How to Mix Synthetic Seawater in Under Five Minutes
 

Interesting read ...

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/a...io/default.asp

Cheers

Doesn't everybody mix their salt that way? That article is a mandatory read IMO!! :mrgreen:

You're right Tony. Craig wrote that article many years ago, yet we cling to the notion that we need to "stew" our water for days before using. If I need SW, I dump salt in water, mix it for 5 minutes, and dump it in. No problem.

I generally let mine stew overnight anyways with a powerhead and a heater, that way when it goes into the tank it is more or less the same temperature as the water in the tank. Don't know if it's a big deal or not but I like to do it that way.

Also, I wasn't sure about finding a propellered shaft thing as Craig mentions but I use a paint stirrer attachment for my drill and it is almost the same idea (it's just chrome instead of plastic). Since I mix salt in a 30g rubbermaid the larger size mixer seems to be perfect (I can get submerge the end right to the bottom of the can). The only issue for me was that these larger mixers use a 1/2" shaft and usually only the really expensive drills (i.e., the >$180 drills not the $50-$80 drills) have a 1/2" shaft. But you can get a 3/8" to 1/2" converter chuck though. I think I paid $18 at House of Tools for one, and now I can use a 1/2" shaft on my 14-year old drill. If I burn out my drill ... well .. I guess it's a 14-year old drill and it doesn't owe me anything anymore, but for now this works like a breeze.

If you mix in a 5g or 8g pail the smaller sized mixers (with a 3/8" shaft) are an ideal size for those.

5 minutes!?

All I need is a big 3/4" PVC "stir stick" and I've got it down to 3 minutes. With the bucket on the floor I don't even have to bend down :lol:

Whether using tap or RO water, there is a benefit to aerating the water at least over night, even if there is no salt in it. Water coming out of the tap or from an RO reservoir has a different pH than water aerated for a period of time. Did a study on this subject a few years back when I had waaaaaay more time on my hands :wink: :

http://www.lostmymarblz.com/marinere...containers.htm

I always have lots of RO water aerating in various pails or tanks for my reefs/seahorse tank. The night before a water change, I plug in the heater, add the salt and away I go.

Would never just use water out of the tap or from a non-aerated RO storage container knowing the difference in pH in our local water :eek:

Bev, I'm sure if you heavily "whipped" your water for 5 minutes with a drill mixer, you'd see the pH go up. I have done this test on a smaller scale, and 3 minutes sees a significant gas exchange, resulting in a pH shift.

Yesterday had been looking on wetwebmedia.com daily FAQ, there were some questions about mixing water. I can't talk for Bob Fenner and crew but the letting the water sit for a week has be more for getting rid of chlorine or chloramine for they support using tap water and not using dechlorinators etc.

Wondering if the week wait started with the idea above?

I use a Mag 18 to mix my water :lol:

Granted, I haven't been doing this very long, but I just run my water, stick a heater in it overnight, throw the salt in the next morning with a Minijet, put it into the tank an hour later... if there is a concentration gradient in the bucket I use, it's gone by the time the water hits my return pump.