Just thought I'd share a tip on making water changes a bit easier.
I'll be doing the example for a 5 gallon bucket as that is the size container I make water in, but can be sized for any container. Additionally, the parameters I use for my tank, might not be the same for yours
When I get a new bucket / batch of salt mix, I fill up a 5 gallon bucket with RODI water, drop in a heater, and bring it up to tank water temp. I then start adding salt, letting each amount fully dissolve, and measure how much I add, until the bucket is at 1.026 salinity.
I then measure every parameter that I add additives for (calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, potassium).
Then use the online reef chemistry calculator (http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html) to figure out how much additive of each supplement is needed to be added to my 5 gallon bucket to bring all the levels where I want them to be.
At this point, you should have for this batch of salt, how much salt you need, and how much of each additive is needed to make the levels in the bucket where you want them.
Here's the tip...
Make up zip-lock baggies with the salt and all the additives in them.
Need to make up a bucket? Fill with water, empty the zip-lock baggie into the bucket, done
I'll be doing the example for a 5 gallon bucket as that is the size container I make water in, but can be sized for any container. Additionally, the parameters I use for my tank, might not be the same for yours
When I get a new bucket / batch of salt mix, I fill up a 5 gallon bucket with RODI water, drop in a heater, and bring it up to tank water temp. I then start adding salt, letting each amount fully dissolve, and measure how much I add, until the bucket is at 1.026 salinity.
I then measure every parameter that I add additives for (calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, potassium).
Then use the online reef chemistry calculator (http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html) to figure out how much additive of each supplement is needed to be added to my 5 gallon bucket to bring all the levels where I want them to be.
At this point, you should have for this batch of salt, how much salt you need, and how much of each additive is needed to make the levels in the bucket where you want them.
Here's the tip...
Make up zip-lock baggies with the salt and all the additives in them.
Need to make up a bucket? Fill with water, empty the zip-lock baggie into the bucket, done