Testing water chemistery after a water change ?

[mrvincent]

Hi, how much time after a water change (with fresh new mixed SW stired for 30 min) I can test the water for Mg, Ca or KH ?

 

[Stinky Pete]

Are you saying you mixed salt and did a water change after 30 min?

 

[mrvincent]

No, but my water osmosing right now and was planning doing this... (When water reach 25-27C°)

I put RODI in a container with a 600GPH powerhead and a heater to reach the 27C°. Then I pour the salt, wait... Usually I wait until water reach 27C° before starting to pour it into the aquarium over 1-3 hours period with little 1 gallons containers.

Probably 1 - 1.5 hours then... Can I test the tank after all the new water is in ?

I plan to change 4 gallons of the 20g, there's diatoms on my rocks and sand since I changed my rock placements...

 

[Stinky Pete]

Ok good you haven't done it yet. Give that salt 24 hrs to fully cure before doing the water change. As for your 1 st question I wait about a day to test after a water change.

 

[Stinky Pete]

Why do you do it over a 4 he period? Just pour that new water right on in there as long as temp and salinity are the same as the tank. Oh and as long as that salt has mixed for at least 24 hours. That's very important

 

[mrvincent]

Ok good you haven't done it yet. Give that salt 24 hrs to fully cure before doing the water change. As for your 1 st question I wait about a day to test after a water change.

Ok thanks. For now I can't wait a day before put it in the tank, I only have 1x6 gallon buck...

Another question about new water salinity check... After how much time I can test for the SG ? If I test immediately after salt, I get out of range+ then it drop slowly...

Why the new batch require 24h? Parameters need to stabilize? Or is it only the PH ?

 

[Stinky Pete]

I wait the 24hrs to test the salinity. If you test it right after adding it the numbers will be off the charts. Just follow the instructions on the salt and it will get you close. If salinity is a little high just add some RO water to get it where you want it

 

[mrvincent]

I wait the 24hrs to test the salinity. If you test it right after adding it the numbers will be off the charts. Just follow the instructions on the salt and it will get you close. If salinity is a little high just add some RO water to get it where you want it

THey don't tell about the curing time... They just say add salt, mesure salinity, pour new water slowly into the aquarium....

It's fluval sea salt...


They tell to keep the salt into an hermetic container (what I didn't did...)

 

[Stinky Pete]

Typical. You defiantly need to wait the 24hrs for sure

 

[mrvincent]

Until now I consider myself lucky. I got few coral, mush, sps, lps...

Nothing dies. I only have two mushrooms that doesn't want to open. Corals are not closing after a WC... I got a digitate hydroid on a frag I bought, I trashed it . Got few aiptasia too, but the peppermint i bought do the job

 

[Stinky Pete]

What I meant by directions was how much salt pure gallon of water.

 

[mrvincent]

But why we have to wait... I don't understand... Is it for PH ajustment ? Or there's other factors ?

 

[mrvincent]

What I meant by directions was how much salt pure gallon of water.

Ah, it's written in grams... Conversion to ML is a bit hard for a crushed solid... So I guess the amount, then test, add salt, test, add test... Oops a bit too high, little RODI.

 

[Stinky Pete]

But why we have to wait... I don't understand... Is it for PH ajustment ? Or there's other factors ?

Yes you are waiting for PH to stabilize . I'm sure there are other factors as well

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

If you don't let the salt mix for at the very least 12 hours it's not completely mixed and you won't get a correct salinity reading. Letting the water mix for a day also stabilizes the trace element levels. Just go buy a 5 gal bucket to mix new sw in, pour in your water, throw the heater and power head in there pour in your salt and let it mix. I usually check the salinity of the new water the first time about 10-12 hours after I make it up, let it mix for another 10-12 and then do my wc.

 

[mrvincent]

New water 8.5 and Tank PH 8.0...

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Don't worry so much about ph, stability is what you strive for over a specific number. I haven't checked the ph of any of my systems in probably 5 years.