Brackish water mixing

Tain't fresh, and tain't marine! Talk about brackish setups.
Locked
User avatar
Dadof4
Tech Team
Posts: 2862
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:50 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
Location (country): United States
Location: North Wisconsin

Brackish water mixing

Post by Dadof4 »

One of the most popular questions we get is, "How do I make my water brackish?" So here is the way that I mix water, what you will need, and the formula I use to figure out what SG water to add to get your desired result.

First things first, remember, only raise your SG by .002 or less per week, even on the first increase, or you will kill your bio filter that you just worked so hard to establish.

I'll start from scratch, like you you know nothing about brackish water, and describe the process:

Things you'll need:
1) Container at least 3/4 size the total volume of your aquarium.
2) Marine salt
3) Water
4) A measuring cup, plastic or glass preferably (metal corrodes)
5) Hydrometer or Refractometer (refractometer is more expensive but well worth it)
6) Heater
7) Power head of some sort

How to:
1) Fill the container with water equaling 50% of your tank volume
2) Slowly add salt, you have to experiment with how much to add. Each salt manufacturer is different and even then, there is a difference between batches from the same manufacturer.
3) Add heater. Make sure it is one that can be submerged (don't ask how I found this out because I won't tell!)
4) Submerge power head and turn it on (again, read end note of number 3)
5) Make sure all the salt is dissolved in the container. If you see some sitting on the bottom, give it a good stir and check back in a while.
6) Once you do not see any salt in standing on the bottom of the container, let the water mix for a few hours.
7) Check SG and adjust accordingly.
Let the water mix over night to make sure all the salt has dissolved.
9) Do a 50% water change. Replace what you took out with what you mixed and viola' brackish water!

The trick is to not raise things more than .002 per week. So, based on a 50% water change, the SG of the first batch of water you mix should be 1.004. Now the question is what is the next one and how do you figure it out? I use the formula:

(a+b)/2=c.
a= your current SG
b= what you need your next mix to be
c= your target SG

So if your tank is at 1.002 and you want to raise to 1.004 the equation should look like this: (1.002+b)/2=1.004
I'll let you do the math.....
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
User avatar
LilGreenPuffer
Former Staff Member
Posts: 5301
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:26 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Dwarf puffer - Thumbelina (only mine in my heart now; she lives in CT with my friend)

RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond.
Location (country): United States
Location: Kentucky

Re: Brackish water mixing

Post by LilGreenPuffer »

You have copy-pasted this so many times - I was wondering when you'd do this. How's the article going?
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."

Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi


Image

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!

I AM A DUDETTE!

NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
herplover22
Puffer Fry
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:30 am

Re: Brackish water mixing

Post by herplover22 »

oh dear i am aweful with math lol

so i have a 30g that is a very well establiched fw tank that i will be converting to bw

right now it is at 1.000 sg so for my first change i will mix it like you said and make the sg 1.004? 15g of water and it will raise my sg to 1.002 right?

but what next? i dont remember math lol

so with the formula (1.002+b)/2=1.004
b would = 1.006?

did i do that right? lol like i said i havent taken that kind of math in a while and dont remember if i did it right lol

i feel dumb now lol

thanks
User avatar
Dadof4
Tech Team
Posts: 2862
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:50 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
Location (country): United States
Location: North Wisconsin

Re: Brackish water mixing

Post by Dadof4 »

That is correct.
(1.002+B)/2=1.004
Multiply by two: (2)(1.002+B)/2=(2)1.004
The two's cancel out leaving you: 1.002+B=2.008
Subtract 1.002 to get B alone: 1.002-1.002+B=2.008-1.002
Answer: B=1.006
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
herplover22
Puffer Fry
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:30 am

Re: Brackish water mixing

Post by herplover22 »

ok yay i remember lol

so many formulas that i get them confused sometimes

thanks
User avatar
Dadof4
Tech Team
Posts: 2862
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:50 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
Location (country): United States
Location: North Wisconsin

Brackish Water Mixing Part 2

Post by Dadof4 »

So, on the last post on mixing brackish water I laid out some math. I got a few questions on the math so I decided to solve it for all the salt mixes, based on 50% water changes, to raise the SG of a tank by .002. It didn't want to format correctly here and I just want to get it posted so bear with me until I get the formatting right (make it look better).
Start: Add: Desired Result:
1.000+ 1.004= 1.002
1.002+ 1.006= 1.004
1.004+ 1.008= 1.006
1.006+ 1.010= 1.008
1.008+ 1.012= 1.010
1.010+ 1.014= 1.012
1.012+ 1.016= 1.014
1.014+ 1.018= 1.016
1.016+ 1.020= 1.018
1.018+ 1.022= 1.020
1.020+ 1.024= 1.022
1.022+ 1.026= 1.024
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
User avatar
Chillyfish
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 84
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:39 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 2 gsp,Florance+Russel brackish tank,
planted community tank with co2 injection
small snail breedin tank
Location (country): South west, united kingdom

Re: Brackish water mixing

Post by Chillyfish »

Hi, I was just wounderin do u have 2 leave the water so long +heat it if u use a refractor??
I mix the desired amount of salt in a bucket, make sure it's all disolved then test with a hydrometer if ok put in tank? All with in half hour ish. I no if the readins the same at least the salinity is also. When I check the tank the next day I get the same readin, 1.010.
Do I realy need to warm the water of wait so long??
I think the fish would just see addin colder water 2 the tank as like a river flowin in or storm water etc, makin it more natural.
If I do it this way should I use a refracor instead (as the temp won't matter then)
or should I leave buckets of water around my small home lol
thanks
get lost in the music........ride wid it!
User avatar
Dadof4
Tech Team
Posts: 2862
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:50 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
Location (country): United States
Location: North Wisconsin

Re: Brackish water mixing

Post by Dadof4 »

It's not 100% due to temperature but to the throughness of the dissolved minerals and your SG can rise and fall over a few hours. If you are using rising the SG by .002 you have to make sure you aren't over and the best way is to let it sit. I do use a refractometer and, honestly, I don't really use a heater that often, just over the winter.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
User avatar
Dadof4
Tech Team
Posts: 2862
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:50 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
Location (country): United States
Location: North Wisconsin

Re: Brackish Water Mixing Part 2

Post by Dadof4 »

Ok, I split this out because I don't want the guide to get lost in conversation. So many people ask about what SG + what SG= what SG I want to keep this alone.

I moved the conversations to Mixing part 3.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
Locked