Saltwater
- Sandy
- Discus Member
- Posts: 772
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:25 am
- My SetUp: 180gal saltwater reef, 6-80watt T5 lights, 2 powerheads in tank, 2 return pumps in a 40gal sump, uv sterilizer, gfo and carbon reactor.
Saltwater
Just wondering,,,, is there a shelve life so to speak of mixed up saltwater??? I use RO water, mix in the salt, have a powerhead, and an airstone going. How long is to good to keep, or does it really go bad?
- bluwtr
- Discus Member
- Posts: 637
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm
- My SetUp: 55g, 70#'s lr, 40#'s ls, 10 DIY acrylic sump, in sump skimmer, 1 Jebao wp20 and 2 Koralia 1050 controlled by a Smart Wave, DIY LED's--12 RB, 10 UV's and 8 CW.
- Location: Gautier
- Contact:
Re: Saltwater
Ive heard of it going stale but I'm sure with the airstone and powerhead that really wouldn't be a problem. I guess there could be some type of bacterial or fungal growth that would feed on the micro-elements, but you would first have to introduce it but I don't see that really happening.
- Gerwin
- Discus Member
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:41 pm
- My SetUp: Custom profile field not completed.
Re: Saltwater
actually bluwtr is more correct than he thinks
, and I think you would be surprised at how fast the biofilm begins to get started, Nature is a amazing thing. I think I would try and use it in a week or less, no science behind that other than opinion

- Doug
- Site Admin
- Posts: 229
- Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:26 am
- My SetUp: 1984: 90 gal. saltwater, O'Dell tank, Oceanic Systems cabinet stand, (2) Perfecto 48" strip lights with Vita-Lite Power Twists, Aqualogy Bio-Grade Plus Undergravel filter, (2) Hagen Aquaclear 800 power heads, Eheim 2217 canister filter with Chemi-Pure, Hawaiian Marine Angstrom 2537 UV sterilizer
Re: Saltwater
I used to have a maintenance account at a nightclub that consisted of three 220 gallon fish-only salt tanks. Under the stands, there were three 33 gallon plastic trash cans I used to mix up the partial water changes in. Each had an airstone in it to do the dissolving and keep things aerobic. I can't remember the exact schedule, except that the partials were done monthly. If my cleaning visits were bi-weekly, then the water would have been mixing/aerating for at least two weeks before use. But as I said, these were fish-only, and back in the day when 6" long hair algae all over everything was considered a sign of a "healthy" tank.
- Gerwin
- Discus Member
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:41 pm
- My SetUp: Custom profile field not completed.
Re: Saltwater
you are showing your ageback in the day when 6" long hair algae all over everything was considered a sign of a "healthy" tank.

- don
- Angel Member
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 4:13 pm
- My SetUp: Custom profile field not completed.
- Location: diberville
Re: Saltwater
i've, been doing a weekly water change since i started my tank, once iam done with the change, i repenish my r.o. water and salt mix, let it age for the week until next change and have had no problems,with h2o or tank conditions. course i'am not an expert at this hobby yet, lol. but i do remember someone telling me if it's working let it be. just my two cents worth.LOL.
- Doug
- Site Admin
- Posts: 229
- Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:26 am
- My SetUp: 1984: 90 gal. saltwater, O'Dell tank, Oceanic Systems cabinet stand, (2) Perfecto 48" strip lights with Vita-Lite Power Twists, Aqualogy Bio-Grade Plus Undergravel filter, (2) Hagen Aquaclear 800 power heads, Eheim 2217 canister filter with Chemi-Pure, Hawaiian Marine Angstrom 2537 UV sterilizer
Re: Saltwater
Just keeping things in perspective for you folks who now propagate coral frags just about as easily as we used to breed guppies.Gerwin wrote:you are showing your ageback in the day when 6" long hair algae all over everything was considered a sign of a "healthy" tank.