Uses for dirty tank water?

Shane1

Reefing newb
Does anybody re-use their water after water changes. I've been watering a planter full of Vincas with my dirty tank water for the last 4 months and the plants dont seem to mind at all (vincas are pretty hardcore though) . Granted my water changes are pretty minuscule compared to most here, just wondering if you all just dump it or......?
 
The salt will accumulate in the soil and eventually kill plants...

Im not sure what you could do with old saltwater, but i know several people that collect the waste RO water to water with or wash with
 
salt water? For plants?

Ah, they salted the ground as retribution during war times as it makes the earth unproductive.

I put mine down the drain that goes to the ocean.
 
Yea i never use my SW for anything. When I had a freshwater tank, I used to put the waist water from that into my plants (nitrates made them grow really well). But yea saltwater should just go down the drain. I thought about maybe trying to make something that would evaporate all of the water so that you could re-use the salt and then you would have fresh water as a biproduct. Never got around to it thought and figured it would probably be a bad idea andyways
 
I figure the plants get plenty of clean water from the irrigation system and other sources that the salt just gets diluted to unharmfull levels. I wouldn't want to try it with house plants for sure.
As far as the RO water i've just now started to think about how to catch the waste water and re-use it. My RO system is no where near an exterior wall so it complicates things a bit.
 
I used to use my old water to freshen my salt/mineral licks for deer. Warmed it up and used it to soak sore joints ( yeah I'm feelin my age ).
 
Well I looked into the R/O system deeper. The one I have installed is The Whirl Pool Wher25. I just did a test tonight and to get one glass of drinking water I'm wasting 7 glasses.of by-product water. So as of tomorrow it will be my pryority to put this waste water to a better use.
 
Yea i never use my SW for anything. When I had a freshwater tank, I used to put the waist water from that into my plants (nitrates made them grow really well). But yea saltwater should just go down the drain. I thought about maybe trying to make something that would evaporate all of the water so that you could re-use the salt and then you would have fresh water as a biproduct. Never got around to it thought and figured it would probably be a bad idea andyways

You shouldn't reuse the salt. All the stuff that has accumulated and made it necessary to do the water change will still be in the salt once all the water has evaporated. It would lack trace minerals also.
 
I would not reuse salt form old tank water. When the water evaporates all the other junk is left behind. So the old salt would contain NO3- and stuff.
 
ive found that old saltwater makes a great contact herbicide for weeds growing in sidewalk cracks may take a few treatments but will work
 
how about using it to "cure Live rock..as long as nitrates and phos/silicates arent too high??--anyone ever tried??
 
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