How Long can the water sit?

Crabby Jim · 01-23-2008, 07:15 AM

I make my 20 gallons of water for my water changes ahead of time maybe a few days ahead of time is that Ok can the water sit once it it made? and if it can sit for how long? The water is in a Brute Can and is being circulated with 2 small pumps and being heated with a heater.

Otty · 01-23-2008, 07:19 AM

As long as you cover it, things will be ok. You don't want any air contaments getting in.

Hoverman · 01-23-2008, 07:39 AM

you dont really need to heat it until you are ready to use it, just keep it covered and circulating, then put your heater in a day or 2 in advance, i make my water a week in advance. and let it sit with powerhead in there, then drop the heater and airstone in there 2 days before i use it.

a1amap · 01-23-2008, 07:43 AM

I agree. If I heat the water too far in advance it makes my skimmer go nuts. Bacteria? I usually have it moving up to a week in advance then heat it the night before.
Al

Marlin65 · 01-23-2008, 08:01 AM

Almost forever if you store it in a cool dark place, and the bin you have it in does not leach anything into it.

reef_guru · 01-23-2008, 08:36 AM

water will go bad if put in a closed or covered container after mixing. there are elements in the air around it when the water was mixed that are also in the water. a circ pump is basically used to keep the O2 level up. there is no need to heat the water, the house will keep it close to what you need. you can put a pump in just before introducing it in your tank to raise the temp closer.

if i do water changes my new mix doesnt last 4 hours. the new water is stirred with a powerhead, once mixed, right in the tank.

DiamondBitsUSA · 01-23-2008, 08:46 AM

I never have understood the concept of water going "bad." I have two brute cans set up and have never had a problem. I use one for RO (with an airstone) and the other for salt (with a powerhead). It usually takes about 12-18 hours for the pH of freshly mixed saltwater to stabilize anyway so I try to keep both cans full and ready to go. I have been using this method for quite a while with no problems.

reef_guru · 01-23-2008, 10:04 AM

the water in a factory is made under sterile conditions to be sealed and stored for long periods of time. the water we use from the city or store through a ro/di system has been introduced with different elements. these elements change the water purity.

im not saying to leave the water on the shelf for weeks on end, and im not saying you have to put the water in the tank right away. there is a happy medium. if you open a coke and leave it on the counter and come back at a later time, its stale. milk in the frig goes bad. alot of items have a shelf life. why doesnt water in a controlled enviroment?