Freshly Made Salt Water

[JohnD]

clamfoot,

I store saltwater for a week to 10 days in a Rubbermaid can. I keep the water moving and aerated with a powerhead. The day before I plan to do a water change, I add a heater to warm up the water and check on salinity.

I haven't had a problem.

What type of container are you planning to store the water in? Please make sure it is food safe. You do not want chemicals leaching out of the container. (My Rubbermaid can is food safe.)

HTH

[ August 29, 2001: Message edited by: JohnD ]

 

[reefhope]

Actually, freshly mixed saltwater is caustic in nature. You should try to avoid doing your water changes with freshly mixed water, it is better to let it set for a couple/few days with a ph or airstone in it for aeration.

I've let mine set for up to a week without any problems. HTH

 

[clamfoot]

for JohnD

I plan on mixing 15 gals. in the same container I've been using and then store it in 5/3gal. plastic jugs made for storing water, but I was going to keep them covered in a dark closet.

 

[JohnD]

clamfoot,

What I wanted to stress was to make sure your container is safe; it will not leach harmful chemicals into the water. Reefhope is right, fresh saltwater (or any saltwater for that matter) is pretty corrosive.

There was a posting in April, I think, about containers made out of recycled plastics. That is okay for a plain old garbage can, but not okay for your saltwater. You want containers made to hold food - like the pails of pickles from the deli or the pails of jelly from the donut store. Just make sure the pails don't reek of pickles or jelly. Wash them out with fresh water and some vinegar, but NO SOAP.

I would second Reefhope's suggestion: put an airstone in each container for a little areation. Keeping the containers in a dark closet is fine.

HTH

 

[Anonymous]

I use the 5 gallon jugs from water coolers. Pay the water person in your office the $5 deposit and it's yours.

 

[theonella]

I store both my DI and SW in 5 gallon white plastic pails purchased from Home Depot. They are polyethylene and come with airtight lids. I believe they were sold as "paint pails". They are very sturdy and completely inert to SW. Also inexpensive. Normally, I mix and aerate (with a powerhead) just before use. If I store it, I put on the airtight lid, the re-aerate before use. It should keep pretty much indefinitely.

 

[clamfoot]

Can freshly made salt water be safely stored in containers and still maintain it's properties, i.e. Ph, alkalinity, etc.? When I mix a 20% batch of it I always change it at once, about every 30 days or there abouts. I'd rather save the 15 gals. I make in 3 gal. containers and change that much on a weekly basis. I just don't know how well it stores or for how long it's safe to store.
Thanks