How much salt mix for 1 gallon?

[xerobob]

Just a quick question, I bought a bag of salt (Red Sea) and the directions are very unclear on how much salt to use. I want to make gallon jug containers of the solution, but don't know how much salt to use for each one. I have experimented with different levels of mix, but always seem to be too much or to little. I figure someone out there has made these in 1 gal containers and may know the correct ratio..Thanks in advance.

 

[zacdl]

1/2 cup of instant ocean/gal is what I used.
I guess it is the same for all the other brands too.

 

[copi]

I don't know the answer for your particular brand of salt, but any answer given will be a rough approximation, I think. You'll need to test the salinity (ideally with a refractometer).

 

[malkore]

every major brand of salt will say right on the packaging "Add 'this much salt' to 1 gallon of water to yield a salinity of 'whatever'. Usually its a salinity of 1.020 or so.
It's still best to use a refractometer, or a hydrometer, to check actual salinity after 24 hours of mixing.

Why are you making gallon jugs? How are you planning to mix and aerate it for 24 hours prior to a water change?

 

[No_Floaters]

Like Malkore was asking about letting it mix for a day...put a 5-10 gallon tub on a table and mix it in that. After 24 hours of mixing with a powerhead, siphon it into the gallon jugs if that's what you need to do.

 

[xerobob]

Thanks all for the help.. I do make my new water in a 5 gallon container, and I usually transfer the contents in to 1 gal jugs. Just recently, I had to go away on business and my wife is in charge and doesn't want to use the 5 gal method. I told her I would find out for her how much salt she needs to use. She is a labratory manager and uses the refractometer so it is on the money ( she said a touch more then 1/2 cup). I will be returning to my home shortly and will be doing a larger water change, just needed so info for her. She did mix it in RO/DI water and had an aerator running in it for more then 24 hrs, she also said there was no free salt in the water (dissolved nicely). So once again, thanks for your help on keeping my fish alive while I was gone.

 

[zenn]

my IO mix says 1.5lbs for every 5 gallons. So am i supposed to have a nano scale to mix out my water? Why couldnt' they just stick with a volume measurement instead of lbs?

 

[malkore]

When I used IO it had 2 mixing instructions: 1.5lbs per 5 gallons, or 1/2 cup per gallon, would give 1.021 SG.

 

[spinman]

I use Oceanic and just weigh it. The bucket says .29 lbs. per gallon of water. So when I prepare my PWC water which is 15 gallons I add 4.35lbs of salt (.29 X 15 = 4.35 lbs).

Mike

 

[zenn]

i went with 1 cup per 2 gallons and that worked out pretty good. My SG is sitting at a nice 1.024.