When you get your first marine or reef aquarium you might experience the same apprehension I had about mixing up the first batch of saltwater. Here’s a quick video that shows what the process looks like.
There are a few things missing from this video that you should also know. The first is that if you are creating this saltwater for a reef aquarium then you will need to use reverse osmosis (RO) water or distilled water from the local grocery store. Tap water contains copper and other elements that are harmful to delicate corals. If you have a fish only tank then it is safe to use treated tap water. Treat the tap water to remove the chlorine and let the water sit for a full 24 hours before introducing it to your tank.
Please use the comments below to let me know how I did. I’m curious to know if any of you have a better method for mixing saltwater or if I made any mistakes.
Make sure to leave an air stone in there if you are going to let it sit for a while.
That’s a good point! The Aeration helps to disperse the chlorine and stabilize the mixture.