High Heat & Precipitation

[ReefHunter006]

I usually stick bags of water in my sous vide machine and set it to 165 degrees to “pasteurise” for my phyto cultures. I recently got some high alk/cal salt for free and tried using it today but after the water bath the bags were cloudy like they had precipitated.

Maybe I heated them up before they were fully dissolved?

Either way, do you think these are safe to use for my phyto. If it is precipitation, I assume it poses no harm to pods/phyto/my tank when added. Is it possible the heat made any dangerous compunds?

Solutions to limiting percip in the future?

 

[Fish Fan]

I tend to stick to things like steak and chicken in my Sous Vide baths

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Calcium carbonate is less soluble as the temperature rises. I expect you precipitated out some calcium and alk and likely some other elements, but it’s probably ok for phyto.

You can check the alk of the clear settled water to gauge the extent of loss.

 

[ReefHunter006]

Calcium carbonate is less soluble as the temperature rises. I expect you precipitated out some calcium and alk and likely some other elements, but it’s probably ok for phyto.

You can check the alk of the clear settled water to gauge the extent of loss.

Wouldn’t that happen with boiling as well? Is there a method for sterilisation that avoids this?

 

[Garf]

Is there a method for sterilisation that avoids this?

Bleach works, followed by nuetralisation, apparently.

 

[ReefHunter006]

Bleach works, followed by nuetralisation, apparently.

I’m just worried about getting it wrong. Bleach and my reef tank make me uneasy.

 

[Garf]

I’m just worried about getting it wrong. Bleach and my reef tank make me uneasy.

Id be tempted to lower the pH with a DIY CO2 generator before boiling as i expect the pH would rise due to the heat. But i have done some odd things in the past, lol. Id certainly dabble with CO2 whilst growing the culture if I thought phyto was worth the hassle.

 

[ReefHunter006]

It might not be a problem once I go back to normal salt. I am going to split my rhodomonas today with a new batch that has been heated to 130 degrees for 40 minutes and see how the percip looks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wouldn’t that happen with boiling as well? Is there a method for sterilisation that avoids this?

It would be worse with boiling