Water Changes & Testing

[mwilliams]

I have a couple of questions about water changes and tesing:

1. When you mix your own saltwater for your water changes I know you are suppose to let it mix for 24 hours but if you don't have 24 hours to let it mix what would be the shortist amount of time can it be mixed in to do your water change?

2. What is the best time of the day to test your water chemicals to get the accurate readings? Such as Salinity, PH, Nitrates,Nitrites, etc.....

 

[neilanh]

1. The longer the better. Letting it mix for 24 hours ensures you get the salt fully dissolved and the water has offgassed and stabilized it's pH. In an emergency situation, you can mix for only an hour or two, but I wouldn't make that your norm.

2. I test late in the day after the lights have been on for several hours.

 

[mwilliams]

Thank you. I normally let it mix for 24+ hours but I noticed that my ducans & frogspawn is looking limp and I want to do a pwc this afternoon till my bucket of Aguavitro salinity salt that I order from my LFS comes in hoping it will be here on Tuesday.

 

[rush]

Just buy royal nature reef salt, it is the worlds finest salt. You can literally put it into your RO water, mix it with your hand and straight into your tank. Been using this salt for 2 years now, and never had a problem like i have had with others. This salt dissolves instantly.

 

[mwilliams]

Never heard of royal nature reef salt.. I was told that Aguavitro salinity salt that was top of the line and the bucket is for 225 gal and they say you don't have to use a lot because it is concentrated.
Who makes Royal Nature Reef Salt?

 

[rush]

Royal Nature - Reef

Here is there website, best salt I have ever used.

I use the Royal Tropical one myself.

Under directions on there site they recommend circulating and aerating it for 24 hours, but I never have.

 

[mwilliams]

Can't find a store that carries it local here to Houston, TX.

 

[six2sevenproductions]

oceanic salt mix disolves pretty fast too.

 

[rush]

This stuff is literally like dust, you drop it in and away it goes, quick hand movement and poof its mixed.

I use to use oceanic and switched to this two years back, never gone back.

 

[rush]

Can't find a store that carries it local here to Houston, TX.

It can be bought online at Coral Master - Home Page

contact them $80 for bucket for 160 gallon

best of luck

ah [moderator edit] nevermind, they only deliver in Canada, I will find another, one minute

here you go

http://www.oceaniccorals.com/store/

check them out

 

[mwilliams]

I use to oceanic but my water was always cloudy and left a white residue on my buckets so I quite using that one and switched over to Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt and I was told that Aguavitro salinity salt was better then Tropic Marin Pro Reef.

 

[mwilliams]

That is still way to far for me I am in Houston, TX and Canada is way to far to get something shipped.

 

[rush]

Well it is normally $80, on sale now for $60, so with shipping it will be back to $80

Well worth it