The right way to mix water and salt?

[plancton]

I never stir my water salt mix well, I haven´t seen any issues either. I used red sea salt and then switched to seachem and haven´t seen any differences, all I do is mix the right ratio of salt in a 5 gallon water plastic bottle(the ones you normally buy for home consumption) I used RO water and mix the right ratio of salt put the cover on and shake the bottle and leave it there for 2 days before using it, then shake it again right before pouring the saltwater into my sump.

I mean, are there any issues because of this?, I´ve seen most people use big plastic containers put the mix and use a powerhead to mix the whole thing. What´s the difference by not doing this?

[AquaReeferMan]

Keeping a powerhead in with the water helps keep the ph stable. I keep mine in a large container because I change out 40g at a time.

[nikkipigtails]

I do mine 5 gal at a time (only because I don't have anything larger to mix it in). I drop in a PH and a heater and let it go for a day then I adjust calc/alk/mag and add it in.

[eyesinthedrk]

undisolved salt crystals can burn softer inverts

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Your process may not be allowing much aeration, so if your salt mix mixes to an unusually high or low pH, but may be quite different than the tank pH. Also, depending on the O2 in the source water you are using, it may be deficient in O2.

Typically it is better to add the salt to the water rather than the water to the salt to reduce the time when the salt is present in a big excess, which may lead to calcium carbonate precipitation if it lasts long enough.

[sanababit]

I just pour water in 5 gallon bucket, pour salt in, mix well, then add..... i only add iodine, thats it, no alk, cal, Ph, mag, i dont even heat the water, my tank is 90% sps and to this day nothing has died from a water change......

sana

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, I do not heat either, or aerate the water because I do only 1% water changes slowly each day, so there is no need. But if folks use larger amounts at once, there is more concern. :)