How to Mix Saltwater for a Marine or Reef Aquarium

[imracin68j]

I do no water changes and i put salt on the bottom of the bucked and pour bathtub in mixing it with my hand. When the cloudiness goes away I dump it in. No additives.

[TheSonicChao]

Uhhhh i was thinking of having a Salt Water fish tank but now since ive been many videos and it seems to hard to maintain and to exspensive to have so now im just stick with fresh water. :[

[MarineDepotVideos]

@TheSonicChao You can actually purchase pre-mixed synthetic saltwater or natural seawater from many local fish stores. Many aquarium hobbyists prefer doing it that way because they don't have the time and/or space to do it themselves. It's relatively inexpensive—generally less than $1 per gallon.

[TheSonicChao]

@MarineDepotVideos Oh kool :D Thanks for the advise :]

[GRRjammm]

how do you use a refractometer?

[MarineDepotVideos]

@GRRjammm Take a representative sample of the water from your aquarium or other marine habitat. Allow the water to acclimate to the temperature of the instrument for 15 seconds. Then look into the eyepiece to take the salinity reading, located at the bottom of the interface. One side of the scale allows you to read the salinity; the other side the specific gravity. Call us at 1-800-566-FISH if you have additional questions.

[MarineDepotVideos]

@GRRjammm When using a refractometer you lift the lens and put a few drops of water on the glass. There is a pipette in the box and you can use that. Make sure the water drops are evenly spread and then move the refractometer toward the light. Once you look into the refractometer you will see what the salinity level is. Ideally your reef should be at 1.025 sg or 32-35ppt.

[SkylineR034]

i sware to god you sound like a downer, im getting depressed just listening to you

[iKushTV]

@SkylineR034 You sound like a little bitch. Take your whining somewhere else.

[SkylineR034]

i sware to god you sound like a downer.. 

[ozsoy66]

you think a normal human got al thad stuff at home ?!?

[MarineDepotVideos]

@ozsoy66 Everything in the video is easily attainable and none of it is particualrly expensive. ;-)

[bilbobag111]

Since you mentioned sandbeds in this video. I'm wondering what your thoughts are on deep sandbeds and what sand you would recommend. I know there are a lot of opinions out there on this one.

[MarineDepotVideos]

Greater depth allows for multiple zones, providing greater biodiversity and better filtration. Towards the surface, nitrifying bacteria and benthic sand-sifting organisms like brittle stars, snails and copepods can be found gobbling up settled waste. As these organisms sift through the sand, nutrients migrate to the lower layers. These deeper zones harbor denitrifying bacteria that convert nitrate into nitrogen, completing the nitrogen cycle. This is why DSBs are frequently found in refugiums.

[MarineDepotVideos]

@bilbobag111 As far as recommendations go, please contact us so we can learn a little more about your aquarium system. We have to take into consideration the feeding and environmental requirements of your tank's inhabitants. Are fish present that require substrate to survive? Are the corals you keep thriving in the nutrient levels of your system? Call toll-free to send an email--YouTube has character count limits so it's hard to offer quality service here.

[MarineDepotVideos]

Thanks for the question. We like the Hydor Koralia series when it comes to performance and price. For your tank, we recommend either the Nano Koralia 425 or the Koralia Evolution 750. You might also be interested in the Tunze nanostram 6025. Hope this helps!

[seoul4845]

What powerhead would you recommend for a 20L fowlr? I'd hate to go to the LFS and pick up something loud or bad.

[nineimage]

HELP! I am mixing my own salt water at home in a trash bin and using the same pump purchased from MD.com as in the video. I am mixing the red sea salt pro. I leave it mixing overnight and the next day the water is still a white color...? I also have a heater in there as it mixes... why does it not get clear?

Thanks!

[MarineDepotVideos]

@nineimage There could be several things going on here, so it is difficult to say. Can you call us? It's toll-free: 1-800-566-FISH (3474). It is important that you add the water first and then add the salt. If the order is reversed, the salt will precipitate into solids, which could make the water cloudy. Also, if it is a large batch of water, it can take more time for the salt to dissolve.

[nineimage]

@MarineDepotVideos thanks, it maybe too late to call :)... well I first poured 15 gals or RODI water in the trash container.... place my heater and powerhead in the water and turned on... then I pour the salt (2-2.5 cups/ 5gals)... I have it sitting for just about 24 hours now and the water is still cloudy white, like milk.... I look at the equipment and it has a white coating... I am confused? Am I missing something? Thanks for your help!!!

[2424Anthony]

Is Distilled Water Good??

[MarineDepotVideos]

@2424Anthony Distilled water is better than tap water in most any case for a marine aquarium. When mixing saltwater and toping off your aquarium it is best to utilize reverse osmosis or de-ionized water however distilled is an acceptable alternative. You can use a total dissolved solids meter to test your water purity; the lowest possible TDS readings in ppm is always best and zero is desired.

[josue3404]

My dad has a rain bag beside the house that gets clean rain water can I use that water and just add salt to do the water change to my 60 gallon tank

[MarineDepotVideos]

@josue3404 Unfortunately rainwater is not safe to use in your aquarium. Air pollution affects rainwater, often making it acidic. If the water is running of your roof, it may gather additional impurities. Bottom line: it's not worth the risk.

[TheBestB123]

can i just mix my saltwater in a plastic trash can from ACE?

[RonnieDuong]

I decided to mix water in the tank to save money. That means adding tap water in the empty fish tank. Does that mean i will have to add the "live" sand after 24 hours?

[MarineDepotVideos]

@RonnieDuong

Thanks for the question. When adding water to a brand new aquarium, you can mix it inside the aquarium. Always add water first, and then salt. You can add sand once all of the salt has melted and the salinity is in the right range. Alos, we recommend using distilled or RO/DI water instead of tap, which can contain a lot of chemicals and nutrients that are harmful to you system.

[MrTvshowuploader4]

In this video u guys use tap water for a reef tank?

[MarineDepotVideos]

@MrTvshowuploader4 No tap: we are using reverse osmosis deionized water from an RO/DI system.

[GenerationDown]

Thanks alot for your help! what i did today is bought a powerful head pump like seen in your video, used my tank heater, and put pure water from the dispenser seen outside of grocery stores into a 5 gallon bucket, and are mixing the required amount of salt ( 2 1/2 cups)

[GenerationDown]

, im assuming only 4 hours or until all mixed and warmed? This seemed like the cheapest route as i dont have any trustworthy local fish stores, and petsmarts RO price is 11.99 per 5 gallons. Anything i should know about doing 5 gallons at a time or look out for?

[MarineDepotVideos]

Thanks for the reply. If at all possible, use reverse osmosis or distilled water, which is the purest. It needs to mix until the salt is all melted, it is well oxygenated (surface movement helps), and the temperature is right. 4 hours should be good for that to happen. Be sure to hold onto the old water just in case you take too much out. Happy reefing!

[GenerationDown]

hey can i do this 5 gallons at a time for a 28 gallon nano(same in video) ive been spending a ton lately and dont really wanna have to go buy a trash can for this

[MarineDepotVideos]

@GenerationDown Thanks for the question. A lot of hobbyists with small/medium sized tanks prefer to buy saltwater locally. Find a reputable store and purchase premixed or natural seawater. Locally, we pay about $1/gallon. This way, you dont have to worry about storing mixing vessels or salt buckets. You dont have as much control over the purity or quality of saltwater, but the convenience is often worth it for smaller systems. Hope that helps!

[reefmania22]

good idea, cool !

[kvblakely]

No, RO will remove all contaminants. Just remember to mix and aerate for 24 hrs.

[iJonel]

would you still need to use "water treatment/conditioners" if you are using reverse osmosis?

[MarineDepotVideos]

@iJonel

kvblakely is correct, no water treatments or conditioners will be necessary. Just make sure you change your RO or RO/DI filter as needed to maintain that pristine water quality.

[iJonel]

alright! thanks a lot!

[porchematt22]

bout how many cups of salt would i need to put it for a 40 gallon tank?

[MarineDepotVideos]

@porchematt22

Hey, sorry for the delayed reply. We'll be more responsive next time! Actually we can't really say exactly how many cups are necessary because it depends on the size of the container and what salt mix you're using. Your best bet is to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Or, if you are curious about a particular brand of salt, we can answer your question more accurately that way. Thanks for watching our video.

[AfricanCichlidguy]

@porchematt22 usally salt is half a cup per gallon