How long can we keep mixed SW?

[sunsetSPS]

I'm thinking of mixing once and save for future water change, but wonder does the pre-mixed SW go bad over time?

[oldsaltman]

I currently mix about 30g in a brute container and it sits for about 30 days. I change out one gallon every day and then refill the brute. Been doing that for several years.

[reefscape15]

Keep it to temp and circulating and you can keep it for longer than you would ever need to

[NanoReefWanabe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14542823#post14542823 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefscape15
Keep it to temp and circulating and you can keep it for longer than you would ever need to

i dont think you need to do either of those....my 5g drinking water jugs sit on my floor for weeks sometimes longer, who knows how long they sat at the store too...

once it is mixed i cant see anything coming out of solution, just keep the container closed and you will be fine, maybe bring what you need up to temp with a pump...

that is what i do...my 5g mixing in a bucket is up to temp and as mixed as it can get with a mag9 for about an hour or so....

[ambaratur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14543181#post14543181 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoReefWanabe
... once it is mixed i cant see anything coming out of solution, just keep the container closed and you will be fine, maybe bring what you need up to temp with a pump...


I have had several experiences where the mixed saltwater cools it does loose something from solution and coats the whole inside of the container and pumps. I am guessing it is calcium because it is white, but I did not test it.

This is likely because my mixing station is not in a heated part of our house - my point is just that it is possible to loose some things from solution in some cases.

In any case, I have had to discard that water and start again. This has only happened in the winter time though.

[oldsaltman]

Mine sets in a heated house, but I don't add any heat to the brute that holds it. I also don't add any aeration or circulation to the holding tank. Mine has set for well over a month.

[coralfragger101]

I generally have about 50 gal of mixed water at any given time.

One of the reasons for this is in case of emergency and I need to do an immediate large water change in one of my tanks.

To ensure that the water is fully oxygenated and close to the correct temp at all times, my water circulates with a pump and airstone. No heater is needed in my case as the heat from the pump itself heats the water to the desired temp.

I wouldn't want to do a large water change with oxygen deficient water.

Can oxygen deplete from standing water? I don't know. In a sterile environment my guess is that it wouldn't but then again, how many people store their water in sterile environments?

[One Dumm Hikk]

CO2 is a bigger issue than O2 is.

[xJake]

I suppose it depends on how it's stored.

If it is stored in a sealed, or virtually-sealed environment that is relatively sterile, then it could be perfectly good for years.

If it is stored in an open container, in a place with variable/extreme temperatures, or in a less than ideal location then you may run into issues. Then again, this holds true with almost anything.

We use HDPE vats at the Marine lab that have fairly tight-sealing lids. Sometimes the water sits for months at a time after it's mixed, yet it's still perfectly fine for use.

[02WRXGT30R]

One bit advice though if you are going to use any used equipment then I would advice cleaning it very well with a bleech/water solution!

I mixed my first 5gal. water change batch in a old fish tank that i cleaned with RODI water then filled and added a heater and airstone two days later it smelled bad and ammonia levels were sky high :eek:

[NanoReefWanabe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14548549#post14548549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 02WRXGT30R
One bit advice though if you are going to use any used equipment then I would advice cleaning it very well with a bleech/water solution!

I mixed my first 5gal. water change batch in a old fish tank that i cleaned with RODI water then filled and added a heater and airstone two days later it smelled bad and ammonia levels were sky high :eek:

that why you should use a new 5g pail....or the sizes keep going up with the BRUTE containers...

at the very least i use a 50/50, H2O to vinegar solution for most cleaning purposes fish tank related...i also have a source for ridiculously concentrated acetic acid if need be as well...mix my own %/volume