How long to wait after mixing the saltwater?

[Telek]

I've been reading some people recommend waiting 24 hours after mixing saltwater before adding to the tank. Why is this?

I don't have an RO/DI setup (yet), so for each 5 gallons I've been taking 4 gallons cold tap water, adding the water conditioner while filling, adding salt after filled, leaving it for about 15 minutes with a pump in the bucket to circulate the water, and by then it's clear. During that 15 minutes I add 1 gallon of boiled cold tap water which brings the temp of the 5 gallons to about 80F which is the same as my tank. After that I hoist it up above my tank and use a 1/4" (internal diameter) hose to slowly drain the water into the tank over about 15 minutes. Seems to have worked for me, is there any problem with that?

 

[melosu58]

Most people say 24-48 hours so the salt properly mixes and is not so caustic when added. Also allows for temp to be where it needs to be but I see you have that covered.

 

[goisles1]

I have a nice routine..:

I mix my Water in a 5gal HomeDepot Bucket on Thrusday afternoons while I'm eating lunch ( I work from Home).

Then I do my PWC on Fridays at the same time.. So my water mixes for 24hours.

Man.. I can;t believe how easy waterchanges are now that I have a Sump!

 

[Telek]

As a side note I tested my tap water and cold it's 5.5C/42F and 170ppm and hot it's 45.5C/114F and 210ppm - proof that hot water does have more dissolved metals in it.

 

[melosu58]

Just some good reading on tap water.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm

 

[goisles1]

As a side note I tested my tap water and cold it's 170ppm and hot it's 210ppm - proof that hot water does have more dissolved metals in it.

Yeah.. I brew beer and water chemistry is very important there as well. The old saying goes, never use HOT water when brewing for the same reasons. Like Reef Keeping, there are no shortcuts when brewing and it's better to wait for 10gals of cold water to boil then pick up a few minutes using HOT.

I think it has to do with the minerals that build up in your boiler and Hot Water heater over the years.

 

[BucJason]

It's best to give it time to stabalize....24 hours is probably not necessary, but that is on the safe side..

I wait 24 on my main Salt tank, because I have too much money invested. However on my little 20 gallon brackish tank with fiqure 8 puffer I don't bother to wait, I just pour it in after a short time and never have any problems

 

[GhostKnife]

I have a 46 gal bowfront and when I do water changes i use my gravel vac connected to my sink and mix hot and cold to around 78 degrees but this is for a fw system adding water conditioner and I have had no problems. I would not recommend for a sw but you have to mix salt anyways so. But... the reason for the hot water having such metals in it is your pipes and water heater... Metals bond to hotter water.

 

[Telek]

BucJason: But is there a reason that you wait? What water do you use, and do you use conditioner?

GhostKnife: Why not boil some water instead of using hot from the tap?