Why is the water cloudy?

[SpartaReef]

Any ideas on what needs to happen now?

If you are adding water to the salt and not salt to water, it can cause calcium to precipitate out of solution which could be the cause of the cloudy water. Reef Crystals already has high alk/ca which can make precipitation more likely. Always add salt to water, not water to salt. What you want to do is up to you. If it's still cloudy today I would dump and start over mixing once the tank is almost full of RO/DI....assuming no live sand or live rock/critters are in the tank.

Would adding magnesium push the calcium to redissolve?

Now I'm just looking to learn from this.

Still confused as to why it happened this way this time, when I've done this so many times before without issue.

 

[SpartaReef]

Going off of this... otherwise just adding more mix?

https://reefs.com/magazine/chemistry-and-the-aquarium-solving-calcium-and-alkalinity-problems/

 

[Jamie814]

Would adding magnesium push the calcium to redissolve?

Now I'm just looking to learn from this.

Still confused as to why it happened this way this time, when I've done this so many times before without issue.

I'm not sure, this is just assuming the reason it mixed cloudy. maybe @Randy Holmes-Farley our chemist expert can help answer this.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would adding magnesium push the calcium to redissolve?

Now I'm just looking to learn from this.

Still confused as to why it happened this way this time, when I've done this so many times before without issue.

No.

I still do not understand what you did.

Did you add the appropriate amount of salt mix for the whole tank and only add a part of a tank of water? That's a problem.

 

[SpartaReef]

Well its cleared up and salinity is reading 1.025

So transferred the rest. And seems fine

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

OK, good to know.

Happy Reefing. :)

 

[VelocityTech]

Well its cleared up and salinity is reading 1.025

So transferred the rest. And seems fine

No.

I still do not understand what you did.

Did you add the appropriate amount of salt mix for the whole tank and only add a part of a tank of water? That's a problem.

This. :grinning-face-with-sweat:


Always try to have all of the water you plan to mix available, then add the salt. Reef Crystals always takes awhile to clear. I will fill a 50g tote bin, the day BEFORE. Because of how long it can take sometimes.

Looking good, happy reefing! :)