Water Changes

[Raydee]

I want to get a 30 gallon or so plastic trash can to store water in so that it will be easier to make water changes. What should I use to mix the salt in the can? Can I just throw the correct amount of salt in it and throw in a power head and let it mix the salt? If this works how long should I run the power head to mix the salt and should I turn it on daily to keep the salt mixed or will it be fine once it is mixed? How long can the water sit for without getting contaminated?

 

[gcvt]

I use a 30g plastic trash can, two powerheads and one heater. I place one powerhead on the bottom of the trash can and place the other near the water-line for good surface agitation. After adding the salt, I let it mix for at least 24 hours before using it for water changes and I leave the powerheads and heater running all the time. Sometimes I end up letting it mix for 5-7 days before using it and have never had any problems.

 

[ERRN7]

I have a hard plastic trash can on wheels that I use. I have a Mag 7 pump that I use to mix the water and also to pump the water from the trash can into the tank. I bring it in and set it beside the tank and fill it with R/O water and salt let it mix for a day or two and do the water change.

 

[OrionGirl]

Pretty much the same thing here--different container. One thing to take into account is that some water will evaporate off while it's sitting, so make sure you test with a hydrometer before using it for a change. You may need to add a bit of FW. Using a lid will help reduce the loss. One thing to keep in mind--we tried powerheads, and they didn't work very well. A larger powerhead was prone to getting sucked onto the sides, so we ended up using a spare Little Giant pump. You'll want to use a big enough powerhead to turn to entire container, or use one placed high and one placed low.

Keeping the contained in the dark will help discourage algae growth. Otherwise, get an opaque container--it really helps.