Mixing Salt in a 5 gallon

[AdamR0331]

Hello all , first time mixing my own salt using Red Sea blue Bucket and they say 68 degrees should be mixing temperature , I my house is only 75-76 degrees when I went to mix my first time I tested temperature and it was 82 degrees , Could the head be caused By the Pump Im using ???? Should I be using a Power head instead of a Water Pump? is that was is causing the extra heat or should I let the water sit in my house and cool down first ?

 

[Fish Fan]

82F is right about where I'd say that's too hot for most saltwater tanks.

If you have a pump in your bucket, yes, the heat from the pump running will heat the water.

I would mix the water at the same temperature as your tank, to minimize shock to the livestock during a water change, so somewhere around like 77F or so. If you're over temp, maybe try a smaller pump, or turn the pump off for little while before a water change to let the water cool down a bit.

As for the RedSea instructions, there may be a chemistry related reason they want you to mix it at a lower temp, but in the end you always want to try to match your tank's temp. I think most would just mix it, store it, and use it at whatever temp your tank runs. I don't think you'll have a problem

I hope that helps, good luck!

 

[AdamR0331]

82F is right about where I'd say that's too hot for most saltwater tanks.

If you have a pump in your bucket, yes, the heat from the pump running will heat the water.

I would mix the water at the same temperature as your tank, to minimize shock to the livestock during a water change, so somewhere around like 77F or so. If you're over temp, maybe try a smaller pump, or turn the pump off for little while before a water change to let the water cool down a bit.

As for the RedSea instructions, there may be a chemistry related reason they want you to mix it at a lower temp, but in the end you always want to try to match your tank's temp. I think most would just mix it, store it, and use it at whatever temp your tank runs. I don't think you'll have a problem

I hope that helps, good luck!

Yes Of course , id never throw 82° water into my tank which is 78 , but what i mentioned was how can I acheive mixing red sea salt at 68-70° without water getting hot from pump?

 

[AdamR0331]

Yes Of course , id never throw 82° water into my tank which is 78 , but what i mentioned was how can I acheive mixing red sea salt at 68-70° without water getting hot from pump?

And what is my water is already at like 74° just from natural room temp?

 

[Fish Fan]

Yes Of course , id never throw 82° water into my tank which is 78 , but what i mentioned was how can I acheive mixing red sea salt at 68-70° without water getting hot from pump?

I'm saying don't worry about the 68F-70F. I don't know if anyone does that. I would just mix it at 78F if that's what your tank is

 

[Uncle99]

You don’t need your water heated (more than your normal room conditions ) unless you are doing more than 20%, then maybe.

If the pumps doing that I’d either change it out or let the water return to normal room conditions, before mixing.

I’ve mixed Red Sea for a decade, never heated it, just right from RODI, I mix a day, I use it all the next. No special treatment.

 

[TX_REEF]

I don’t think you need pinpoint accurate water temp for salt mixing, I mix mine at room temp in a brute trash can with one of these pumps ( https://amzn.to/4eQYX0o ) and never have an issue. But yes, pumps, especially inefficient ones, can generate significant heat in a small container if operated for a long time.