Making Saltwater
I often hear people state, "I heard salt water tanks are really difficult!"
This couldn't be further from the truth. So, today, I'd like to walk you through one part of enjoying the saltwater hobby: Making saltwater. You'll see its easy!
What you will need?
- Bucket
- Marine Salt Mix
- Hydrometer
- Measuring cup
- Marine Stress Coat
- Maxijet 1200
Optional Equipment
- Heater
- Plastic Tubing
- Purple Up
- Thermometer
Target Ranges for Salinity
Fish only systems- 1.020-1.024
Reef Systems- 1.023-1.025
Temperature Ranges- 76-78 Degrees
First, fill the bucket with the proper amount of fresh water to your bucket (however much water you want to make). The amount of salt you need to add will be part of the directions on the salt that you get (for example, X amount of cups of salt per gallon). We recommend adding ¼ of the total amount of salt at a time to ensure proper mixture. In the store we use Instant Ocean, and recommend Instant Ocean Reef Crystals for reef tanks! Make sure the salt totally dissolves before adding more. Add the proper amount of stress coat to the bucket, to ensure the water is dechlorinated. The maxi-jet in the bucket will help dissolve the salt. Be sure to check the salinity using the hydrometer before you add the water to your tank. We recommend letting the batch of water sit for 24 hours, to ensure the water is stable before adding. Since the salt mix is a natural product, how much you need to add may fluctuate from time to time.
In larger systems (tanks 30 gallons or larger), we recommend using the heater to bring the water up to temperature before adding the water to your tank. This will help relieve some stress from the fish during the water changes. You can also add purple up directly to the bucket like we do in the store, so the water we are adding will be rich in calcium and other trace minerals for our corals. Finally, you can use ½ inch tubing out the output of the maxi-jet to make water changes a breeze. The water will be pumped directly out of the bucket into your tank.
Want to check out where we make our saltwater? Want to see how easy it is? Stop by the store!