Instant Ocean mixing

[Swags]

Chad - I was given some great advice a while back about mixing salt... add it to the water, don't add the water to the salt. I guess it is all about having a dilute solution of salt, compared to a concentrate. Now I do not claim to be anywhere close to a chemist, but I do know there are a hell of a lot of different chemicals that make up our salt mixes. Who knows what happens, chemically speaking, when we add the water slowly, like from a ro/di, or something like an aquarium pharmaceuticals tap water filter.
My prep is this:
1. Drip water into rubbermaid containg air stone, strong pump for circ, and heater (unplugged till good level)
2.Once full, turn it all on, then add the salt.
3. Wait 24 hours (at least) and transfer into tank.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Phil

[i have crabs]

ive had that problem with the new reefsalt as well as the io,thier always seems to be a tiny bit that settels on the bottom and wont disolve.

[DEAD_BY_DAWN]

Well after 24 hours most has disolved there seems to be a little floating but nothing like it was before,as for how i make the salt,basically fill 5g bucket with DI water heat to the correct temp add power head then add salt let mix for a few hours atleast.

[Chad]

Yeah, well so long as you are adding the salt to the heated water (tank temp) and you are adding salt by say a cup or two at a time you should not have a problem *for the 5gal bucket* - even though I know exactly how many cups per container I need to make my salinity perfect for the tank, I do not add all at once. So much salt in one spot can cause the precipitate as well.

I use a paint mixer to mix my salt. It is crystal clear in about 30 secs.. Totaly mixed as well. I have been doing this way for over a year.. works 100% of the time. I use KENT salt however.

[littlesilvermax]

I use about 1 cup of magnesium in my newly made up RO water before adding IO (3 years now) and no longer have any problems. I mix up 40 gallons at a time. This raises my magnesium from 1200ish to 1380-1400 ppm.

I also have way less precip problems in my tank (heaters, pumps, etc....) now.