conditioner weekly ? I do a 4 liter water change every sunday and I am planing to add few drops of ammonia detox to the tank after every water change. I hope it will clear any chlorine and balance the ammonia, nitrate & nitrite levels in my tank.

 

Is it advisable ?