Time mixing salt in Bucket?

[Reefcowboy]

According to Red Sea's salt, after mixing it to the RO in a bucket, it should be mixed withour aeration from .5-2 hrs. It says do not mix for longer than 4 hrs.

Anyone can chime in why? I was reading about a tank of the month profile and the owner said leaves the newly added salt+ ro water mixing overnight...therefore ph would stabilize much better.

What do you do? Ive been allowing it to mix for around 2 hrs, but wonder what over 4 hrs would do to water parameters.

Thanks for the input!

 

[edd]

i always read mix for 24hrs, so thats what i have been doing.
can't understand what over mixing will do.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

What i believe happens is evaporation. 4 hrs is the most i would mix saltwater for. I usually do an hour or 2 at most....

 

[Moneymaks24]

I mix it for 30 seconds, then let it stand 24 hrs, as long as salinity is the same I don't see an issue. IMo

 

[BAD FISH]

I recently read that too on my red sea mix and I've always done at least 24 hours. Then I started thinking its probably for ph . If the ph is stable between .5 & 4 hours after that time period with out light It could start to swing and become unstable and then your adding unstable water to your DT and furthermore changing the ph in the DT depending on tank size and how much water you change you could be drastically changing the ph in a small time period shocking fish and corals but I could be wrong.

 

[edd]

I mix it for 30 seconds, then let it stand 24 hrs, as long as salinity is the same I don't see an issue. IMo

you should keep a powerhead in water to keep oxygen level up. by letting it sit still the oxygen level drops, then you change the level in dt when you add it.

 

[SanmanReefer]

I usually mix it and wait a few hours before doing the water change. The only difference I've seen by letting it sit overnight is a white film or residue on my bucket and powerheads.

 

[BAD FISH]

I don't think the oxygen is the problem most people mix with a power head that's salt mixing 101 oxygenate the water lol besides what said the water had oxygen before you added salt ? I understand the thinking but a bit off topic guys we are curious to know why red sea says no longer than four hours

 

[edd]

I don't think the oxygen is the problem most people mix with a power head that's salt mixing 101 oxygenate the water lol besides what said the water had oxygen before you added salt ? I understand the thinking but a bit off topic guys we are curious to know why red sea says no longer than four hours

ro water probably has little to no oxygen in it. by keeping the water moving your mixing salt and oxygenating water at the same time. so your adding well mixed, oxygenated water to dt. so it doesn't drop oxygen level of dt when added.

 

[BAD FISH]

I understand we all know how to mix water the topic is why does red sea say to mix from.5 to 4 hours and no more when we know to mix for eight to twenty four not how to mix I water.

 

[Moneymaks24]

IMO ph and oxygen is overrated, I've never checked either one for both of my tanks without any issues. Don't attack me just saying how I do it. Lol

 

[rookie07]

IMO ph and oxygen is overrated, I've never checked either one for both of my tanks without any issues. Don't attack me just saying how I do it. Lol

The problem is, you're saying that oxygen and PH don't matter! That is very bad advice!!!! People will attack you b/c you're making a claim that can drastically affect someone's tank with no evidence.

 

[BAD FISH]

no ones attacking you I'm telling you to stop taking the tread off subject if you read the post before no one is asking how to mix salt where trying to figure out why red sea is saying do not mix for more four hours if you don't have any input on that you can start your own thread telling people how to mix salt improperly

 

[Moneymaks24]

Thread is called "time mixing salt"- not Red Sea salt, but sorry for my bad advice as usual your all right I'm wrong. Nobody is hijacking your thread, but some people like to keep this hobby simple yet we always get attacked for stating our reef practice techniques. For your info my tanks been healthy for over a year now so that's proof for you that not only your way works in this hobby. Ill keep mixing for 30 seconds u can do it your way.

 

[Tranquil201]

I found this info searching google from a redsea rep.

"Ok Folks, A little Clarification, the suggested mixing instructions are for our Red Sea Coral Pro salt, you can also use them for our Red Sea salt, we are certainly not suggesting these instructions work for our competitors salt.

Our Coral Pro is pretty unique in that is has probably the highest biologically balanced levels of Foundation Elements in any salt available today, the latest formulation coming from the research undertaken developing the Reef Care Program.

It is important to mix at the desired tempreture (20 oC/68 oF) and for the mentioned duration ( as soon as mix is clear usually 0.5 hours to 2 hours but no more than 4 hours) as we are very close to the natural precipitation levels on some of these elements, mixing for longer periods of time and using aeration can drive off more Co2 raising the pH and alkalinity resulting in enhancing the possibility of precipitation, once this precipitation if formed it will not dissolve quickly as it has become Calcium Carbonate.

I have been using this method for the last 12 months and never had any issues, I would suggest that if small water changes of say 10% are made and salt water is mixed indoors they is no need to heat the mix as the tempreture change is insignificant assuming an ambient of 19 to 21 c."

I always left it overnight with a pump and heater as well... Maybe I'll give the instructions a try and see if their is a big difference.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Wow, great post Tranquil201,

That answered the question....makes sense. The more "packed up" the salt, the closer to saturation it will be, and agitation could result in precipitation past the mentioned 4 hrs...

Ive just did a wc and left it for 1.5 hrs. Corals always seem not to care after the new water is in, so that is a good sign of no ph change.

 

[BAD FISH]

if you have been in the hobby long enough you must know not one tank is the same what works for you may not work for another your still babbling on. do you read? The man asked specifically about Red Sea Coral Pro . Just because it worked does not mean your correct.You keep doing it your way and defending it on this tread because that's your right as an American and I can respect that in my world ph mag cal alk temp and alot more matter

 

[BAD FISH]

Thanks tranquil great info

 

[Tranquil201]

Thanks. Figured I would do some research myself as I use Red sea Coral Pro. I will be doing my scheduled Water Change later on today and will try this 4 hour method. I did also read from Red sea if the water is mixed more than the instructions say that you will have precipitation in your bucket/tote/ whatever you use to mix on the sides. I have seen this many times after hand mixing then letting the water mix overnight with a pump. I would always clean my Pale after use cause the "White Staining" would bother me. They say if you mix for the instructed time period you should not see the residue. We will see.....

 

[Tranquil201]

Wow, great post Tranquil201,

That answered the question....makes sense. The more "packed up" the salt, the closer to saturation it will be, and agitation could result in precipitation past the mentioned 4 hrs...

Ive just did a wc and left it for 1.5 hrs. Corals always seem not to care after the new water is in, so that is a good sign of no ph change.

Hey,

How was the water clarity after trying it the way you did? Cloudy at all? Did the salt dissolve well in this period of time? I'm curious to make a batch following the directions and also making a batch the way I normally do and let it sit overnight and test each individually to see the level differences.