Mixing saltwater?

mseepman · #1 09-01-2008, 08:22 PM

I was hoping to put water in my nano today for the first time. I don't have the facilities to mix 16-19g of SW all at once...does anyone see a problem with adding freshwater, then adding salt and mixing in the tank? I don't have anything else in there that would be negatively affected.

Thanks.

justinl · #2 09-01-2008, 08:30 PM

if there's nothing alive in the tank, nothing will get hurt

mseepman · #3 09-01-2008, 08:32 PM

That's what I thought, but I don't see people mention doing it so I thought there must be a reason why.

mark · #4 09-01-2008, 08:33 PM

as justin said. If nothing else in there why worry?

btw, trash cans fr HD (or other places) or even the plastic tubs are cheap.

mseepman · #5 09-01-2008, 08:35 PM

Yeah...it's just the storage of them that is giving me issue right now. Working on that though.

justinl · #6 09-01-2008, 09:39 PM

initially, it is perfectly fine to mix saltwater in a lifeless tank. In the future, to store water, I use a few rubbermaid totes. A couple for saltwater, one for DI water. the stuff marked as food safe is best.

Diana · #7 09-02-2008, 04:38 AM

test test test a new bucket of salt to make sure the levels are right. I am a "lazy reefer" and I never did but after coming very close to loosing my entire tank due to bad salt I will from now forth test a new bucket of salt.

JDigital · #8 09-02-2008, 04:42 AM

For your 16? you could mix your water in a clean 4G milk jug... you gotta have space for 1 or 2 of those..

spreerider · #9 09-02-2008, 05:53 AM

I use plastic water bottles, the type on water coolers in an office they work great and have a good handle to hold onto.

mseepman · #10 09-02-2008, 04:04 PM

Haha...I think that this thread got a little confusing because I didn't explain myself very well. I was just starting up my nano, it was empty and I wanted to make sure that I could mix my very first batch of salt inside the nano rather than pre-mixing in vats and then adding it.

Thanks so much to everyone who responded because it put me at ease enough to do it and now there is 16g of nicely mixed SW in my new tank. The tank will have a full ATO system and I normally mix SW in a large bucket for water changes in my 70G so I will do the same in my Nano.

JDigital, thanks for the idea on the milk jugs...two should be around the right size for a water change for this tank.