What causes cloudy salt mix?

[Renee180]

I am using Coral Pro Salt, my first bucket. It has helped my tank tremendously. I am down to the last 40 gal water change with this bucket (155 gal bucket) and my water has turned cludy after adding the last of the salt. The water is RO, with .01 tds, 78 degrees, 1.025 salinity. I have been waiting for it to clear up. It has been a week and a half of aerating and letting a power head run, but it is still cloudy. There is a white powdery dust on all glass sides and equipment? What is this? What caused it? And is it safe to use?
Assuming, NO, as I don't want my dt tank to become cloudy too, or harm any inhabitants . What a bummer and a waste of time and money:( thanks in advance for any suggestions on what has happened here.

 

[Renee180]

Just to confirm, this is my water change water NOT in my tank yet.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I am using Coral Pro Salt, my first bucket. It has helped my tank tremendously. I am down to the last 40 gal water change with this bucket (155 gal bucket) and my water has turned cludy after adding the last of the salt. The water is RO, with .01 tds, 78 degrees, 1.025 salinity. I have been waiting for it to clear up. It has been a week and a half of aerating and letting a power head run, but it is still cloudy. There is a white powdery dust on all glass sides and equipment? What is this? What caused it? And is it safe to use?
Assuming, NO, as I don't want my dt tank to become cloudy too, or harm any inhabitants . What a bummer and a waste of time and money:( thanks in advance for any suggestions on what has happened here.

I would just dump it out. Week and a half old water without filtration? Just dump it. Not sure what you did to begin with but it's probably developed some type of bacteria now.

 

[reeferfoxx]

There is a white powdery dust on all glass sides and equipment? What is this? What caused it? And is it safe to use?

Most likely precipitation. If you add salt too fast or without proper mixing/flow will result in precipitation.

 

[Staggs]

Red Sea is pretty particular on how to mix their salt. I add salt to my rodi water at 68 degrees and mix it for one hour and then bring up the temp to 77 degrees and then I use it. I typically just mix what I'm going to be using that day and I've never let it sit that long.

 

[Renee180]

The plan was to use it right away, but it was cloudy right away. And since I mixed it the same way as I always do, didn't see any reason why this should have happened. Do you think it could have anything to do with the fact it was the bottom of the bucket of salt? Could it be that the mix setteled? I hope that can not happen, but just asking the question anyways.

 

[reeferfoxx]

The plan was to use it right away, but it was cloudy right away. And since I mixed it the same way as I always do, didn't see any reason why this should have happened. Do you think it could have anything to do with the fact it was the bottom of the bucket of salt? Could it be that the mix setteled? I hope that can not happen, but just asking the question anyways.

Not sure? How exactly are you mixing the salt compared to the directions? Staggs suggests the temp to be acclimated slowly? Some salts mix differently, typically by brand. The settlement of heavier particles could result in a bad half. One would think the rest of the bucket would be off?

 

[stevo01]

I use RSCP. I mix for 1.025, 1/2 cup per gallon. I use a beer wort stirring paddle. While the water is spinning good i add the saltonce its all added i stir it up in the reverse direction. Let is sit for about 15 minutes. Stir it up again and check salinity. If its all good i add it to the tank. Mixed with room temp RO/DI water.

Ive been told clean mixed water can last a long time. I keep a bucket mixed up ready regularly. Testing zero for NO3/PO4.

Im also a fan of using dedicated buckets for RO/DI, fresh mix, and dirty water bucket i use for cleaning/holding filters ect. All with dedicated covers.

 

[Renee180]

Lets say it is due to a bacterial bloom, what is the best way to clean my mixing tank so this doesnt happen again? Is ro water enough or to I need to use more than just water?

 

[Renee180]

I use RSCP. I mix for 1.025, 1/2 cup per gallon. I use a beer wort stirring paddle. While the water is spinning good i add the saltonce its all added i stir it up in the reverse direction. Let is sit for about 15 minutes. Stir it up again and check salinity. If its all good i add it to the tank. Mixed with room temp RO/DI water.

Ive been told clean mixed water can last a long time. I keep a bucket mixed up ready regularly. Testing zero for NO3/PO4.

Im also a fan of using dedicated buckets for RO/DI, fresh mix, and dirty water bucket i use for cleaning/holding filters ect. All with dedicated covers.

This is pretty much how I do it too. Except , I heat it up to the tank temp and aerate for 24 hrs before adding to tank. And I also thought it was good for a long time , ha, but have to admit I never use it if it sits longer than a week. I have one specific 40 gal glass tank i have always used for only "new ro water " for wc

 

[reeferfoxx]

Lets say it is due to a bacterial bloom, what is the best way to clean my mixing tank so this doesnt happen again? Is ro water enough or to I need to use more than just water?

I would pour some vinegar in and try to wipe it out. Then fill with RO water to rinse. Do you have DI resin for your RO unit?

 

[stevo01]

Lets say it is due to a bacterial bloom, what is the best way to clean my mixing tank so this doesnt happen again? Is ro water enough or to I need to use more than just water?

Once the bacteria has considerably less to eat it will die off and balance again. Seems odd to think its bacterial. Im leaning towards precipitation.

 

[reeferfoxx]

This is pretty much how I do it too. Except , I heat it up to the tank temp and aerate for 24 hrs before adding to tank. And I also thought it was good for a long time , ha, but have to admit I never use it if it sits longer than a week. I have one specific 40 gal glass tank i have always used for only "new ro water " for wc

Generally it is good for a long time if sealed. You were aerating.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Once the bacteria has considerably less to eat it will die off and balance again. Seems odd to think its bacterial. Im leaning towards precipitation.

Most likely precip over bacteria, for sure. But the mix was aerating for a week and half, not sealed and exposed to things that could create a bacterial bloom.

 

[stevo01]

This is pretty much how I do it too. Except , I heat it up to the tank temp and aerate for 24 hrs before adding to tank. And I also thought it was good for a long time , ha, but have to admit I never use it if it sits longer than a week. I have one specific 40 gal glass tank i have always used for only "new ro water " for wc

Well fancy that, even better :). Test your Ca, Alk, PH, temp, and salinity in the clean holding tank. Do you dose the tank?

 

[stevo01]

Confirm your salinity testing instrument is calibrated correctly.

 

[Renee180]

No I do not dose. But i did notice that there was a lot of "stuff" floating on top of the water after first mixing the salt , brown specs of floating "things" then i needed to add two more cups of salt to get the right salinity and when i checked on it a little bit later everything was a cliudy mess. So I am not sure what happened. i have been doing this for many many years and have never had this happen. Surprise, that's reefing:)

 

[Renee180]

Oh And yes i do use di

 

[spinycheek]

I'm 99% sure it is from settling before you mixed it (Not your fault, it happens). If the Calcium and all components dissolve before the magnesium components, then you will get a bunch of calcium carbonate precipitation. For seawater, it is crucial that there is sufficient magnesium present to prevent the formation of calcium carbonate.

If you have a poorly made salt mix (or the components settled), you can add a little magnesium chloride (dissolves fast) or magnesium sulfate (dissolves slower) to your DI water first, then dump your salt in and it should prevent that white precipitate.

 

[spinycheek]

To recover what you have already mixed, you can add some carbonated water, which will dissolve the calcium carbonate dust, then naturally offgas over the next day or two.