Filling a new tank

campo21 · 02/01/2018, 08:33 AM

So ive kept two 60 gallon reef tanks in the past and because of moving etc took a break from the hobby.

Now im back, I just bought a 120 gallon tank and im starting slow so everything is done right. So ive been asking around how people fill their tank for the first time. My lfs was a pretty firm believer in pre mixing the salt and then going into the tank. He suggests that if you mix in the tank that you get a film or kinda salty crust everywhere like what happens on mixing stations. Wonder how everyone else has done it. It would seem to be alot harder to mix ro and salt in brute cans and transfer it over, expecailly with 120 gallons + sump this would take days with a 75 gpd ro/di. as apposed to filling the tank with Ro/do, pouring the salt in and letting the flow do the work.

Looking for experiences and thoughts. thanks!

MarkW64 · 02/01/2018, 08:40 AM

There shouldn’t be any problem just mixing the initial water in the empty tank. That’s how I filled my 230g.

campo21 · 02/01/2018, 08:42 AM

You didnt get a bunch of salt creep all over?

MarkW64 · 02/01/2018, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campo21

You didnt get a bunch of salt creep all over?

No. Not sure why/how mixing water would produce “creep” — I don’t get creep when I mix in a Brute either.

campo21 · 02/01/2018, 09:19 AM

Yeah honestly I didn't quite understand it either it was just what i was told. I was wondering if anyone else had this experience or if everyone just fills their tanks with ro and then mixes salt in the tank.

HBtank · 02/01/2018, 10:03 AM

Salt mixes can precipitate or leave a film on the walls of containers, or the surface, so your LFS is not wrong. There are mixes that are much better though, you can research them if you want. And there are mixes that are really bad with this...

I guess the question I have is why is a couple days a problem? And you mention ro/di taking long, but how does that exactly matter, you will need that volume of ro/di regardless of how you do it.

Also, most tanks will actually have a good amount displaced by sand/rock, so it probably would not be the full volume. Anyway, either way will work, but you may need to clean a little and have the water less clear depending on the salt you use (new tanks are cloudy anyway though). Just be aware that the film/residue inherently never dissolves IME, which is logical since it precipitated/came from the mix to begin with.

campo21 · 02/01/2018, 10:50 AM

Yes that was what they were talking about the film. Do you have an opinion on the kinds that are better?
It doesnt REALLY matter it would just be aloty easier to hook my ro tube right to the tank until its full and then mix rather than fix up two 44 gallon brute containers, mix the salt and then start again. I'll do it whatever way is right for sure. This is why im asking opinions.

So you're saying that film never really comes off? or is hard to get off?

jurgenph · 02/01/2018, 11:50 AM

i stopped using IO salt for this very reason

brown sediment all over my mixing container.

i used pre-mixed salt water to fill up my new tank, even though i am now using a salt mix that mixes up nice and clean.

honestly, i don't think it matters when setting up a new tank, the end result will be the same either way. you'll have a tank filled with salty water

J.

02/01/2018, 08:33 AM	#1
campo21 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 16	Filling a new tank So ive kept two 60 gallon reef tanks in the past and because of moving etc took a break from the hobby. Now im back, I just bought a 120 gallon tank and im starting slow so everything is done right. So ive been asking around how people fill their tank for the first time. My lfs was a pretty firm believer in pre mixing the salt and then going into the tank. He suggests that if you mix in the tank that you get a film or kinda salty crust everywhere like what happens on mixing stations. Wonder how everyone else has done it. It would seem to be alot harder to mix ro and salt in brute cans and transfer it over, expecailly with 120 gallons + sump this would take days with a 75 gpd ro/di. as apposed to filling the tank with Ro/do, pouring the salt in and letting the flow do the work. Looking for experiences and thoughts. thanks!

02/01/2018, 08:40 AM	#2
MarkW64 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 217	There shouldn’t be any problem just mixing the initial water in the empty tank. That’s how I filled my 230g. __________________ Setting up 230g Miracles mixed reef peninsula, TampaBaySaltwater liverock package, Radion Gen3 pros, Vectra returns

02/01/2018, 10:03 AM	#6
HBtank Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 2,957	Salt mixes can precipitate or leave a film on the walls of containers, or the surface, so your LFS is not wrong. There are mixes that are much better though, you can research them if you want. And there are mixes that are really bad with this... I guess the question I have is why is a couple days a problem? And you mention ro/di taking long, but how does that exactly matter, you will need that volume of ro/di regardless of how you do it. Also, most tanks will actually have a good amount displaced by sand/rock, so it probably would not be the full volume. Anyway, either way will work, but you may need to clean a little and have the water less clear depending on the salt you use (new tanks are cloudy anyway though). Just be aware that the film/residue inherently never dissolves IME, which is logical since it precipitated/came from the mix to begin with. __________________ 80g Aiptasia dominated reef tank.. with fish and now a bunch of berghia! Current Tank Info: 80g tank, re-starting a reef after a zoanthid nudibranch plauge, followed by months of steady and unstoppable STN/RTN, crashed; stayed FOWLR for a couple years, currently an aiptasia dominated reef tank with fishies and BERGHIA Last edited by HBtank; 02/01/2018 at 10:13 AM.

02/01/2018, 08:42 AM	#3
campo21 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 16	You didnt get a bunch of salt creep all over?

02/01/2018, 09:19 AM	#5
campo21 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 16	Yeah honestly I didn't quite understand it either it was just what i was told. I was wondering if anyone else had this experience or if everyone just fills their tanks with ro and then mixes salt in the tank.

02/01/2018, 10:50 AM	#7
campo21 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 16	Yes that was what they were talking about the film. Do you have an opinion on the kinds that are better? It doesnt REALLY matter it would just be aloty easier to hook my ro tube right to the tank until its full and then mix rather than fix up two 44 gallon brute containers, mix the salt and then start again. I'll do it whatever way is right for sure. This is why im asking opinions. So you're saying that film never really comes off? or is hard to get off?

02/01/2018, 11:50 AM	#8
jurgenph Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 76	i stopped using IO salt for this very reason brown sediment all over my mixing container. i used pre-mixed salt water to fill up my new tank, even though i am now using a salt mix that mixes up nice and clean. honestly, i don't think it matters when setting up a new tank, the end result will be the same either way. you'll have a tank filled with salty water J.