Storing Saltwater for AWC

[k3nnyp]

One of my goals is to get automated water changes up and running. Before I get too deep in to it I thought I would reach out and see what others are doing and things that I should consider. I'm currently using HW Marinemix Reefer salt and ideally looking to mix a box ( 160g ) and use it 2g/day. That means the water will remain mixed for 80 days before running out. Here are some questions / thoughts I currently have.

* Who else is storing salt for lengthy periods of time?

* Intend on using APEX DOS to automate the water changes. Storage container is in the basement beneath the aquarium so 10 ft lift. That shouldn't be an issue for the DOS since it's rated for 25ft per the box.

* From what I've read it's best to NOT heat the water to help avoid precipitation.

* Container will be sealed. Interested in ideas for where to get containers if anyone has any suggestions.

* Stir with powerhead several times a day if not continuous.

* What is the best procedure for mixing this volume of salt mix? Typically I'm only mixing 35g max. Something tells me dumping an entire bag of salt into 160g of water is not ideal regardless of the amount of flo.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Kenny

 

[scuba steve]

I frequently mix and store saltwater in batches using various water storage containers. I don't typically heat the water but I'll continuously circulate with either a powerhead or airstones. 2g/day shouldn't even be noticeable to your tank temp. You can mix a full bag at once as long as you pour it in slowly and don't just dump it in.

 

[AquariumSchmo]

I recommend testing your salt mix with a small batch to see if any of the levels drop over the course of a week or two. After 80 days, the alkalinity and calcium might be very low. You might be better off just keeping 160 gallons of rodi on hand and mixing smaller batches for your auto water changer. Test first, then decide.

 

[k3nnyp]

I recommend testing your salt mix with a small batch to see if any of the levels drop over the course of a week or two. After 80 days, the alkalinity and calcium might be very low. You might be better off just keeping 160 gallons of rodi on hand and mixing smaller batches for your auto water changer. Test first, then decide.

Good idea. I was hoping others had already paved this path and could share their experiences. I haven't picked up a storage container that large yet and in the interim was going to mix up 60g and start with that. I still need to plumb my DOS for the AWC.

 

[bcavalli]

Good idea. I was hoping others had already paved this path and could share their experiences. I haven't picked up a storage container that large yet and in the interim was going to mix up 60g and start with that. I still need to plumb my DOS for the AWC.

You may want to reconsider using the DOS for water constant water changes. They really aren’t meant to run full time. You may find yourself needing to replace the heads quite often and that can get expensive. I would look for a used peristaltic pump off eBay that are designed to run for years and years.

 

[k3nnyp]

I should say daily as opposed to constant, just to ward off the illusion that this will run 24 hours/day. I intend on spreading it out throughout the day because it's easy to do so although I don't intend on spreading it more than 3 or 4 times a day. Your advice is probably sound but I did do some basic calculations on this based on their marketing literature here https://www.neptunesystems.com/dos/. It lists a mean time to failure of 5000 hours and a maximum flow rate of 250ml/min. Two gallons a day puts me at 30 minutes per day. If it ran for 4 hours a day it should still last 3 years which I would find acceptable. They are marketing it for this application and the product seems built fairly solid and based on their literature they seem to have taken into consideration the lifespan. I guess I'm willing to take the gamble on their marketing and if I get burned it won't be the first time.

 

[AquariumSchmo]

Two good videos from BRS...

Storing mixed saltwater long term:

Using a Neptune DOS for auto water changes:

 

[fidofence1]

I have 2 large containers that i used for this that I’m willing to sell if your interested

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