Gozer_1

Thought I'd see what everyone uses for their make up water buckets. What brand and wattage heater? What powerhead models? To air or not to air? How long do you run it in the bucket? What all do you mix in to the water?

Me, I use 5 gallon buckets with a crummy glass heater and a Maxijet 1200. The glass heater is about to go and is half the inspiration for this thread. I use SeaChem Reef Salt and add Reef Buffer once or twice a month with four changes per month. Oh, and I run it for about 12 hours in the bucket usually. Would like to do that longer but always end up with too much to do. Also started using an airstone last week, which promptly got broken so I'm back to no air. DOH! Sadly I aslo only have a complete setup for one bucket right now. So, I have to pull from the display to run the buckets.

Well back to my buckets and this weeks water change, the other half of my inspiration for this thread.

sgould

I use 5 gallon buckets too, with a 25 watt visi-therm stealth heater. I don't put a powerhead in the mix...just stir the bejesus out of it by hand (large wooden spoon actually) and let sit 18-24 hours. I change once per week using Instant Ocean salt. Which I am about to run out and buy another bag of...just realized I am out!

Oil_Fan

I'm lazy...I run to the good LFS and have them fill up a few 5 gallon jugs for me.

Gozer_1

I used to use a wooden spoon too. lol The powerhead is nice. Just plop it in and let it rip.

Note to self, don't add a half tanks dose to a single bucket. I was mixing water earlier today and put enoungh in to treat half the tank before I realized I had measured wrong. Can you say "pre-ci-pi-ta-tion"? I had to scrub a mineral coating off the heater, powerhead, and bucket. Not to mention a new bucket of water. DOH!

sgould

Sounds like something I'd do!