How long will mixed saltwater stay good?

[JC_UF_ITK]

I was just wondering if I could mix up some saltwater in gallon jugs and set it aside for my water changes. If so, how long would the saltwater in the jugs stay good for? Thanks!

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Forever, unless something contaminates it.

Make sure your containers are good and clean, use good source water, and you should be all set.

BTW - what size tank is this for? Gallon jugs seem kinda small. Why not 5-gallon buckets or trashcans? That's what most people use for making/storing water.

[JC_UF_ITK]

I have a 29 gallon bio cube and was just wondering if I could make 5 gallons at a time and store them for a week or two. I'm just trying to think of ways to make the water changes easier. Another reason for the gallon jugs is that my tank is in my office and I can hide them easier than I could a 5 gallon bucket.

[griss]

This is what I store and mix water in.



It's great to have a good amount of water on hand for emergencies. I usually have one filled with just RO/DI water and the other filled with saltwater. The one with SW also has a pump to keep it circulating and a heater to keep it at tank temp.

[griss]

Originally posted by JC_UF_ITK
I have a 29 gallon bio cube and was just wondering if I could make 5 gallons at a time and store them for a week or two. I'm just trying to think of ways to make the water changes easier. Another reason for the gallon jugs is that my tank is in my office and I can hide them easier than I could a 5 gallon bucket.

If that's the case, yes, you can use the gallon jugs. Storing them for a week or two will be fine.

[chris31]

hey i have that garbage pale lol
for ever or until it evaporates just make sure you have the water moving with a power head

[der_wille_zur_macht]

No reason to leave a powerhead running all the time, though if you are doing large changes, the water should probably be agitated or aerated immediately beforehand if it has been stored.

[dkh0331]

Originally posted by griss
This is what I store and mix water in.



It's great to have a good amount of water on hand for emergencies. I usually have one filled with just RO/DI water and the other filled with saltwater. The one with SW also has a pump to keep it circulating and a heater to keep it at tank temp.

I have the exact same thing with a mag 7 for the circ pump inthe Brute. When I do a water change, I just open one valve on the plumbing attached to mag 7 and it flows into the sump.

[griss]

Originally posted by dkh0331
I have the exact same thing with a mag 7 for the circ pump inthe Brute. When I do a water change, I just open one valve on the plumbing attached to mag 7 and it flows into the sump.

[Savas]

I have a Aquapod 24 and store my mixed water in a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket with a secure lid. Lowes sells the same bucket in white which I think is a better color for hiding in an office. The water keeps for a month with no problems yet. I let my daughter stir it for me while I take the water out of the tank. It makes it easy to hide in the garage, has a great lid, and you can dip a cup in it to fill your tank (less agitation to the tank). They also make a 3 gallon bucket which may meet your needs.

[MC Lighting]

I like to use a small ph to fill the sump with from the buckets or trash can (depending on what I am doing) for the same reason that it does not agitae anything and is slow enough that it allows the water to mix into the tank and not cause a major flux...

[chris31]

MC Lighting i was look at you gallery and you have some awsomeing lighting how do you do that?

[bobbyblank]

what about evap in the buckets, wont it raise the salinity of the water.

[MC Lighting]

Thank you I am in the LED lighting business for police and fire and I adapted some of that technology for my reef tank. I had offered some time ago the info for it and was told that $80 for a light was way to expensive but yet people pay the $60 for the crappy little ones you get at the lfs go figure... I will take some pictures od the lamp assembly so you can see them...

[Jrmass]

mc that led is pretty cool I will say. Can't say I've seen a rig like that before