automatic salt water mixing options

[hhv00586]

Salt Water Mixing

My RODI will keep my 55g drum full through a float switch
From this drum I will have a pump and 2 valves, 1 valve will goto a local ATO tank controlled with another float valve

The other valve I would like to fill a second drum for salt mixing and from that drum run into my sump for water change refill

Questions are
1) Do I take the easy option of mixing the salt and filling the second 55g drum and just use it till it is gone and then make another drum – would require me to manually do this once a month

If I do this is it safe to mix 55g and just keep using through the month, rather than make fresh each water change

2) I would prefer to have a flow meter that would take water from my RODI tank to the salt mix tank by a certain volume I set and have salt enter this tank somehow automatically in a pre-measured amount, an internal powerhead mix it for 10min or so and then it pumps to my sump

Has anyone automated the making of salt water – if so what did you do?

 

[redstang]

I can't tell you unequivocally that mixing water for a month, or more, is safe. What I can say is I've been doing that for almost a year now with no noticeable ill effects. In fact, when I dropped my water change from 1gal/day to .5gal/day things seem to have gotten better.

Now if I just had a way to automagically change my GFO.....

 

[jennm]

It's fine to pre-mix a large batch. I'd suggest leaving a pump/powerhead running in there to keep it agitated and aerated and ready to go.

Do clean out your mixing vessel periodically. It will get caked with calcium and a bit slimy from bacterial film.

DO check the specific gravity before using it. Especially if it's been mixing for a while. You don't want to seal air out of it, so you're going to have some evaporation.

I used to use 2, 100-gallon water vats in pretty much the same way. They had narrow openings so evap was minimal but you always need to check before you use the saltwater, add a bit of fresh RO if you need to and let it mix/aerate before you use it.

Jenn

 

[brick fish house]

^ THIS!

Jenn speaka da truth.