Red Sea, Sea Salt SPS dominant question?

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

I have mixed my RedSea Salt with R/O water to 1.026 ppm it is on 3rd day. The aquarium is 30 gallons sealed and zero livestock, lids and all equipment are running. How long before the water becomes crystal clear like my adjacent tank that is 3 months up and super crystal clear? I can see that there is a slight haze of cloudy in there, I am running RedSea carbon. Just curious since I have never used this type of salt and have heard that it has a lot of calcium carbonate that sticks to equipment and glass/acrylic but not to worry it is harmless to corals/fish etc.

 

[MnFish1]

I have mixed my RedSea Salt with R/O water to 1.026 ppm it is on 3rd day. The aquarium is 30 gallons sealed and zero livestock, lids and all equipment are running. How long before the water becomes crystal clear like my adjacent tank that is 3 months up and super crystal clear? I can see that there is a slight haze of cloudy in there, I am running RedSea carbon. Just curious since I have never used this type of salt and have heard that it has a lot of calcium carbonate that sticks to equipment and glass/acrylic but not to worry it is harmless to corals/fish etc.

Did you mix the salt according to the instructions? Could it be poorly rinsed sand? What are your alkalinity and Ca (and Mg levels)? Mg helps Ca and PO4 from precipitating. One thing that can help is a DIY 'filter floss' filter - which will remove small particulates - using a power head, a pop bottle and filter floss. I believe Coral snow can also help. Hope this helps.

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Did you mix the salt according to the instructions? Could it be poorly rinsed sand? What are your alkalinity and Ca (and Mg levels)? Mg helps Ca and PO4 from precipitating. One thing that can help is a DIY 'filter floss' filter - which will remove small particulates - using a power head, a pop bottle and filter floss. I believe Coral snow can also help. Hope this helps.

The reason I posted is because there is ZERO sand! Nothing but brand new equipment running Glacier R/O water from machine, and then I added 10 cups of salt that gave me 1.026 ppm. I have used salts before, all different sorts and this one dissolved nicely and quickly with my Nero5 in there blowing a sandstorm. But, just wondering if it takes longer for water to become that crystal clear we all love?

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

I use red sea salt and have never experienced that. Was the salt completely dissolved before you added to the tank?

 

[MnFish1]

The reason I posted is because there is ZERO sand! Nothing but brand new equipment running Glacier R/O water from machine, and then I added 10 cups of salt that gave me 1.026 ppm. I have used salts before, all different sorts and this one dissolved nicely and quickly with my Nero5 in there blowing a sandstorm. But, just wondering if it takes longer for water to become that crystal clear we all love?

IMHO - different salts mix differently. For example - my salt requires at least overnight mixing to dissolve. Others seem to have a certain sediment (ie. precipitation) - that settles at the bottom of the bucket or mixing container, and then people use only the clear 'supernatant'. It SOUNDS like this relates to precipitation of some sort. I would double check the specific gravity using a second method (just to make sure) - and if its correct, use a filter of some sort to remove the precipitate. Again - measurements of Ca, Alkalinity and MG are also helpful in helping to decide whats going on - in case your particular batch of salt had something 'off'

EDIT - its unclear what you did - but its usually best to mix the salt in a separate container. But if you did it in a brand new tank - I can see why you did it.

 

[MnFish1]

Here is a nice video - with complete instructions on how to avoid precipitation with Red Sea Salt. I guess I would start with this video - making sure you followed it completely. For example - making sure the temp of the water is <68 degrees. Add the salt to the water, not the reverse, mix for less than 2 hours with no air stones, etc, then heat to the temp of your tank - avoiding fluctuations etc etc etc. Hope this helps.
red sea sps dominant mixing instructions

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

I use red sea salt and have never experienced that. Was the salt completely dissolved before you added to the tank?

Nope! Let me explain. I filled up approximately 25 gallons of R/O water from the Glacier machine in Publix. Came back home and added it to my system, which is going to be a temperate aquarium 55F degrees.

So, after running the water for a couple days, to make sure, my PVC piping is leak free, I turned on all pumps, lights without the Chiller, to see what I would get in temps, I got 90F degrees.

Okay, then I call my LFS to get instructions on Red Sea salt, bring down to 68F degrees and then mix it. So, I bring down to 68F degrees then I add 10 cups of this salt. It mixes nicely and I have a nero5 blasting it in the display. I run it at 68F degrees 1 full night, and just a little pieces of salt grains remain swirling in the center.

Let the temp rise back to 78F degrees so, I am not worried about bringing it down to 55F yet. Lights are not being used, since the tank just sterile waiting for my shipment to arrived from California.

But, the haze I can literally see it from the side of the tank, it is like a very light fog, but my eyes can pick it up as it swirls and swirls. I know crystal clear when I see it, and since adding the salt directly to the tank it has this haze, I am running no carbon, but should I?

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Here is a nice video - with complete instructions on how to avoid precipitation with Red Sea Salt. I guess I would start with this video - making sure you followed it completely. For example - making sure the temp of the water is <68 degrees. Add the salt to the water, not the reverse, mix for less than 2 hours with no air stones, etc, then heat to the temp of your tank - avoiding fluctuations etc etc etc. Hope this helps.
red sea sps dominant mixing instructions

I did exactly that... Mixed it to 68F degrees added salt cup by cup to the tank, while the nero5 blew it and blew it around.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

Question. Have you tried cleaning the glass?

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Just super odd, that I see a fog haze rolling around and around from water movement?

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Question. Have you tried cleaning the glass?

Yes,

I even took a magic eraser to the all the sides of the tank, but this fog is in the center, and the magic eraser is the one without any chemicals whatsoever, and it was doing this before I added the magic eraser to the sides.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

What's the salinity at currently. By have do you mean a visible opaque value, or more of a translucent swirly type visual? If it's the later, it could be the salt working it's way I to the water.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

Yes,

I even took a magic eraser to the all the sides of the tank, but this fog is in the center, and the magic eraser is the one without any chemicals whatsoever, and it was doing this before I added the magic eraser to the sides.

Careful with those they will destroy a tank.

Have you cleaned the inside of the glass?

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Here is a nice video - with complete instructions on how to avoid precipitation with Red Sea Salt. I guess I would start with this video - making sure you followed it completely. For example - making sure the temp of the water is <68 degrees. Add the salt to the water, not the reverse, mix for less than 2 hours with no air stones, etc, then heat to the temp of your tank - avoiding fluctuations etc etc etc. Hope this helps.
red sea sps dominant mixing instructions

Just saw the video, I actually watched this before I did my mixing.... I had found it on the web, since the bucket of redsea doesn't have instructions.

 

[Schoolfish]

I think you are experiencing a bacterial bloom. It can last weeks. When I added my UV it disappeared within 2 days. You can wait it out. Its all part of the process and will clear.

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Careful with those they will destroy a tank.

Have you cleaned the inside of the glass?

Yeah, I have heard of the chemical ones destroying tanks, not the original magic eraser, they work on acrylic that is why I use it.

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

I think you are experiencing a bacterial bloom. It can last weeks. When I added my uv it disappeared within 2 days. You can wait it out. Its all part of the process and will clear.

Agreed!

You are right, that looks like a bacterial bloom and I do have a 15 watt UV connected AquaUV, however it is not on, I haven't run it but it is all connected.

I will drop the temp to 55F degrees and turn on the UV light and run for a couple days to see if it kills the bloom! Thanks for the hint, that is what my LFS thinks might be in there, since I let it get to 90F degrees, I might have brought in something from my hands into the tank when I was working with the setup. I will report back!

 

[MnFish1]

Agreed!

You are right, that looks like a bacterial bloom and I do have a 15 watt UV connected AquaUV, however it is not on, I haven't run it but it is all connected.

I will drop the temp to 55F degrees and turn on the UV light and run for a couple days to see if it kills the bloom! Thanks for the hint, that is what my LFS thinks might be in there, since I let it get to 90F degrees, I might have brought in something from my hands into the tank when I was working with the setup. I will report back!

Actually, I disagree. If you read/viewed the video from Redsea - it specifically says 'avoid temperature fluctuations' to avoid precipitation. While normally a high temp would not cause this - My guess is that with no 'food' there will be no 'bacterial bloom'. I think this is precipitation - and I think you need to measure your exact parameters - as compared to just salinity.

 

[BoxKing]

Def. mix the salt at the correct temp... try mixing a batch in a white bucket as its easier to check for the clarity of your mix prior to adding to your tank.
Bag of Carbon (I use BRS), and I also run a bag of Chemi Pure Blue.... not to mention you should not have the expectation that your tank is going to look the way you want it 12 months from now, on the same day you start it.

 

[Rmckoy]

I think it’s just the mixing process of the salt , combined with new tank . Do you have any rocks yet ?

being completely sterile , no life yet I don’t believe it could be bacterial bloom