Let’s see your saltwater mixing station!

[Reefer911]

I’m researching how to put together a saltwater mixing station and I’m looking for ideas. I do like the white vertical tanks and would do that if I can find them locally. But also understand blue plastic barrels would work too if clean. I’m thinking 40 gallons would be enough and I’d place the station in the basement and eventually want to pump water up one level where the DT is.

 

[JPM San Diego]

Here's mine. I have a waterbox peninsula tank between my dining room and living room. I put a Home Depot garden shed on the outside wall where I had power, water, and a drain. I drilled two 4-inch holes through the wall. On the top shelf is my chiller and my sump humidity fan. One hole through the wall is for the humidity fan duct, the other is for plumbing. I used two 55 gallon brute cans as I make an even 50 gallons at a time. My RODI in on the left wall. Left can is RODI water. Right can is salt water. Most of the plumbing is pretty standard: red handled ball valves allow me to pump RODI to the saltwater side, I can mix the saltwater, and I can pump salt water into my aquarium. Blue handled ball valve allow my wife to obtain RODI for her plants.

 

[FSP]

For 40 gallons in the basement, I'd just get a couple of 44 gal Brutes from HD and call it done. The fancy Norwesco/Ace containers can get really pricy for something out of sight, but they do look nice 55 gal poly drums are nice to have around too even if you aren't using them for water storage.

Depending how many feet up you're going, you may need something like a Panworld, and it'll really help if you can get the tanks up a few feet on a stand.

I also use a wireless controller to turn the pump (an old mag 9.5) on and off

 

[Reefer911]

Thanks for the responses so far. One thing I’d like clarification on is what it looks like pumping saltwater from the saltwater tank into the aquarium. Like at water change time are you pumping into the sump?

 

[FSP]

Usually the display, though sometimes the sump needs to be vacuumed out.

 

[Tcook]

This is mine. Still a work in progress. Still not sure if I'm going to run AWC lines and aquabus cable 60 feet through attic to the tank.

 

[exnisstech]

I just use brute garbage cans with float valves on them but my sump is in our unfinished basement so no need to be all neat and cool looking and water changes are done down there. One for fresh mixed salt water, one for removed salt water to keep on hand for emergencies and a smaller one for rodi. I do small daily water changes of 4 gallons so I just use a hose and a bucket, nothing fancy.

 

[JPM San Diego]

One thing I’d like clarification on is what it looks like pumping saltwater from the saltwater tank into the aquarium. Like at water change time are you pumping into the sump?

For water changes I pump from and back to my display tank. The greater volume makes it easier and I can be more precise with refilling back with the same amount I took out. I use "potable water" garden hoses that reach to my water station. I created attachments that hang on my tank. The left side is my outflow. I use a pump to speed up the process; I don't rely on siphoning. The right side is my refill line. I have ball valves to prevent water being siphoned without my intension.

 

[Reefer911]

Thanks for that clarification

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[ripcord]

Saltwater mixing station, Priceless!

 

[Tcook]

Saltwater mixing station, Priceless!

Love those waterbox vats. Is that the stand from Reef Breeders?

 

[fftfk]

I used these plans to build my mixing station and they worked great - https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/let’s-mix-it-up-designing-and-using-a-water-mixing-station.270585/page-30#post-9158152

 

[Reefer911]

Thanks, I did see that and it really helps to understand what I’ll need.

 

[fftfk]

Thanks, I did see that and it really helps to understand what I’ll need.

A couple of posts down there is a shopping list. I followed it and got all the parts needed in one purchase. Usually plumbing projects take 2-3 trips for me to get everything I need.

 

[Stang67]

Dt is directly above the sump. Wc are done by turning off return. Then I have a mini pump hooked into tubing that drains into the other side of basement where the washer machine drains. Drop in pump to diff chambers of sump and flip the switch to drain. Refil sump with water from white container using same pump that I use to mix the saltwater (white can) rodi is pimped over into blue can from other room where sanitary tub and washer is.

 

[Reefer911]

A couple of posts down there is a shopping list. I followed it and got all the parts needed in one purchase. Usually plumbing projects take 2-3 trips for me to get everything I need.

For sure! I enjoy plumbing work but hate all the back and forth!

 

[EricR]

I'm a bit space limited where my RODI unit and 32g Brute are in the garage so planning to forego the plumbing/pump between two bins and just put a valve on my RODI output to route to freshwater vs saltwater Brute cans (and just keep them separate).

Might end up regretting it but time will tell...

*following as I like all of the solutions presented here

 

[ReefDreamz]

 

[Reefer911]

How do you circulate salt water without pumping into the RODI vessel?