First Water Change

[Banana Man]

So i'm just working on my first water change. Reading the instructions on the salt it says to mix the water and salt vigorously (without aeration) for 0.5 - 2 hours. I was planning on using an air stone but now i dont know what to do after reading about the aeration. What do people use for the mixing?

Thanks

 

[d2mini]

Use a cheap powerhead like a maxijet. And you might want to use a heater too so the temp isn't far off from your display tank.

 

[Treezer8]

I have a 40gal trash bin on wheels, my RODI unit drops the RO water in there, then when it hits the mark it stops, then I put a bilge pump in. Its like a pump that brings water in one end, and pushes it out another. Add salt, and mix until I get around .024-.025 salinity, then add a hose to the bilge pump, and pump the water into my tank

 

[FishyReef]

I mix mine in 5g buckets and stir it manually and then let it sit for a day or more before using. Ideally if I had enough powerheads I'd put a powerhead in the bucket for 3 hours and then still let it sit a day before using it. Freshly mixed saltwater can be pretty caustic for your fish and corals. Even if you only mix it for 0.5-2 hours I'd still recommend letting it sit overnight before adding it to your tank. What kind of salt mix are you using?

 

[Banana Man]

I'm using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. Seems to be for fast Coral growth. 12.2 KH, 450 Calcium and 1340 Mg.

So after i use a powerhead for 2-3 hours should i then add the air stone and leave it for a day or just leave with without the air stone?

 

[d2mini]

you dont need the air stone.