Raising salinity from 0 to 1.025

[E_Aquatics]

I'm currently setting up my new tank and when the time to fill it up comes I want to have a game plan. I'm using dry rock and dry sand.

I'm planning on doing the aquascaping, adding the sand and last fill the tank. I have now way of making 300+ gallons of saltwater before hand to fill the tank so I figured I would fill it with Ro/di water and then bring my salinity up to 1.025. The question is how do I accomplish that? Do I just start dumping salt little by little into the tank or dilute the salt in a gallon of water and dump that in the tank. I will obviously need to do that a few times since we are talking about 300+ gallons of water.

Are there any other method of doing this.

[mluz]

I would just dump the salt in the sump, throw a power head in there to aid in mixing.

[thegrun]

You need to add the salt before you add sand or rock to the tank.

[neurosis05]

I've never done this but I don't see any issue with just dumping salt in to the aquarium because there is nothing in there that is "live" so you wont be hurting anything. I'd run a pump or powerheads in there to stir the solution.

For water changes I bought a cheap 20 gal rubbermaid container and mix my solution in there with a pump for circulation.

[d2mini]

Dry rock and sand in the tank first is fine, but I would mix the saltwater outside of the tank and then pour it in. Or fill the tank with RO/DI, then add your salt and mix for a while BEFORE adding sand and rock. There are lots of good tips for adding sand to a tank full of water and minimizing cloudiness if you do a search.

[neurosis05]

Originally Posted by thegrun

You need to add the salt before you add sand or rock to the tank.

His rock is dry and I assume the sand is not live sand. So what would be the problem? Is it that the salt would rest in tiny cracks and pockets and not dilute fully?

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by neurosis05

Is it that the salt would rest in tiny cracks and pockets and not dilute fully?

This is my thinking. Maybe? Maybe not? But why find out? Just mix outside the tank if its already scaped.

[coralsnaked]

Yes but with a tank full of RODI and nothing else with strong powerheads (several) to mix in an empty tank no rock or sand. As they make the mixing terribly hard and you will have undissolved salt for a very long time. Water first salt second mix for several days add dry sand and rock

[E_Aquatics]

I guess I will have to mix the water before hand because there is no way Im aquascaping the tank while its filled with water.. If it was a smaller tank then maybe.

[tkeracer619]

No big deal. Just dump the salt into the display in front of a strong powerhead one cup at a time.

[o2manyfish]

If you have filter socks in your sump, or if you don't add one. And pour the salt into the filter socks. You can add probably 2/3 of a 50g mix of salt to a standard 7" sock.

The water will dissolve the salt pretty quickly. You can keep adding more salt about every 30-45mins to you add all your bags.

I do this to add salt to my existing system when I need to and it works quite well.

Dave B

[E_Aquatics]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

No big deal. Just dump the salt into the display in front of a strong powerhead one cup at a time.

This is what I thought of doing but wasn't sure about it...

Originally Posted by o2manyfish

If you have filter socks in your sump, or if you don't add one. And pour the salt into the filter socks. You can add probably 2/3 of a 50g mix of salt to a standard 7" sock.

The water will dissolve the salt pretty quickly. You can keep adding more salt about every 30-45mins to you add all your bags.

I do this to add salt to my existing system when I need to and it works quite well.

Dave B

I like your filter sock idea.

[1987]

I just dump the salt into the water. That way I can adjust my power heads for the flow I intend to have, and visually see it move the water

[Buzz1329]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

No big deal. Just dump the salt into the display in front of a strong powerhead one cup at a time.

+1. I filled my 180 (dry rock and sand) like the OP proposes and had no problems.

Mike

[E_Aquatics]

As long as I add the salt slowly and even do it in a span of 2-3 days I think I shouldn't have any problems.

[enforcer8621]

I understand that people are concerned with the salt not mixing well with dry rock and sand, but it's being made too complicated. Get your scape like you want it, add water, then salt. Use powerheads and the filter sock is a good idea too. The salt will dissolve properly, especially when it's the right temp. Anyway, I would expect you'll be waiting for the tank to cycle before adding any critters, that will give you time to make adjustments.

[E_Aquatics]

Originally Posted by enforcer8621

I understand that people are concerned with the salt not mixing well with dry rock and sand, but it's being made too complicated. Get your scape like you want it, add water, then salt. Use powerheads and the filter sock is a good idea too. The salt will dissolve properly, especially when it's the right temp. Anyway, I would expect you'll be waiting for the tank to cycle before adding any critters, that will give you time to make adjustments.

Yes that is correct. I don't expect to be adding anything for a month or two after the tank is filled.

[snorklr]

you can be like the guys from "tanked" and add your fish the same day !

[E_Aquatics]

Originally Posted by snorklr

you can be like the guys from "tanked" and add your fish the same day !

No Im okay! lol That show is a bad example of how things in this hobby should be done!

[JoelA7]

Salt must be added to water, not vice versa. I mixed mine in the empty tank and sump with return pump and power heads running and was not satisfied with the mix. Had to get in there to move water around in corners and such. From only one experience I'd recommend mixing outside the tank.

[Ikserk]

a happy-middle of this conversation could be this procedure:

1) aquascape the dry rock to your liking, then add sand
2) fill tank with RODI water
3) once full, turn on your heater(s) and circulation pumps
3) drain some of the tank water into a mixing vessel such as a 44g Brute garbage can.
4) add salt to this mixing vessel, along with a powerhead and heater. you can add salt well above the normal 1.026 range.
5) wait until the water is mixed well in the Brute
6) pump the mixed Brute water back into the tank
7) repeat steps 3-6 until the system's salinity is where you want it.

is this overkill? yup. but it does sit right in the middle of both sides in this debate (i.e. "mixing salt with rock and salt is bad" and "it is simple, just add your salt") and is well within your stated limitations

[Wazzel]

If it is dry rock and sand you can add the salt to the water after it is filled. If it were me I would put the salt in a cup or so at a time. The only thing to watch for is over shooting the SG. If you want to see if the salt dissolved dump it in the sump instead of the tank.

[JMorris271]

I am expecting a 125 to be delivered today and plan on using 50 gal barrels to mix salt in first then get the levels right and let it sit a day, then pump it into the tank. Aquascape-Sand-saltwater-rum& Coke.

[TheAquatect]

I've added salt straight to a tank filled with rock in a recent re-do of my DT and its not an issue in any way, it will mix up fine with a strong powerhead or 2. I measure 1lb 9.6oz of salt for every 5 gallons of water and nail it every time.

If you are unsure of the volume, given the rock displacement, then use something like a 20gal rubbermaid to fill up first, then pump it into the display. Count how many it takes to fill up the DT and you cant miss.

[E_Aquatics]

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions. When the time comes to fill the tank I will make a decision on how to mix the salt and will report back to this thread on how everything turned out.