How long do you let salt water age before using it?

I've read that you should let newly mixed salt water "age" for a few days, anywhere from 2-5. I use reef crystals and it says on the bucket that it can be used only a few minuets after being mixed. How long, if any, do you all age their water before use?

 

I'm guilty of mixing it up, letting it stand for 10 minutes or so, and pouring it in. I've done that for years with no problems. (All this is assuming that the water temperatures aren't vastly different of course)

 

As long as you are not doing a major water change, the aging of the water(powerhead, pump and air stone etc.) is not necessary. As long as the salt is properly mixed, which now a days doesn't take much effort or time, with the small amount being added to the tank should not alter the water parameters that drastically. By this I am talking about 5-20% water changes of the total water volume of your tank.
I have never acknowledged any negative results to this scenario in all the years I have been doing this regimen.

 

I also do not age. 40 gallons of RO water in 5gal buckets. Mix them up. 20min later do a water change. Entire process takes about 45min.

 

Not for any reason other than convenience I tend to age my water
I perform a water change (40G)
I then refill my change bucket with RO
turn the heaters and pumps on.
Though out the week I add salt and turn on the air pump.
I make final adjustments and then perform the water change on the sunday
So I guess the water sits with salt in it for about a week but isn't to 1.026 until friday or saturday

J

 

i just let the mixture of water and marine salt sit over night in my mixing bucket (plastic rubbermaid garbage bucket) put in the heater. then the next day take out 10-20% water and dump in the new stuff

 

This topic comes up from time to time. I think the rationale behind the aging method was to give the aquarist time to tweak all the parameters so it matches the tank water as closely as possible. Nowadays, I think it's sufficient to fill a bucket or any other reservior filled with RO/DI water, add the salt and a powerhead and let it mix thoroughly. If you use a decent scale or dry measuring cup to measure the salt, with just a bit of experience, you should be dead-on every time. The afforementioned routine should take 5 minutes or so.

So long as your system has enough chaos to introduce O2 to the water, between the cascading from the tank to the sump, and the protein skimmer doing its thing; letting the water "age," in my opinion, is not necessary.

Of course, you've checked the pH, alkalinity, calcium, and salinity with a refractometer.

 

i too make my saltwater the night before i plan on putting it in the tank
but i buy my water in containers just cut a hole in the top drop a power head and my salt in and let it sit over night

 

Most times when I mix water is because i needed right away...lol
j/k but normally the water when first mixed with the salt turns murky, so i only give it enough time to clear back up

 

Water changes? Aging the water? What are these myths you speak of?

Honestly I seldom do water changes, maybe 2 a year, and it's been that way since I started. If anyone wants to argue the health of my livestock with this method, feel free to lookup some of my pictures.

As far as aging - never. I buy my RO from the LFS and so on the rare occasion that a water change happens, they get the RO Saltwater also from the LFS. Whether it's been aged there or not was never a question.