Which is better?

[DUCADOS]

Like to know how many using sea water n how many doing salt mix for water change.

1)is there any diff?

2)which is better?

3)how many % or litre each time u change?

[ayane]

I think different people have their own preferences. For me, i will mix the salt using a powerhead in a used salt bucket for about a day with the addition of prime conditioner. Distilled water used.

For using seawater form lfs,i think the advantage is that the water has undergo RO. Most likely, the water will have 0 or close to 0 nitrates. I believe tap water will have a small amount. More convenient. Cheaper?maybe

Usually,i will change 20% of the aquarium water once a month or 10% every 2 weeks if i have time.

[LaW]

saltmix with tapwater pretreated with anti Cl

anytime.

20% atleast for changing.

salt mix normally have better parameters.

[jackywongto]

My thoughts are saltmix are more predictable.

You are using the same salt and same DI water.

So once you have measured the water once, each time you reproduce the water, the elements in the salt mix are more or less at the same concentration.

When you are using NSW, I kinda feel that the parameters are more unpredictable.

I bought NSW with nitrate of 20 ppm once. Another test later in another batch of NSW bought, it was near to zero.

For peace of mind, I am travelling further to get salt mix water (while waiting for Peter's resin and cartridge! - hint hint....!)

each time about 10 - 20 litres.

I think quite a number of people perceived that NSW has more bacteria count in them which could be true.

But I am using prodibio bioclean so bacteria count is not that critical for me.

Having said all the above, I think it is very much up to individual preference.

[DUCADOS]

U guys mean mix salt with tap water then transfer into tank directly ah? Can Meh?

I have a water drum of 200l of tap water which I keep for a month or 2.I use that to mix salt n pour into tank for water change.

Is my job too extra?(izzit actually dun need wan)

[teebs]

U guys mean mix salt with tap water then transfer into tank directly ah? Can Meh?

I have a water drum of 200l of tap water which I keep for a month or 2.I use that to mix salt n pour into tank for water change.

Is my job too extra?(izzit actually dun need wan)

Normally we will use DI water or De-Ionized water which is very pure water to mix our own salt mix.

I do not really see the necessity of storing tap water for 1-2 months before using it to mix your salt mix. Typically, you will only need to aerate your salt mix for 24 hrs before using it for your water changes.

[DUCADOS]

So u mean aging the water is not necessary la? Btw where to get this DI water?

[LaW]

So u mean aging the water is not necessary la? Btw where to get this DI water?

water filtered by DI resin filter are called DI water. or you can get those large office dispenser. about 19liters per pail. those kind are normally RO or distilled.

either one will be okay, if not just use tap water with anti cholrine added and you will be good to go.

[teebs]

water filtered by DI resin filter are called DI water. or you can get those large office dispenser. about 19liters per pail. those kind are normally RO or distilled.

either one will be okay, if not just use tap water with anti cholrine added and you will be good to go.

Just a note. Our PUB water is actually treated with chloramine, not chlorine, so using anti chlorine does not help much in removing the chlorine in the tap water. You will have to use an anti chloramine agent in this case.

Another way is to get distilled water from NTUC in 1.5L bottles or a DI filter such as the Crystal Pro 3 stage DI unit or a RO system which people do not like to use due to the large amount of waste water produced.

[DUCADOS]

Chim... Think I use tap water then add the chlorine thing to get rid will do since it's safe to use...

[LaW]

Just a note. Our PUB water is actually treated with chloramine, not chlorine, so using anti chlorine does not help much in removing the chlorine in the tap water. You will have to use an anti chloramine agent in this case.

Another way is to get distilled water from NTUC in 1.5L bottles or a DI filter such as the Crystal Pro 3 stage DI unit or a RO system which people do not like to use due to the large amount of waste water produced.

pardon me. i wasnt specific enough.

its anti -chloramine + -chlorine + -heavy metal

[DUCADOS]

Ya. Not very vivid leh. Haha.

Simple la. Can just share with me wats the product to add into our tap water will do?

[LaW]

C328 - They have many brand but i bought API's from them. http://aquariumpharm.com/products/Product.aspx?ProductID=46

RD - Caribsea D-Chlor-It http://www.reefdepot.com.sg/AddProduct.asp?ProdID=1260

[LaW]

C328 - They have many brand but i bought API's from them. http://aquariumpharm.com/products/Product.aspx?ProductID=46

RD - Caribsea D-Chlor-It http://www.reefdepot.com.sg/AddProduct.asp?ProdID=1260

just checked, our water contain both chloramines with chlorine. not just chloramines alone. chlorine and chloramines cannot run away from one another from what i learnt. for our water, chloramines are <2ppmm, chlorine is much higher at range from 5-100ppm.

our water are treated with both chlorine with ammonia to form chloramines, most likely with ammonia at small amount to add to main source with higher chlorine.

chlorine can be leave out to stand for 24 hours to get evaporated but chloramines would still stay behind in water. 0.2ppm of chloramines is lethal enough. so do doze as accordingly to remove it.

most brands do the same job. just read the label to be sure.

all the best and i hope i am vivid enough .

[DUCADOS]

Steady... N thanks for your helpful info.

[Milch_Tan]

Hi bro/sis,

was wondering if any 1 here uses natural seawater from beaches (ie. ECP/Punggol/Changi etc), any problems with using them? such as parasites suspended in water when we draw them into the jerry cans?

[DUCADOS]

FYI,sea water from those places u mention is not as salty as what we use for our hobby hence we still need top up salt. As for cleaniness,so long no dirt or rubbish that can be seen by our naked eye should be fine. Anything microscopic should be able to skim via skimmer.

And I was told to get sea water that has the same salinity or put it this way directly can be use for our reef tank wan will be somewhere at harbour front. But required hose or pipe to go deep down 20m to retrieve it. It required some kind of licence to do so.

[DUCADOS]

Btw forget to add,1 of them who got the licence to do so is Reborn. The other 1 unknown.

[Milch_Tan]

Hi Ducados, icic.. thanks for the reply. learnt something.

[FuEl]

No salts are able to fully replicate NSW. In that sense, NSW is best. However, it is only if the NSW is treated properly before usage. You need to filter out all the sediment and preferably sterilize it before use. A common practice to sterilize NSW is to use regular bleach.

http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=132&t=1313&hilit=dechlor+ratios&start=25

Besides bleach, other options include UV sterilization and ozone.

[Milch_Tan]

hi fuel, thanks for the link, would try to visit various beaches and do some parameter testing too,

btw, if we are to use UV light to sterilize the NSW, how long should the expose period be for say ie. 9W, and also the ideal flow rate ? but in the process would we also eliminate any helpful bacterias? sorry for the many questions.

[DUCADOS]

Conclusion. For me I feel that salt water mix is much more efficient n $ saving coz after calculating base on average salt mix sold in lfs it's about $1.25 for 10litres.

Sea water is about $1.00 for 5litres. Any places sell cheaper I not sure.

[Kian Wee]

Conclusion. For me I feel that salt water mix is much more efficient n $ saving coz after calculating base on average salt mix sold in lfs it's about $1.25 for 10litres.

Sea water is about $1.00 for 5litres. Any places sell cheaper I not sure.

Iwarna: 13 litres for $1.

CF: 10 litres for $1.07

Both are filtered NSW.

Matter of opinion which is best.

[DUCADOS]

Steady... Good share by oddball. Didn't know there's such cheap sea water selling out there.

Anyway 1 more point to add. Storage wise I do feel that salt mix in pack is more easy to keep than pails or drums of water.

Easy to be transport as well