Mixing Salt in Tank

calli · 07/24/2008, 06:19 PM

if you are mixing salt in a tank.. say 30 or 40 gallon tank.. preparing for a water change... I have heard that you should not dump all the needed salt in at one.. (NOTE: I don't do that)

this is just for curiosity... they say your tank can CRACK.. can someone explain this..

I hear the salt and the water have some sort of a chemical reaction that produces heat???

Hop · 07/24/2008, 06:41 PM

I've never heard of a tank cracking due to mixing salt, unless perhaps your using an electric mixer

It has to do with the fact that the salt can't dissolve fast enough and you are left with chunks of salt and may have precipitate issues as well. it is also really hard to mix it to the right salinity when you dump it in all at once

reefworm · 07/24/2008, 06:48 PM

I find it easy to mix the prescribed amount of salt mix in 5 gal. buckets, using a powerhead to stir overnight. You can test SG in the bucket and add salt or water as needed to reach 1.026. Then just pour in the same amount of water you removed.

calli · 07/24/2008, 06:57 PM

5 gallon buckets is nice for a guy with a 29 gallon tank lol .. I need 4 of those buckets .. jokes..

MinnFish · 07/24/2008, 07:18 PM

You should not mix salt in DT (unless its a new start-up with no LR or LS). Water should always be mixed outside of the DT overnite if possible.

reefworm · 07/24/2008, 07:31 PM

calli,
I hear you

Try this:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...nftt/index.php

snorvich · 07/24/2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by calli
5 gallon buckets is nice for a guy with a 29 gallon tank lol .. I need 4 of those buckets .. jokes..

I mix my salt in a 250 gallon vat. Oh for the days of 5 gallon buckets.

calli · 07/24/2008, 08:26 PM

ReefWorm.. thank you for that link ... nice.. but really my question is....

Can the Salt and the Water mix cause the tank to crack? This is what was told to me from the LFS... I was just wondering if this is a myth or if someone has actually heard of this.

crsswift70 · 07/24/2008, 08:30 PM

never heard of such

MinnFish · 07/24/2008, 08:30 PM

No, its a myth.

Duff Man · 07/24/2008, 09:06 PM

Mixing calcium chloride produces a lot of heat

reefergeorge · 07/24/2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by calli

Can the Salt and the Water mix cause the tank to crack? This is what was told to me from the LFS... I was just wondering if this is a myth or if someone has actually heard of this.

When I filled my tank I dumped three 50 gallon bags into my tank one at a time without problems.

reefworm · 07/24/2008, 09:14 PM

I think it's been handled, no? Mix outside the tank.

calli · 07/24/2008, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefworm
I think it's been handled, no? Mix outside the tank.

Well I know that.. I would forsure mix outside.. but this was not really a question of what to do but more of if that was a true statment...

alextheromanian · 07/24/2008, 09:26 PM

im no expert...BUT approaching this from a chemestry point of view and BARE with me i wasnt paying attention a whole lot...

when you BREAK bonds...you release energy....in the form of heat...light etc.

the stronger a bond is the more violent reaction you get when you break it (explosions)

i see no reason for the glass to crack...due to heat...youre not breaking bonds really...youre diluting a salt mix...if anything youre CREATING bonds

on the other hand...if you came close to your fish tank with a big microwave emitter and turned it on...your salt water tank would burn since youre breaking the bonds between salt and water.

THERE! a SCIENTIFIC ( PROB NOT CORRECT) answer....

anyone dare to challange MOI???

reefworm · 07/24/2008, 09:31 PM

right - by now I'd lost sight of the original question

No jibe intended, but I can see how my post may have come across as a bit "short." sorry.

alextheromanian · 07/24/2008, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefworm
right - by now I'd lost sight of the original question No jibe intended, but I can see how my post may have come across as a bit "short." sorry.

:/

reefworm · 07/24/2008, 09:35 PM

sorry alex, I was responding to Calli

calli · 07/24/2008, 09:35 PM

oh no.. lol.. haha no worries... thats cool I was reading my orig. post and I should have worded it a bit different..

alextheromanian · 07/24/2008, 09:55 PM

THIS IS WHAT I DID.

when i first filled my 75...i dumped all the salt in at once...

5 bags.

this was about the ammount of 3/4 of a bucket...

i mixed it with my hand a bit (made my skin like sandpaper) and then set power heads in

no heat...no scratches no cracks

07/24/2008, 06:19 PM	#1
calli Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 512	Mixing Salt in Tank if you are mixing salt in a tank.. say 30 or 40 gallon tank.. preparing for a water change... I have heard that you should not dump all the needed salt in at one.. (NOTE: I don't do that) this is just for curiosity... they say your tank can CRACK.. can someone explain this.. I hear the salt and the water have some sort of a chemical reaction that produces heat???

07/24/2008, 06:41 PM	#2
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	I've never heard of a tank cracking due to mixing salt, unless perhaps your using an electric mixer It has to do with the fact that the salt can't dissolve fast enough and you are left with chunks of salt and may have precipitate issues as well. it is also really hard to mix it to the right salinity when you dump it in all at once __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

07/24/2008, 06:48 PM	#3
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	I find it easy to mix the prescribed amount of salt mix in 5 gal. buckets, using a powerhead to stir overnight. You can test SG in the bucket and add salt or water as needed to reach 1.026. Then just pour in the same amount of water you removed. __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

07/24/2008, 07:18 PM	#5
MinnFish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Home of 10,000 lakes Posts: 917	You should not mix salt in DT (unless its a new start-up with no LR or LS). Water should always be mixed outside of the DT overnite if possible. __________________ 33G Long, 4x54 watt T5, Tunze 6025, Tunze Osmolator ATO, Tunze Streamfilter 3163 Posts about moving an oversized fish to a bigger tank. Is like hearing every stripper is just working to pay for colle

07/24/2008, 07:31 PM	#6
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	calli, I hear you Try this: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...nftt/index.php __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

07/24/2008, 06:57 PM	#4
calli Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 512	5 gallon buckets is nice for a guy with a 29 gallon tank lol .. I need 4 of those buckets .. jokes..

07/24/2008, 08:26 PM	#8
calli Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 512	ReefWorm.. thank you for that link ... nice.. but really my question is.... Can the Salt and the Water mix cause the tank to crack? This is what was told to me from the LFS... I was just wondering if this is a myth or if someone has actually heard of this.

07/24/2008, 08:30 PM	#9
crsswift70 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Spanish Fort, AL Posts: 1,032	never heard of such

07/24/2008, 08:30 PM	#10
MinnFish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Home of 10,000 lakes Posts: 917	No, its a myth. __________________ 33G Long, 4x54 watt T5, Tunze 6025, Tunze Osmolator ATO, Tunze Streamfilter 3163 Posts about moving an oversized fish to a bigger tank. Is like hearing every stripper is just working to pay for colle

07/24/2008, 09:06 PM	#11
Duff Man Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chicago's far NW burbs Posts: 629	Mixing calcium chloride produces a lot of heat

07/24/2008, 09:14 PM	#13
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	I think it's been handled, no? Mix outside the tank. __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

07/24/2008, 09:26 PM	#15
alextheromanian Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Binghamton NY Posts: 1,007	im no expert...BUT approaching this from a chemestry point of view and BARE with me i wasnt paying attention a whole lot... when you BREAK bonds...you release energy....in the form of heat...light etc. the stronger a bond is the more violent reaction you get when you break it (explosions) i see no reason for the glass to crack...due to heat...youre not breaking bonds really...youre diluting a salt mix...if anything youre CREATING bonds on the other hand...if you came close to your fish tank with a big microwave emitter and turned it on...your salt water tank would burn since youre breaking the bonds between salt and water. THERE! a SCIENTIFIC ( PROB NOT CORRECT) answer.... anyone dare to challange MOI??? __________________ i just cant think of any phylosophical, deep, critical thinking quotes right now. Current Tank Info: 29g Reef, 75g FOWLR

07/24/2008, 09:31 PM	#16
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	right - by now I'd lost sight of the original question No jibe intended, but I can see how my post may have come across as a bit "short." sorry. __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

07/24/2008, 09:35 PM	#18
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	sorry alex, I was responding to Calli __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

07/24/2008, 09:55 PM	#20
alextheromanian Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Binghamton NY Posts: 1,007	THIS IS WHAT I DID. when i first filled my 75...i dumped all the salt in at once... 5 bags. this was about the ammount of 3/4 of a bucket... i mixed it with my hand a bit (made my skin like sandpaper) and then set power heads in no heat...no scratches no cracks __________________ i just cant think of any phylosophical, deep, critical thinking quotes right now. Current Tank Info: 29g Reef, 75g FOWLR