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View Full Version : Storing used saltwater

Gools
06/14/2007, 07:12 PM
I'm traveling long distance, and want to take a few gallons of water from my system to add to a new setup at my new destination, to speed the cycling. Is there any special way to store it? Is it even a good idea? I was just going to put it in a 4 gallon milk jug.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Saltcreep1
06/14/2007, 07:33 PM
not a bad idea.....but I would take a good amount of your substrate ( sand or crushed coral) and a dirty filter pad or two along with that water.

It would all fit in a bucket, and would probably jump start a system pretty well.

Water by itself....ehhh I dont see it helping that much.
Gools
06/14/2007, 07:52 PM
I will be taking some live sand, and rock as well. Just wanted to know if some of my water sat for a week or 2 if it would go bad?
virginiadiver69
06/14/2007, 08:07 PM
I would think that as long as you kept it at the proper temp and aerated to keep the bacteria alive it would work.
Bebo77
06/14/2007, 08:10 PM
it wont speed up anything... its the LR that needs to cycle. not the water
J. Montgomery
06/14/2007, 08:20 PM
Unless your transfering some of your livestock to the new tank, I wouldn't bother with the hassle. If you do decide to transfer the water, keep it aerated. Like Bebo said, a little bit of LR would do alot more than a few gallons of water.
xcreonx
06/14/2007, 08:22 PM
Agreed, just make new water when you get there and make sure to keep your live rock and sand aerated. that's what i did when i moved from FL to TX.
davidryder
06/14/2007, 08:34 PM
Most of the bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle live on the surface of something. Only a fraction of it is in the water itself.

The quality of the water shouldn't diminish in that time though...
Gools
06/17/2007, 07:54 PM
Ok Thanks. I think I'll just scrap the water idea. I will be shipping my corals to a new system. My wife will be taking some of my liverock on the plane (not carry on) So I'm hoping the 4hr trip with no water won't kill off to much bacteria, if I wrap it good in wet newspaper.

Any thoughts on that. She'll be setting up the live rock a month before the corals arrive there, so if I do get a small cycle it should be done by then. I hope!!
pledosophy
06/17/2007, 08:17 PM
IME that long without water will make the tank cycle again. Have your wife turn the heater all the way up if there is going to be no stock in the tank.