Jestersix

Salinity Salt

mray2660

mray2660

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Since I have been making a lot of salt water do to our move of our 120g I have notices that the recent lot Salinity Salt the resultant water has been very cloudy recently. Has any observed that same observations?

Mike
 
Are you mixing the salt water up with fresh RO/DI water? I've found that RO/DI water that is at least a week old clears much more quickly. The operating theory is that the carbonic acid left after filtering needs time to dissipate.

Second, make sure you don't heat the water. I now try to do the mixing with water that's ambient room temperature rather than at tank temperature. Again, this helps clear it more quickly.
 
It all depends on how I mix it, but either way, it clears up in a day. I can mix it nearly clear this way:

32G Brute with ~25G RO/DI water, 1" PVC stirring stick about 24" long. I get the water turning fast with the stirrer and then slowly add very little at a time. This takes a fair amount of work as I keep the water moving aggressively, but I get very little precipitate.

If I just add a cup at a time a get cloudy water by the last few cups, but it clear up withing 24 hours with a power head and an airstone.
 
I've always had it mix cloudy for me. at MAX last year asked the seachem person about it and he said it was due to high Mg t.hat causes it to be cloudy and that's normal for that salt. Once it goes in tank it's not cloudy anymore so I don't really care and given its higher Mg, i'll take that.
 
I have the same issues, and I get a lot of precipitate. I have tried mixing it in slowly, making sure the water was cold, warming it up with just the friction from the pump...seriously, you name it, we've tried it. The only thing that seems to work is if it mixes for 2-3 days. Still have lots of precipitate on the sides, but at least it's clear going into the tank.
 
Thank you for the comments. It use to take day to clear. My two recent lots of product is just does not seem to clear. Typical I add it to water from my RO/DI system that has been sitting for a day or so.

Regards
 
Kensington Reefer said:
Why not put a pump in to stir for you?!
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With the technique without the stirrer, I am using a pump to stir the water. My main point is that using the stirrer yields a level of agitation that is not realistic with a reasonably priced pump. It is this much higher level of agitation that helps the salt mix clearer. Of course, a sufficiently large pump would work, but most people do not have something like that lying around. Even with my Mag 7 in the container there is a fair amount of precipitate.

I also wonder about the nature of the agitation. When I use the stick to stir, there is a strong vortex in the middle of the container. The salt seems to dissolve very well in this vortex. I got this approach from a Randy Holmes - Farley article where he uses a particular nalgene stirrer to mix salt water quickly in a 5G bucket. I have this stirrer and it does work well for 5G, but not so well in the 32G brute.
 
Sure seems like a lot of hassle.

I am curios as to what is considered so good about that brand as to make it worth it.
 
Not a hassle for me. Mix in a 100 gal container with a mag 12, adding two cups at a time every 10-15 sec until its enough. I do get some precipitate on the sides of my container, but got some with other mixes as well, and so what really?
It has better (higher) levels of mg, and ca, and alk comes out at 8 for me making it ideal for reefs IMO.
It mixes fast for me, usable in less than an hour, but I usually let it mix for longer when I don't need it right away. Not much more expensive than other salts, by my calculations it is only about 28 cents per gallon as compared to 24-25 for cheaper seachem mix. Worth it to me
 
rygh said:
Sure seems like a lot of hassle.

I am curios as to what is considered so good about that brand as to make it worth it.
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It's not worth it, but there is no need to have the salt fully dissolve. The amount of precipitate is minimal with just a power head and the values are fine. My point is that is it possible to make a batch without getting any precipitate on the sides of the container, but it requires a lot of agitation. I personally like the ESV 4 part salt. It's mixes completely precipitate free in 5 minutes (even large batches) and is fully ready in an hour.
 
FOUR part is easier??? :~
Actually, reading up on ESV and the mixing, it does sounds reasonably easy, and sure has a lot of good reviews.

But I essentially do 3 part with IO now anyway : Magnesium, then IO salt, then calcium.
And I have been less than happy, hence the interest in these salt threads.

But if price matters:
IO = $0.20/G
Salinity Salt = $0.28/G (1.4X) (And no mail order)
ESV = $0.46/G (2.3X)
 
Coral reefer said:
Is that $.20 for the actual gal you get per bucket or what they advertise? If you mix to 1.026 it I less than they say
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True. It is simply from what they advertise.
Although from what I hear, pretty much every vendor is off by some amount.
So numbers will have some error, but not off by 1.4X or 2.3X :)
 
IMO the slight cost premium of Salinity is associated with peace of mind. It's made in the same production facility as all the other salts but each batch undergoes laboratory analysis. I pray that means any significant problems will be flagged before it makes its way into my tank. :p
 
lattehiatus said:
IMO the slight cost premium of Salinity is associated with peace of mind. It's made in the same production facility as all the other salts but each batch undergoes laboratory analysis. I pray that means any significant problems will be flagged before it makes its way into my tank. :p
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+1

I hate the precipitate but I mix my water several days in advance just to be on the safe side. That does mean I have a trash can in my living room all the time, but hey, I love my tank more xD
 
bondolo said:
Are you mixing the salt water up with fresh RO/DI water? I've found that RO/DI water that is at least a week old clears much more quickly. The operating theory is that the carbonic acid left after filtering needs time to dissipate.

Second, make sure you don't heat the water. I now try to do the mixing with water that's ambient room temperature rather than at tank temperature. Again, this helps clear it more quickly.
Click to expand...
bondolo said:
Are you mixing the salt water up with fresh RO/DI water? I've found that RO/DI water that is at least a week old clears much more quickly. The operating theory is that the carbonic acid left after filtering needs time to dissipate.

Second, make sure you don't heat the water. I now try to do the mixing with water that's ambient room temperature rather than at tank temperature. Again, this helps clear it more quickly.
Click to expand...

This carbonic acid you speak of, is this why RO / DI water is low PH? Can we put something in the storage container to help remedy this?
 
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