How do you make your water?

friendtothefish · 05/12/2007, 03:03 PM

Hello all,

I wanted to see how you make your water for water changes.

What kind of filter you have? What kind of salt do you use? What do you add? What PH do you buff to? All that good stuff?

Thanks,
Friend

roader247 · 05/12/2007, 03:06 PM

I run RO\DI water use reef crystals salt in a 30 trash can with a power head and heater

Mark

arts007 · 05/12/2007, 03:13 PM

Same here.. Same salt.. which I just switched to from Oceanic and have not checked the pH of the new salt yet. I don't add anything to the make up water, I check the main tank.

5 gallon bucket, power head and heater..

I need to run that test on the reef crystals like I did on the Oceanic.. I had posted the results awhile ago and never got around to checking the reef crystals as of yet.

alan214 · 05/12/2007, 04:53 PM

Wow, are we boring! I use the exact same salt and method as roader247. Can you tell we all read ReefCentral?

One thing I'd add is that I think it's better to mix the sand and RO/DI water at leat a couple of days ahead of time so it has a chance to stabilize a bit. Try to use a refractometer to get the salinity right.

arts007 · 05/12/2007, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alan214

One thing I'd add is that I think it's better to mix the sand and RO/DI

WOW is that the "new and improved" way of using make up water...SAND Cool!!! LOL

three-spot · 05/12/2007, 05:11 PM

Tap water (RO/DI as soon as I can get the $), prime, 2 air pumps + airstones, 5 gal bucket, red sea salt (next bag will be reef crystals).

boxfishpooalot · 05/12/2007, 05:49 PM

I mix it, check it with refractometer to 35ppt, check it again with pinpoint conductivity to 53mS/cm, put in my octopuss needle wheel skimmer pump, put lid on and let sit over night. Add a small heater and let the temp match the tank.

Next morning I match alkalinity with the tanks, and check if ph is good. If ph sux, I let the needle wheel go for another day pumping in 15l of air.

Then I suck out all the fish crap durring water changes I can find and pump the new water back into the tank.

PrivateJoker64 · 05/12/2007, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by roader247
I run RO\DI water use reef crystals salt in a 30 trash can with a power head and heater

Mark

Ditto.

Myka · 05/12/2007, 08:26 PM

I just switched from Reef Crystals to Instant Ocean since I can't find a good price on Reef Crystals locally. I use a 5 gallon bucket, fill it with R/O, put in a heater and powerhead, add 2 1/2 cups of salt. It runs like that for a week or two (however long between waterchanges). I always keep a bucket going and ready.

I've never checked pH...maybe I should.

Bambalam · 05/12/2007, 08:36 PM

RO water in a 5 gallon bucket with powerhead and heater mixed for 24 hours.
10% water change with Reef Crystals weekly (well, almost every week).

SDguy · 05/12/2007, 08:37 PM

RO/DI water (from work

) with Instant Ocean in a 32g trash can. Mag7 mixes and heats the water. I then add about 5 teaspoons turbo calcium and 1/2 cup magflake.

cbeitel · 05/12/2007, 08:59 PM

RO/DI water

Red Sea Salt

Powerhead

Heater

32g Rubbermaid Trashcan

Tang Salad · 05/12/2007, 09:50 PM

I buy bulk oxygen from a farm supply store and mix it with my mom's homemade hydrogen. It's cheaper this way.

JK- same as everyone else. RODI+saltmix (Tropic Marin Reef)+powehead and aeration.

seansod · 05/13/2007, 09:13 AM

35 gallon trash can with RO/DI and 1/2 Instant Ocean and 1/2 reef crystals. Then measure for salinty and pH and alk.

tangy2 · 05/13/2007, 09:20 AM

Is it better to let the salt sit a few days?? I make up the salt content with Instant Ocean the same day I do my water changes.

paran · 05/13/2007, 10:35 AM

I tend to let my salt/water mix sit for at least 24 hours prior to adding it to the tank to make sure all the reactions are finished, and that the salt is fully dissolved.

(I'm the same.. Instant Ocean, H2O in a 20 gallon bucket, powerhead, aeration, followed by heater when it's time to add water to make sure they're at the same temp. Killed a shrimp once when I was too quick and threw my temp down to 69 degrees.. *stupid stupid!*)

Joshua1023 · 05/13/2007, 11:27 AM

Five gallon buckets, needlewheel or meshwheel pumps, heaters, a cap full of Seachem Reef Complete, and Reef Crystals. Add to tank over a period of an hour or two.

navipro1 · 05/13/2007, 11:31 AM

I just keep it simple, Ro/di with Reef Crystals mixed in large buckets for 24 hr, then into tank.

tangy2 · 05/13/2007, 11:36 AM

I guess I should check the temp before I add the water, but it has never caused any harm to my tank. I also use RO/DI water.

frederickk · 05/14/2007, 02:33 PM

I use RO/DI water
That I mixed with
Red Sea Salt or Instant Ocean salt depend of the deal.
I use a Powerhead MJ1200 to mix it
and a Heater to keep it in touch.
All that in my
33g Rubbermaid Trashcan.

Phoric · 05/14/2007, 03:02 PM

I use a Kent RO/DI, which drips into a 30gal Rubbermaid Brute trashcan. I marked the inside of the can with various gallon levels (3g, 5g, 10g, etc). Once enough water is created I mix in the Instant Ocean salt with a MJ1200 and put a heater on the bottom to match my tank temperature, and let it sit like this for 24 hours or so. Siphon the old water into a 5g bucket, then use the MJ1200 hooked up to a vinyl hose to pump the new water back in.

amphirion · 05/14/2007, 03:20 PM

tap water for me. Works great; I keep softies, lps and sps

I use tropic marin salt

frederickk · 05/14/2007, 08:08 PM

Is all your params in check with tap water amphirion?

CPT. MURPHY · 05/14/2007, 08:59 PM

RO/DI to the 6 gal bucket then salt add my 2 powerheads and heater then wait 24hrs and add after I check the levels.

CPT.

JokerGirl · 05/14/2007, 09:20 PM

Here's my system. The top barrel is for straight RO/DI and the bottom barrel is for mixing saltwater. I use Reef Crystals as well with a powerhead/heater.

The barrels are kind of dirty on the outside from sitting around in a warehouse, but were completely sealed and are perfectly clean on the inside. It was too cold outside when we bought them to clean them off.

We just put the sump in the basement, so pretty soon here it's going to be hooked up to an ATO/Pump system so we won't have to lug 5g jugs upstairs anymore.

05/12/2007, 03:03 PM	#1
friendtothefish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: So Cal Posts: 659	How do you make your water? Hello all, I wanted to see how you make your water for water changes. What kind of filter you have? What kind of salt do you use? What do you add? What PH do you buff to? All that good stuff? Thanks, Friend

05/12/2007, 03:06 PM	#2
roader247 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Athens GA Posts: 657	I run RO\DI water use reef crystals salt in a 30 trash can with a power head and heater Mark __________________ Old Enough too Know Better But Young Enough Too Do It Anyway Mark Current Tank Info: 1 75 gallon fish only marine tank 1 55 fresh water tank and 1 29 gallon fresh tank

05/12/2007, 03:13 PM	#3
arts007 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 600	Same here.. Same salt.. which I just switched to from Oceanic and have not checked the pH of the new salt yet. I don't add anything to the make up water, I check the main tank. 5 gallon bucket, power head and heater.. I need to run that test on the reef crystals like I did on the Oceanic.. I had posted the results awhile ago and never got around to checking the reef crystals as of yet. __________________ Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99% perspiration, which is why engineers sometimes smell really bad. Current Tank Info: 120g SPS reef tank. 2x 400 watt Reeflux 12k on lumenbrights

05/12/2007, 04:53 PM	#4
alan214 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 1,258	Wow, are we boring! I use the exact same salt and method as roader247. Can you tell we all read ReefCentral? One thing I'd add is that I think it's better to mix the sand and RO/DI water at leat a couple of days ahead of time so it has a chance to stabilize a bit. Try to use a refractometer to get the salinity right. __________________ I live really close to the airport. The other day I was walking across the living room and the stewardess told me to take my seat. Current Tank Info: 73G FOWLR

05/12/2007, 05:11 PM	#6
three-spot Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: windsor, ontario, canada Posts: 201	Tap water (RO/DI as soon as I can get the $), prime, 2 air pumps + airstones, 5 gal bucket, red sea salt (next bag will be reef crystals). __________________ Julian

05/12/2007, 05:49 PM	#7
boxfishpooalot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canada, Grande Praire, Ab Posts: 5,824	I mix it, check it with refractometer to 35ppt, check it again with pinpoint conductivity to 53mS/cm, put in my octopuss needle wheel skimmer pump, put lid on and let sit over night. Add a small heater and let the temp match the tank. Next morning I match alkalinity with the tanks, and check if ph is good. If ph sux, I let the needle wheel go for another day pumping in 15l of air. Then I suck out all the fish crap durring water changes I can find and pump the new water back into the tank. __________________ Its a good idea to have a refrence sample for alk test kits. 1.1350 grams of baking soda in 1gallon of distilled water=10dkh. Check your alkalinity test kit! Algae is Mother Natures phosphate remover Current Tank Info: 220 galon mixed reef.

05/12/2007, 08:26 PM	#9
Myka Reefing since '93 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: SK, Canada Posts: 2,436	I just switched from Reef Crystals to Instant Ocean since I can't find a good price on Reef Crystals locally. I use a 5 gallon bucket, fill it with R/O, put in a heater and powerhead, add 2 1/2 cups of salt. It runs like that for a week or two (however long between waterchanges). I always keep a bucket going and ready. I've never checked pH...maybe I should. __________________ ~ Mindy, SPS addict. Current Tank Info: 69 SPS (73 gal net) established July 1/15. (HBD Canada!) ATB 840, ATI 6-bulb dimmable. Fauna Marin balling lite method.

05/12/2007, 08:36 PM	#10
Bambalam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: OH Posts: 688	RO water in a 5 gallon bucket with powerhead and heater mixed for 24 hours. 10% water change with Reef Crystals weekly (well, almost every week).

05/12/2007, 08:37 PM	#11
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	RO/DI water (from work ) with Instant Ocean in a 32g trash can. Mag7 mixes and heats the water. I then add about 5 teaspoons turbo calcium and 1/2 cup magflake. __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

05/12/2007, 08:59 PM	#12
cbeitel Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: McKinney, Texas Posts: 367	RO/DI water Red Sea Salt Powerhead Heater 32g Rubbermaid Trashcan __________________ Favorite Quote from a customer at my store... "It says here these fish are best kept in schools, but can I keep them in my home?" Honest to God, someone said that. -Chip Current Tank Info: You have too many tanks, says my wife

05/12/2007, 09:50 PM	#13
Tang Salad Algae skeptic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 78702 Posts: 3,098	I buy bulk oxygen from a farm supply store and mix it with my mom's homemade hydrogen. It's cheaper this way. JK- same as everyone else. RODI+saltmix (Tropic Marin Reef)+powehead and aeration. __________________ Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS

05/13/2007, 09:13 AM	#14
seansod Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. Posts: 135	35 gallon trash can with RO/DI and 1/2 Instant Ocean and 1/2 reef crystals. Then measure for salinty and pH and alk.

05/13/2007, 09:20 AM	#15
tangy2 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Palm Bay, FL Posts: 115	Is it better to let the salt sit a few days?? I make up the salt content with Instant Ocean the same day I do my water changes.

05/13/2007, 10:35 AM	#16
paran Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bismarck, ND Posts: 75	I tend to let my salt/water mix sit for at least 24 hours prior to adding it to the tank to make sure all the reactions are finished, and that the salt is fully dissolved. (I'm the same.. Instant Ocean, H2O in a 20 gallon bucket, powerhead, aeration, followed by heater when it's time to add water to make sure they're at the same temp. Killed a shrimp once when I was too quick and threw my temp down to 69 degrees.. stupid stupid!) __________________ Guy - "I wish I had more money to spend on my tank" Reply - "I wish I had the money back of everything I've ever killed in my tank!" Current Tank Info: 55 gallon mixed reef, 10 gallon nano, 55 gallon freshwater

05/13/2007, 11:27 AM	#17
Joshua1023 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Reading PA Posts: 1,526	Five gallon buckets, needlewheel or meshwheel pumps, heaters, a cap full of Seachem Reef Complete, and Reef Crystals. Add to tank over a period of an hour or two. __________________ Only bad things happen fast. Only bad thing happen fast. Only bad things happen fast. Man,I'm friggen hard-headed!!! Current Tank Info: 90 gl tank,Coralife 14K MH lights,2 Current dual daylight/actinic 40 watt fixtures, tidepool sump,Coralife SS 220 protein skimmer,six inch sand bed w/ plenum, Current Prime Tower 1/3 hp Chiller,RedSea ozonizer w/ orp

05/13/2007, 11:31 AM	#18
navipro1 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: sac, CA Posts: 335	I just keep it simple, Ro/di with Reef Crystals mixed in large buckets for 24 hr, then into tank. __________________ I don't know nothing. Current Tank Info: Reef/Fish= $$ pit---just fill her up with everything but copper.

05/13/2007, 11:36 AM	#19
tangy2 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Palm Bay, FL Posts: 115	I guess I should check the temp before I add the water, but it has never caused any harm to my tank. I also use RO/DI water.

05/14/2007, 02:33 PM	#20
frederickk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,712	I use RO/DI water That I mixed with Red Sea Salt or Instant Ocean salt depend of the deal. I use a Powerhead MJ1200 to mix it and a Heater to keep it in touch. All that in my 33g Rubbermaid Trashcan.

05/14/2007, 03:02 PM	#21
Phoric Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Bellevue, WA Posts: 118	I use a Kent RO/DI, which drips into a 30gal Rubbermaid Brute trashcan. I marked the inside of the can with various gallon levels (3g, 5g, 10g, etc). Once enough water is created I mix in the Instant Ocean salt with a MJ1200 and put a heater on the bottom to match my tank temperature, and let it sit like this for 24 hours or so. Siphon the old water into a 5g bucket, then use the MJ1200 hooked up to a vinyl hose to pump the new water back in. __________________ [phoric] Current Tank Info: 29gal nano sumpless reef, 2x65w PC, Deltec MCE300

05/14/2007, 03:20 PM	#22
amphirion Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 209	tap water for me. Works great; I keep softies, lps and sps I use tropic marin salt __________________ François-Étienne Current Tank Info: 110g Mixed Reef

05/14/2007, 08:08 PM	#23
frederickk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,712	Is all your params in check with tap water amphirion?

05/14/2007, 08:59 PM	#24
CPT. MURPHY Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,148	RO/DI to the 6 gal bucket then salt add my 2 powerheads and heater then wait 24hrs and add after I check the levels. CPT.

05/14/2007, 09:20 PM	#25
JokerGirl Whistler's Mother Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: That place Posts: 1,345	Here's my system. The top barrel is for straight RO/DI and the bottom barrel is for mixing saltwater. I use Reef Crystals as well with a powerhead/heater. The barrels are kind of dirty on the outside from sitting around in a warehouse, but were completely sealed and are perfectly clean on the inside. It was too cold outside when we bought them to clean them off. We just put the sump in the basement, so pretty soon here it's going to be hooked up to an ATO/Pump system so we won't have to lug 5g jugs upstairs anymore.