Why age salt water?

[Rlumenator]

When books refer to aging synthetic salt water for at least 12 hrs., or overnight, they don't give a reason. What happens if you add it newly mixed? In addition, if you were going to raise your SG with water from your aquarium, would you take the water out of the tank, mix it, and age before returning it to the tank? Thank you, advice is appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

When I want to raise the salinity in my main tank, I top off the evaporated water with salt water instead of fresh. Than virtually ensures a gradual change in SG which is what you want most of the time.

I let mine mix with a powerhead for a day, don't know the exact reason why though

HTH

Bryan

 

[PeeJ]

agreed...i dont age mine and ive had no ill effects...i mix it up in 5 gallon buckets. but i let it sit for an hour or so till its completely clear again and there is no salt sittin on the bottom

 

[panmanmatt]

i let mine mix for at least 24 hours to make sure it's completely dissolved and this allows time to match the temp of my tank for water changes. I always keep at least 20 gallons mixing in a rubbermaid tub with a powerhead in case of emergencies.

 

[Anonymous]

Indeed, aging is mostly to ensure full dissolution and temperature matching. When in a pinch I would actually boil part of my mix water to ensure the salt was completely dissolved (this was before going with "Real Ocean" seawater). I would then add it to cool/tepid water.

It is ALWAYS a good idea to have at least enough water on hand for a 25% change.

 

[JohnD]

Seamaiden is absolutely right. You want to ensure the salt is completely mixed with the RO/DI water. Even if it looks like it is completely mixed, let is sit overnight.

HTH

 

[Rlumenator]

I have an autu-topper, so I would be using the water from the aquarium- to raise the SG. Can I let the water taken directly from the aquar.sit overnight, or do I have to keep it aeriated? Thank you in advance.

 

[Anonymous]

I have an autu-topper, so I would be using the water from the aquarium- to raise the SG. Can I let the water taken directly from the aquar.sit overnight, or do I have to keep it aeriated? Thank you in advance.

In addition, if you were going to raise your SG with water from your aquarium, would you take the water out of the tank, mix it, and age before returning it to the tank?

It is monday, so I can't seem to understand what you want to accomplish in the description above... can you elaborate a little?

 

[Jolieve]

I age my saltwater, because sudden changes in specific gravity are harmful to some invertebrates, such as my pair of scarlet cleaner shrimp.

 

[Rlumenator]

David, What I asked was, if I want to raise the SG in my aquarium, have an auto-topper- so I'm not adding water, do I take the water from my reef tank, add salt, let it sit overnight, and do i need to aerate it?

 

[Anonymous]

To raise the SG I would make up some saltwater that has a slightly higher SG than the water in your tank and then use that water to fill the tank back up after a water change. Make sure you don't raise the level too much too quickly or you will shock your inhabitants, possibly killing them.

 

[Anonymous]

David, What I asked was, if I want to raise the SG in my aquarium, have an auto-topper- so I'm not adding water, do I take the water from my reef tank, add salt, let it sit overnight, and do i need to aerate it?

Dawn, you most definitely can do that. However, with invertebrates present, do this VERY slowly/gently (can't remember whether or not you have inverts).

 

[Rlumenator]

Seamaiden, thank you. Do I need to aerate that water I take out or not? What is the reason for the aeration?

 

[Anonymous]

You want to do two things with "aeration" (remember, this doesn't necessarily mean using an airstone proper, it means ensuring that the O2/CO2 exchange interface--the water's surface--is sufficiently turbulent to allow best exchange), you want to ensure the salt is mixed in well, and you want to ensure that you have optimum oxygen saturation. This is why it can be done with a powerhead, set up so it pulls water from the bottom of the container and pointing towards the surface.

So, if you used a small amount of water to make a supersaturated solution, and were certain all salt/minerals were sufficiently dissolved, then no, you wouldn't have to worry about aeration. Easier said than done, and our tendency is to advise to be safer rather than sorrier, so, make the mix with the aquarium water, I would only bump up the salinity a very few points at a time, assuming presence of inverts here, and aerate for at least a couple of hours. I hope that makes sense.

 

[mountainbiker619]

I ALWAYS have my 30g trash can full of ready to go salt water being circulated with a RIO 2100. It is always nice to have water ready to go incase of a emergency water change or something.