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pc1blues
07/19/2007, 01:18 AM
Just wondering if anybody else has used this method. I know people mix up a batch in a trash can by throwing in a power head and letting it mix for a day or so. Was looking for a more efficient way to do this. Got this really bizare paint mixer from Lowes for 5 bucks. Has like a half dozen plastic fins on it. Put it on the drill, stick it the can and let it rip for about 10 minutes. This thing produces a whirlpool vortex like you would not believe. Was all I could do to just hang on the the drill. Mixes up the water and looks like I have a monster skimmer on it the way it airates the water. I was mixing up about 25 gallons in a 32 gallon plastic trash can. Had to leave a bit of room to handle the whirlpool. Checked it out with a refractometer and got it spot on. Yes the newbie did the right thing and bought one of those refractometers. Even went so far as to order the calibrating fluid to go with. So mixed it up, tested it and moved it into my storage containers. Ready to make up another batch.

SunDevil95
07/19/2007, 01:25 AM
I think I've seen one of those (in the HWS). How much was it?

random_ryan
07/19/2007, 01:32 AM
OMG Lmao pc this is still too funny. thanks for the new play toy by the way. LMAO .. I hooked up one to my drill put water in a 5 gallon bucket only 1/2 way full well I asked my son to mix it while I used the rest room well unexpecting he pulls the trigger and gets soaked. Now just waiting to nail the wife. LMAO. and my other kids LMAO... I can just hear it now from the wife. ROTFLMAO

pc1blues
07/19/2007, 01:35 AM
Cost of the paint mixer designed for a 5 gallon bucket was $4.98 cents. But I found that since saltwater does not have the viscosity of paint you can use it in a much larger container (ie 32 gallon trash can) and it rocks the can. Tornado like vortex was from the top to the bottom and it took like 5 minutes after I turned off the drill for the water to quit swirling around. Also produced a massive about of air bubbles during the mixing so I believe it was airating the water pretty good at the same time.

senatormoe31
07/19/2007, 09:27 AM
Sounds cool, but you really do want to circulate a new salt mix for at least 12 hours or so with vigorous water movement for aereation and to dissolve the salt.
Salt will "look" dissolved and may read consistant in less than an hour but can still be far from dissolved Ionically.

Had this conversation with E. Borneman and A. Calfo at IMAC last year in Chicago
They both said that you COULD see "burns" on certain types of corals and it is a symptymology that is hard to attribute to salt mix.
just some input for ya.

senatormoe31
07/19/2007, 01:25 PM
What I mean by a symptymology is that you would not nessassarily attibute the burnt look with brand new salt mix.
more likely you might think lighting burn or grounding problem.

Pyrrhus
07/19/2007, 08:48 PM
I think either Moe or Harker described this method for an emergency water change, I really don't think it would be an issue using this method because of the massive amount of mixing and aeration going on, of course I am not a chemist and do not know if the necessary chemical reactions can happen that quickly for sure.

The paint mixer is also very useful to maintain aeration during a power outage.