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Salt Mixing Help

Chris

Chris

I purchased an RODI unit from Marine Depot that i will be installing this weekend. I also purchased a bucket of Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. Just like everything else that Red Sea makes (supplement wise), the directions are vague and difficult to understand. I just need to know the ratio of salt per gallon of RODI water. This is my first time making my own water so any help would be greatly appreciated.


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kschweer

kschweer

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If you mix a 1/2 cup per gallon it will get you close to 1.026 and you can adjust from there. This applies to just about all salt mixes.
 
lefkonj

lefkonj

Hopefully you bought the booster pump and 2 stage RO for your system, will significantly increase your water output and reduce your waste. I also make sure have mixed the salt water thoroughly, several hours, before testing and making any adjustments.
 
Mark_C

Mark_C

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Agreed with 1/2 cup per gallon...

BUT! You also need a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter to determine that the RODI is producing what you need. You may already have one built into your RODI, it is usually a small box with a digital display and an in/out slider.
When switched on and on the 'In' setting it should read the 'dirtiness' of the water coming into your system and can be any number. This indicates foreign particles in the water and is measured in PPT (parts per thousand).
My incoming (switch on 'In' setting) is 180-230 on average but the numbers vary widely.
The important part is the 'Out' setting which should be at '0', a '1' is grudgingly acceptable but '0' is the goal.
IF you do not have one of those boxes on the RODI you can buy one to install...
Amazon.com: HM Digital DM-1 In-Line Dual TDS Monitor, 0-9990 ppm Range, +/- 2% Readout Accuracy: Home Improvement
Or you can just buy a handheld one that only measures the final output, which, as said, should be '0'...
HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester, 0-9990 ppm Measurement Range, 1 ppm Resolution, +/- 3% Readout Accuracy - Moisture Meters - Amazon.com

You are literally stripping everything out of the water - minerals, contaminants, small particles, fish, submarines, etc...

Then, you need mix the salt at approx 1/2c per gallon. I use coral Pro salt myself and love it.
Drop a powerhead in the bucket and allow it to mix for about 30 mins to 1 hour (RS mixes FAST, which is another reason I love it).
A heater in there is nice too, getting the water up to temp to match your tank.

When mixing complete, you need to test the salinity in SG (Specific Gravity).
For most saltwater tanks an SG of 1.025 to 1.026 is the norm.
To test SG you need a refractometer or a digital meter. This really needs to be done as well as a small amount of salt 'off' one way or the other, over time, can cause drastic consequences in the tank.
If you're adding water at 1.027, over and over, eventually you're going to increase past 1.030 and beyond, till the catastrophic occurs.
The gold standard is the Milwaukee MA887 (which also measure PPT), its a bit expensive but worth every cent, trust me on that...
Milwaukee MA887 Digital Salinity Refractometer with Automatic Temperature Compensation, Yellow LED, 0 to 50 PSU, +/-2 PSU Accuracy, 1 PSU Resolution: Science Lab Refractometers: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
OR you can go with a hand unit, which requires regular calibration (cheaper, not as accurate, and eventually you'll probably upgrade to the digital regardless)...
Amazon.com: Ade Advanced Optics Dual Scale 1.0 to 1.070 S.G. Salinity Refractometer for Aquarium & Seawater: Pet Supplies

When your at 1.026 and temp (btw, the Milwaukee also measure temp along with SG) is at 74+ just do your water change.
Viola.

Hope that helps a bit and hope I didn't sound condescending, just wanted to get all the points across.
 
myrjon

myrjon

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I got a Milwaukee a bit ago on ebay for 75 need to look. Plus was slightly used.
 
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