don't cry over spilt water - is salt mix still good

[packman9111]

Long story - bought a visa-jet skimmer to start the tank and knew it wasn't cutting it. made the mistake of ordering a seaclone before checking out their reputation here and finally ordering an aqua c. figured i'd use the seaclone until the aqua c comes and guess what - it sprung a leak where the overflow connects into the bottom of the skimmer. put some silicone lub on the o rings (per instruction book) and tried it out on my qt tank. seems to have cured the leak but my questions are two:

1 is the silicone lube safe for the critters?

2. i have some sw mix sitting around for a couple of weeks w/o circulaiton. is it still good if through an air stone in for a while and kick on the heater?? need to top off the tank and don't have time to mix more cause i'm leaving for a few days.

thanks!!

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, should be as long as it's been covered. I think the lubrication is safe, but I am not positive. But don't use saltwater as topoff for evaporation, that's GOT to be freshwater.

 

[tangir1]

Ditto.

Silicone lub is fine. That's what most people use for those O-rings in filters and such. Some use Vaseline, and I think there is a discussion about rather or not the lub will attack the rubber, etc., not realize the fact that there are many types of rubber, and some have different property than the *rubber* (obviously, some people try to applies what they heard in sex-ed class for reefkeeping)

 

[Baianotang]

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[Anonymous]

I see you say that you want to top off with saltwater..I agree with SM, you dont want to do that...when the water in you tank evaporates the salt doesnt..thats why you top off with freshwater, preferably RO/DI water...Just some FYI if you didnt know