Maritime mix master: Do you have a water mixing station?

[nano reef]

You can still sand vac, Removal of water can still be the same. This set up just allows to have storage of mixed saltwater on hand ready to go when you decide to do maintenance. You will also have a large supply of ro/di on hand to mix new saltwater, for top offs, or whatever else you may need it for. Basically, just storage.

In my old set up I did have my water station hooked directly to the sump so all I had to do was open a valve and drain a portion of the sump, close the valve, turn two valves on the mixing station to refill sump and a 20% water change was done in about 5-10 minutes. I would spend about an hour every two weeks syphoning stuff out of the tanks, but really with properly placed flow and different animals in the tanks very little stuff settled anywhere.

So where do you store all of it? Seems it would be unsightly next to a beautiful coral reef tank! You must have a lot of room next to the tank or is it hidden way in a closest or something next to the tank? I have a closet next to my tank and was considering making room for something like that untill the other day I had 1 week old mixed SW and found a ton of ammonia in it! I almost put it in my tank! I only checked it because I tested for amonia which I rarely do in my tank and got a high reading so I thought let me check this water because theres no way it could have amonia in it! I also have a hard time deciphering the api color change so I kind of wanted to see what an absolute 0 looked like! LOL. I have no Idea why that water would have amonia though! I even double checked it! Turned crazy green! Needless to say I washed all of my gear that I store in that bin to make sure! I keep my pump and my wave maker and my vacuum hose in there between water changes and I always use freshly mixed water but last change I had some xtra!
More info then you needed, right? LOL

 

[twentyleagues]

So where do you store all of it? Seems it would be unsightly next to a beautiful coral reef tank! You must have a lot of room next to the tank or is it hidden way in a closest or something next to the tank? I have a closet next to my tank and was considering making room for something like that untill the other day I had 1 week old mixed SW and found a ton of ammonia in it! I almost put it in my tank! I only checked it because I tested for amonia which I rarely do in my tank and got a high reading so I thought let me check this water because theres no way it could have amonia in it! I also have a hard time deciphering the api color change so I kind of wanted to see what an absolute 0 looked like! LOL. I have no Idea why that water would have amonia though! I even double checked it! Turned crazy green! Needless to say I washed all of my gear that I store in that bin to make sure! I keep my pump and my wave maker and my vacuum hose in there between water changes and I always use freshly mixed water but last change I had some xtra!
More info then you needed, right? LOL

Its in my basement. I have a Jebao 4000 that I use to mix the saltwater when I do a water change I just siphon out however much water I want and hook a hose to the pump and pump it to the tank.

In my old systems the 2 reef tanks were upstairs and the "sump" was in the basement. Part of the sump had a drain to the basement sump and I just opened a valve which drained about 50g system didnt even need to be shut off to drain that much. Then just close valve and go to water station turn 2 valves and wait until it hit my mark and close valve. I did have to shut the ato off but other then that it was easy. This one is a little more work but not bad.

I'm betting it is a false ammonia reading. Shouldnt be ammonia in your fresh salt at least not a lot. I have heard of some salt mixes having a bit in them. I think red sea was one? I could be wrong on that.

 

[Rappa]

Just finished my dream build and this was on my top 10 list of "Must Have's" for me. This is in my fish/equipment room.

 

[epage]

Had to figure out a minimal sort of mixing station to setup in my apartment. 10 gallon brute with some hand marked graduations, the lid and a cheap 500GPH SunSun wave pump. No heater cause ambient room temp is usually low 70s and I've found that while letting the water mix for a few hours the wave pump makes temp climb from 72 to 75-76

Trying to set up something minimal right now, does the 10 gal fit on the dolly? Or do you pick it up?

 

[Jeffcb]

 

[lil sumpin]

Trying to set up something minimal right now, does the 10 gal fit on the dolly? Or do you pick it up?

lift

 

[Jeffcb]

P.S. one important part of a mixing station is not to have to carry 5 gallon, 40 pound jugs of water inside to your aquarium.

Run a line trough the wall and through the attic. Have a float on your ATO reservoir and problem solved.

 

[epage]

P.S. one important part of a mixing station is not to have to carry 5 gallon, 40 pound jugs of water inside to your aquarium.

Run a line trough the wall and through the attic. Have a float on your ATO reservoir and problem solved.

Oh if only…. I live in an apartment

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Maritime mix master: Do you have a water mixing station?

Many reef keepers make the trip to the local fish store (LFS) to buy pre-mixed saltwater, or they use a series of buckets or other containers that get pulled out every time it is time to mix up salt. Another option that requires space and more upfront cost is to set up a water mixing station. There are variations, but this often involves an RODI unit, a container to hold RODI water, a container to hold saltwater, a pump to mix and move water, and the plumbing to connect it all together. Of course, other options such as additional valves, filters, and automation can be added to the water station. What about your system - do you have a water mixing station? We’d love to see pictures and feel free to share any tips or experiences with your water mixing station!

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


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It’s not done yet. Mine is a little different. I keep 100G of RODI on the other side of the wall. I mix (RC) my salt on the left. 12-24 hours just mixing. Then 12 hours though a 25 mic sediment filter. Then when I move the amount I want to the “display ready tank” it goes through a 1 mic filter before entering the display tank on the right. They both mix for 30 minutes every 4 hours. This process worked well when using brutes. I change 15-20% a week and RC can mix nasty. I don’t plan on washing bins but once a year. It also goes through another filter when it heads to my tanks.

I was water testing in this pic. I move about 50-75 gallons then bring it to temp when I do water changes. The chiller part will change down the road as I get my new tank online.

 

[Gundy]

It’s not done yet. Mine is a little different. I keep 100G of RODI on the other side of the wall. I mix (RC) my salt on the left. 12-24 hours just mixing. Then 12 hours though a 25 mic sediment filter. Then when I move the amount I want to the “display ready tank” it goes through a 1 mic filter before entering the display tank on the right. They both mix for 30 minutes every 4 hours. This process worked well when using brutes. I change 15-20% a week and RC can mix nasty. I don’t plan on washing bins but once a year. It also goes through another filter when it heads to my tanks.

I was water testing in this pic. I move about 50-75 gallons then bring it to temp when I do water changes. The chiller part will change down the road as I get my new tank online.

So how do you pump the salt water through the sediment filter? Also, what is the benefit of the sediment filter? Do you see a lot of debris in the filter?

 

[n2585722]

So how do you pump the salt water through the sediment filter? Also, what is the benefit of the sediment filter? Do you see a lot of debris in the filter?

I think is because they are using Reef Crystals. I use Reef Crystals also but I do not filter it. I do have a separate mixing tank form the fresh saltwater reservoir. So once the fresh saltwater reservoir goes low then the contents of the mix tank is pumped to the fresh saltwater reservoir and the mix tank is refilled with RODI. It takes about 4 weeks to go through a full fresh saltwater reservoir and the salt mix has been in the mix tank for at least a couple of weeks so it is never freshly made by the time it is put in the tank.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

So how do you pump the salt water through the sediment filter? Also, what is the benefit of the sediment filter? Do you see a lot of debris in the filter?

So on the left tank, you can see the gold pump. That's a Reeflo hybrid. I put the 4K GPH pump end on it (it doesn't come with it, you have to request it, they send it to you no charge when you give them the serial number). That pump runs through 1.5 inch pipe and dumps it up top. The blue 4.5x10 inch filter houses the 25 micron filter after I toss 2 valves, this is plumbed with 1" pipe. Yes, I see lots. But, my guess is that 1 year from now when I take this apart to clean both tanks, the tank on the left will look like crap and will be noticeable from the outside (perhaps as quickly as 2-3 months). My guess is the one on the right shouldn't be that bad at all, It has to get through a 1 micron filter, which, after several mixes builds up with junk that doesn't get through the 25, thus actually catching fines less than 1 micron. The clear 4.5x10" is the 1 micron that is used to fill the tank on the right. The dark one on the ground is another 1 micron (I am looking for <1 micron in this size) that will be used for the display.