Can mixed saltwater be stored long term and do salt mixes expire? | 52FAQ

[pa1ntbru5h]

I just mixed up 30 gallons of Fritz RPM last night and it mixed wonderfully! Mixed crystal clear and quickly too.
Once it hit 1.025, I turned off heaters and pump and left it until tonight.
I was planning on reheating and circulating so I could do my water change like I usually do but I found the water cloudy. I've been mixing for 4 hours now and it's still cloudy.
This is my first batch of Fritz RPM. I've been using Red Sea blue bucket and I've never had issues storing my saltwater with no circulation.
Anyone have similar experiences?

 

[DiamondD]

Please add AquaVitro Salinity to your sustainability of parameters testing for AWC systems. It's a commonly used salt.

 

[Jongalt26]

I use salinity as well and like it a lot.

 

[DipSpit]

@randyBRS

As promised.

 

[Medic755]

I have some IO Reef Crystals at home that has been on standby for about 2 weeks now in constant circulation. I used to have it always heated until I watched your video.

 

[randyBRS]

@randyBRS
As promised.

Haha! Awesome!

@Ryanbrs

 

[Bradley Crocker]

@randyBRS

As promised.

Haha! Awesome! [emoji14]

@Ryanbrs

This is quite possibly the best thing I've ever seen from BRS! You all contribute to this hobby in so many aspects, from product selection, customer service, technical support, instructional documentation, not to mention reaching out to all of us in threads like this one. But this!? This adds a whole new perspective on your area of focus and dedication to us hobbyists as individuals.

Well done BRS team, and well played DipSpit!

 

[Bradley Crocker]

@randyBRS

As promised.

You totally should have asked for an autographed replica of the BRS160.

 

[Jongalt26]

Heck yea bro congrats! Now you need to turn it into a water pipe

 

[PAXpress]

What is the coldest you should store the water at? Also you mention in the video its bad for the salt to clump. What are the ill effects of this?

 

[randyBRS]

What is the coldest you should store the water at? Also you mention in the video its bad for the salt to clump. What are the ill effects of this?

Hey there! This topic definitely requires some further testing that we didn't cover in this video. Hopefully we can revisit it down the road! Unfortunately, we didn't develop a test for various storage temperatures and their effects on the chemical makeup of saltwater, so I don't have any useful info to provide on that. As to clumping salt, many times that could be a result from moisture or precipitate inside the bucket. I'd imagine the biggest concern with this would be a degradation of the manufacturer's stated Alk/Ca/Mg levels.

-Randy

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What is the coldest you should store the water at? Also you mention in the video its bad for the salt to clump. What are the ill effects of this?

Cold does not have any negative impact on seawater, unless you freeze substantial amounts of it, overconcentrating the remainder and precipitating calcium carbonate.

 

[Salty.Reefer]

I have been storing 55g of mixed instant ocean in a container with no circulation except right before I fill my buckets. It helps a ton with the QT when it is up to have so much salt on hand. I really need to test the fresh salt water before doing a water change I guess.
I would enjoy a BRS investigates on the issue. May a tank with no circulation, one with constant and maybe a third with a couple hours of spread out circulation through out the day.
I have noticed some precipitate on the bottom of the container. I cleaned it out so hopefully it dosnt come back. I know I can relate to most when I say water changes are my least favorite thing to do so having premixed saltwater on hand makes things much easier.

Thanks BRS team!

 

[Christopher Azzopardi]

Old thread but trying my luck.

I use a 50l drinking water approved reservoir and have it topped with ro and mix probiotic aquaforest. I use 15l every week so this is definitely going against aquaforest 48hr limit - didn't know about it. Just realised that water leaves oily residue. I am definitely changing salt or routine but can this be bacteria? And how did it come about?

Also, why does it go bad in the reservoir but not in the tank puzzles me.

Love BRS videos btw!

 

[NoWaiAma]

Bumpitidy doop

 

[Dr. Reef]

i mix 50 gal of liveaquaria saltmix at 78F and after mixing clear (usually 2 hrs to 4) i let it sit still. temps get as high as 80-85 in barrel (setup is in garage). it mixes at about 10 dkh. 50 gal last me about 25 days and by the end alk is at 8-8.5 , i keep tank at 7.5-7.75 dkh.

 

[RickyMcG]

I'm cycling a new 13.5 Fluval setup and was about to do a 100% water change when I found this thread. I've got a 13 gal mixing station: 1 tank with heater and powerhead. Planned on filling it with about 6 gallons/month of SW (mixed from distilled and Coral Pro Reef Salt), leaving the heater off until the day of water change. Now I'm rethinking the setup and wondering if I just keep circulated, distilled water in the tank, then heating it up and mixing fresh SW in a bucket when needed. Anyone have thoughts on the shelf life of circulating distilled water? Any concerns?

 

[randyBRS]

I'm cycling a new 13.5 Fluval setup and was about to do a 100% water change when I found this thread. I've got a 13 gal mixing station: 1 tank with heater and powerhead. Planned on filling it with about 6 gallons/month of SW (mixed from distilled and Coral Pro Reef Salt), leaving the heater off until the day of water change. Now I'm rethinking the setup and wondering if I just keep circulated, distilled water in the tank, then heating it up and mixing fresh SW in a bucket when needed. Anyone have thoughts on the shelf life of circulating distilled water? Any concerns?

Many reefers, as well as us here at BRS, store RODI or filtered water for an extended period of time. Here in the office, we keep over 125gal of RODI water on hand at all times. (Granted, we use nearly all of it in a single week.)

I think the most common thing you'll find with storing fresh water is a film that develops on the edges of the storage container. Most likely its a bacterial film that probably doesn't effect water quality, but it can easily be wiped out of the container in between uses.

 

[Val Shebeko]

Following

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Hi all I store natural sea water for my tanks upto 4 months and I test at collection and have tested again after this and I can't really tell of any drop in results. They are stored in the dark in sealed containers.