BRSTV Investigates - Auto Water Change (AWC) systems.

[DipSpit]

Really looking for to an in depth look at AWC systems and options - specifically what salt mix can be stored in a reservoir and the viability of the practice.

Is this still a slated thing?

 

[HolisticBear]

Specifically what salt mix can be stored in a reservoir and the viability of the practice.

There seem to be two separate issues with regard the salt mixes: a) does it actually go bad say due to organics expiring b) how much and at what rate does the salt change?

I mention B, because it seems the majority of people already use salt that doesn't exactly match their desired tank params for normal WC (Alk, Ca, etc). Some people adjust the new salt mix to better match their tank with supplements and others adjust their tank dosing regiments to account for the change. If it's the latter, using a AWC of a small amount seems to make it easier to handle those differences. The real question is how much the salt changes over time. A max Ca change of < 5% over 30 days doesn't seem like big deal when on day 30 you're replacing 1% of the water in your tank with salt that's less than 5% different than day 0.

The viability of AWC doesn't seem in question. Lots of people are having success with that. The less the salt changes, the easier keeping the tank balanced.

 

[DipSpit]

There seem to be two separate issues with regard the salt mixes: a) does it actually go bad say due to organics expiring b) how much and at what rate does the salt change?

I mention B, because it seems the majority of people already use salt that doesn't exactly match their desired tank params for normal WC (Alk, Ca, etc). Some people adjust the new salt mix to better match their tank with supplements and others adjust their tank dosing regiments to account for the change. If it's the latter, using a AWC of a small amount seems to make it easier to handle those differences. The real question is how much the salt changes over time. A max Ca change of < 5% over 30 days doesn't seem like big deal when on day 30 you're replacing 1% of the water in your tank with salt that's less than 5% different than day 0.

The viability of AWC doesn't seem in question. Lots of people are having success with that. The less the salt changes, the easier keeping the tank balanced.

Agreed on all fronts - I currently use an AWC utilizing regular old IO. It was interesting dialing in my dosing since the IO mixes out different than my tank parameters. I ended up with unequal Alk and Calc dosing since the Alk of fresh mix is higher than my DT and the Calc is lower.

I am afraid to add anything to the reservoir for fear of compromising the "stableness" of it and so far it is working well.

I do, however lack the means to test this with other salts...

...I do know this does not work with AF Probiotic of Reef. The salts rapidly degraded when sitting in the barrel.