Brew your own ocean: What do you use for a water mixing container?

[Peace River]

Brew your own ocean: What do you use for a water mixing container?

Whether you buy your saltwater pre-mixed, mix your saltwater in a 5-gallon bucket, use a brute trash can, or you have a fully automated mixing station that is connected to your RODI system and has a dedicated pump, controller, TDS meters, solenoids, water level sensors, leak detectors, auto-shutoff, and more, we all need to get our saltwater to 35 ppt or 1.026 specific gravity. How do you mix your saltwater? Do you have any tips about storing RO water or saltwater? Maybe you have tips about plumbing for saltwater mixing stations? Please share your approach to mixing saltwater in the discussion thread!

Mixing station including (2) 65g Norwesco tanks and more; photo by @Peace River

Wanting to make your own saltwater mixing station and looking for inspiration? Check out these Reef2Reef threads for picture and tips:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/let’s-mix-it-up-designing-and-using-a-water-mixing-station.270585/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/let’s-see-your-saltwater-mixing-station.948055/

 

[EricR]

For those that want a chuckle...

Too cheap/lazy to setup a mixing station when I installed my RODI unit so just using a storage tub for now:

 

[ScubaFish802]

I have 5 gallon buckets everywhere. Every once in a while I dream about something like this lol

35 Gallon Full Drain Biodiesel Tank / Wine Tank w/ Poly Stand | Tank Depot

The 35 Gallon Full Drain Inductor Tank w/ Poly Legs is 24"D x 49"H and weighs 15 lbs. Fast delivery, quality tanks at unbeatable prices!

www.tank-depot.com

 

[Rhino]

I will be using a brute can on a dolly. Can mix my saltwater in my laundry room, then roll it out and use my Sicce utility pump and python to pump it back in.

 

[Fish Styx]

I have a pretty beefy RO/DI system that can crank out 200+ gallons a day. My whole system is controlled via an Apex EB4 and Avast Marine Barrel Tender. Pretty standard valve for a mixing station. Flip one, pump water from fresh tank to mixing tank. Then close it and open another, and the dedicated Pan World pump mixes the SW tank. I use a temperature controller to keep temp at 78 degrees when mixing. A separate pump sends FW to an ATO reservoir upstairs which, in turn, handles topoff. It isn't pretty, but it works.

 

[Troylee]

Cheap and easy

 

[mfinn]

Brute has been my go to for about 30 years. Before that just any rubbermaid garbage can.
I did score a 65 gallon rainwater holding container a few years ago that comes in handy.

 

[Reefvision]

I will be using a brute can on a dolly. Can mix my saltwater in my laundry room, then roll it out and use my Sicce utility pump and python to pump it back in.

Same here

 

[DanATL]

I use a two Amazon Commercial 20gal garbage cans mounted on a Brute dolly. Use one for RO water and the other for salt mixing. I got them in white so I can better see crud build up. The dolly allows me to wheel the fresh salt water from the garage to the tank for water changes. I fill up to about 16 gals to avoid slashing all over the house.

 

[MPS]

The original plan was to have enough water to do 140gal water change if needed. This was going to support a 300-ish gal tank. Home economics have halted that upgrade. I’m still super happy with this setup for my 120gal display.
Mix pump turns on for a few hours every day which seems to help keep the saltwater’s elements stable. I added a particulate filter inline of the mix pump to help pull out impurities and that has made a huge difference in keeping sludge out of the bins.

 

[McPuff]

I've got a 65 gallon Norwesco for my RODI reservoir and a 35 horizontal norwesco for saltwater mixing. Really want to get a 100 gal for the RODI and then use the 65 for the saltwater mixing bin. Just can't figure out HOW to make it fit in my utility room just yet.

 

[Fugie]

Anyone have a good local source of polyethylene storage tank? I though Tractor Supply but didn't see anything. Is there a certain industry that uses these that there might be a specialty store I can physically go to instead of shipping?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I started with this unit (below) and placed it in storage anticipating move which is delayed so I set up another one (bottom pic) which is fully temperature controlled and circulating

Current:

 

[jricheson]

This is my mixing station. Purchased two 160 containers from Home Depot. Plumped them together. Use an extra vectra pump I had from my old tank to keep the saltwater circulating. The salt side also go through a 4” 5 micron filter to keep the residue out of the mixing side.

 

[mattdg]

I use a DIY saltwater mix station. Here is my full build video.

 

[Superd513]

I started with this unit (below) and placed it in storage anticipating move which is delayed so I set up another one (bottom pic) which is fully temperature controlled and circulating

View attachment 3057034

Current:

View attachment 3057036

Your not f$&$ing around!! That’s the most professional setup I’ve ever seen!

 

[Superd513]

This is my mixing station. Purchased two 160 containers from Home Depot. Plumped them together. Use an extra vectra pump I had from my old tank to keep the saltwater circulating. The salt side also go through a 4” 5 micron filter to keep the residue out of the mixing side.

That’s way above my skill level