keeping saltwater outdoors in the cold

[fungia]

i want to do a water change soon. i have no room in my living room right now because of remodeling. how bad is it to keep new mix water outdoors? it is very cold at night, less then 20 degrees. i would warm the water up before i add it in the tank, do you think this is a problem?

 

[Anonymous]

Really good question, and I haven't got a clue as to what the answer would be. Hopefully someone will post up with an answer.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't see why it would be a problem as long as it's kept covered, is well mixed, and is brought up to temperature before being used. I would not try to test specific gravity unless whatever you use for measurements is not affected by the temperature (I'm thinking colder = denser).

 

[Anonymous]

I always kept it in an unheated garage. I would fill the bathtub halfway full with hot water and soak the 5 gallon jugs of saltwater in it to bring them up to temp.

I always use natural seawater.

 

[Anonymous]

I keep my RO jugs outside in an unheated garage.

I have a heater for my SW mixing vat so it is close to the temp of the tank.
For Kalk and top off I do not worry much (90 gallon tank).

 

[Anonymous]

NSW freeze at -3085.09973F, so as long as the outside is warm than that, you should be fine. :wink:

 

[cindre2000]

Funny you should say that. I just did a lab on the freezing point depression of saltwater. 100 ppt NaCl froze at about -7 degrees C.

 

[Anonymous]

actually it is lower than that, since as ice crystals forms, it leave almost all the salt behind, and the remaining brine will have lower "freezing" point.