cloudy saltwater?

edmlfc1 · 07/10/2008, 06:00 AM

I am in the process of mixing salt w/ ro/di water and noticed that my water is milky white. Can anyone tell me what happened?
I use a 55 gallon drum & ro/di to mix my saltwater before adding it to the tank and it sits for 24-48 hours before a water change.

I did my water change yesterday and started mixing my water to get it ready for the next water change and the water is a white milky color.

Here is what I did:
Add salt, turn on ro/di to fill up the drum, about 1/4 full I turned on the powerhead to mix the salt.
What I normally do:
Add ro/di to about 50% full add salt and then turn on the powerhead.
This was the 3rd batch of salt I used from the same bucket. The first two batches were clear. This batch is a milky white. Is it because I added the salt first? This has never happened before. The powerhead has been on for 12 hours and it's still milky color.

atwinparadox2 · 07/10/2008, 06:16 AM

that's interesting...have you tried to add the rest of the water and see if it clears up? There might be too much salt to water ratio for now? Something chemically coming off the bucket? Something wrong with the DI/RO unit?

Just some suggestions... that's crazy, I look forward to what others say about this.

edmlfc1 · 07/10/2008, 06:19 AM

The drum is about 3/4 full right now, I thought it would have gotten clear with more water. Like you I am totally stumped. I also keep a cover over the drum and thought about chemical's getting in but I didn't even clean house yesterday and I did not put my hands or any other objects into the drum. I'm going to let the powerhead run until tonight to see if it will clear up and if not I'll have to throw the water out and start over. I really don't know what happened but would like to find out if I did do something wrong.

Nano Chris · 07/10/2008, 06:35 AM

Mine does that (RC) when i first add it, it than clears up as it dissolves, are you adding it to cold water? I takes longer to dissolve in it.

edmlfc1 · 07/10/2008, 06:45 AM

Yes it's cold water. How long does it usually take to clear up? This is the first time this ever happened to me. I use the Instant Ocean Salt (not reef crystals).

shag26272 · 07/10/2008, 06:48 AM

it happens if you dump the salt in there fast especially with IO

edmlfc1 · 07/10/2008, 06:50 AM

Will it clear up or should I throw out the water and start over?

shag26272 · 07/10/2008, 06:53 AM

it will clear up, Tropic Marin salt dissolves right away if you consider switching

Nano Chris · 07/10/2008, 06:56 AM

...and its more expensive...btw...

edmlfc1 · 07/13/2008, 06:53 AM

As of today the water still has not cleared. It's still a milky white so I dumped it. All I can think of is that it happened because I put the salt in first or possibly that the water company was flushing the lines. I did all my water changes prior to making ro/di water. It usually takes me about 24 hours to make 55 gallons so I'm leaning to the line flushing theory. They usually do it about every 3 months. Maybe I just picked the wrong day to make water. What do you think? I am now making a new batch but I will wait to add the salt after I get my water made.

I will be sticking to the instant ocean salt (available in my area). Any other salt I would have to mail order.
Thanks for everyone's help.

MinnFish · 07/13/2008, 07:23 AM

How many stages in RO/DI? Bad batch of salt?

edmlfc1 · 07/13/2008, 07:32 AM

This was the first time.

edmlfc1 · 07/13/2008, 07:34 AM

Sorry I don't think I completely answered the question.
My ro/di unit is: OCEAN REEF + 1 FIVE STAGE 75 GPD RO/DI
This was the first time I made a bad batch of salt. I use about 20 cups of salt in the 55 gallon drum. I was at the bottom of my bucket so I wanted to make sure I had enough salt to make the full drum. So I put the salt in first, which I usually put the salt in last.

findingnemo2 · 07/13/2008, 07:54 AM

This happens to me every time I put the salt in first. I started out using the regular Instand Ocean, and switched to the reef one. I don't understand what causes it but it happens every time I put the salt in first. Needless to say, I don't do it anymore! LOL
Good luck to you!

edmlfc1 · 07/13/2008, 08:09 AM

Thanks for the comment. That was the first time I put salt first. I won't do it again either. So far my water from the ro/di is clear. Once I add the salt I'll see what happens. I have a new bucket now. At least I now know what went wrong. Thanks again.

rickofco · 07/13/2008, 01:41 PM

you should always add salt to water and never add water to salt it will cause it to parcipate ( i think that it hase to do with causing some of the calcium to harden to calcium carbinate and won't disolve)

07/10/2008, 06:00 AM	#1
edmlfc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 78	cloudy saltwater? I am in the process of mixing salt w/ ro/di water and noticed that my water is milky white. Can anyone tell me what happened? I use a 55 gallon drum & ro/di to mix my saltwater before adding it to the tank and it sits for 24-48 hours before a water change. I did my water change yesterday and started mixing my water to get it ready for the next water change and the water is a white milky color. Here is what I did: Add salt, turn on ro/di to fill up the drum, about 1/4 full I turned on the powerhead to mix the salt. What I normally do: Add ro/di to about 50% full add salt and then turn on the powerhead. This was the 3rd batch of salt I used from the same bucket. The first two batches were clear. This batch is a milky white. Is it because I added the salt first? This has never happened before. The powerhead has been on for 12 hours and it's still milky color. __________________ 160 Gallon (African Cichlids),120 Gallon (2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1-Stars & Stripes Puffer),90 Gallon (semi planted tank w/ Angels, Apisto's, Rams.), 28 Gallon (Semi-planted Kribs), 2.5 Gallon RCS Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon 6' long (Saltwater Puffer Tank) 2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1 Porcupine Puffer Last edited by edmlfc1; 07/10/2008 at 06:12 AM.

07/10/2008, 06:19 AM	#3
edmlfc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 78	The drum is about 3/4 full right now, I thought it would have gotten clear with more water. Like you I am totally stumped. I also keep a cover over the drum and thought about chemical's getting in but I didn't even clean house yesterday and I did not put my hands or any other objects into the drum. I'm going to let the powerhead run until tonight to see if it will clear up and if not I'll have to throw the water out and start over. I really don't know what happened but would like to find out if I did do something wrong. __________________ 160 Gallon (African Cichlids),120 Gallon (2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1-Stars & Stripes Puffer),90 Gallon (semi planted tank w/ Angels, Apisto's, Rams.), 28 Gallon (Semi-planted Kribs), 2.5 Gallon RCS Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon 6' long (Saltwater Puffer Tank) 2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1 Porcupine Puffer

07/10/2008, 06:35 AM	#4
Nano Chris Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,758	Mine does that (RC) when i first add it, it than clears up as it dissolves, are you adding it to cold water? I takes longer to dissolve in it. __________________ Chris ------- 34 Gallon Red Sea Max 130! Setup (Just got back into the hobby) Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon RedSeaMax!

07/10/2008, 06:45 AM	#5
edmlfc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 78	Yes it's cold water. How long does it usually take to clear up? This is the first time this ever happened to me. I use the Instant Ocean Salt (not reef crystals). __________________ 160 Gallon (African Cichlids),120 Gallon (2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1-Stars & Stripes Puffer),90 Gallon (semi planted tank w/ Angels, Apisto's, Rams.), 28 Gallon (Semi-planted Kribs), 2.5 Gallon RCS Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon 6' long (Saltwater Puffer Tank) 2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1 Porcupine Puffer

07/10/2008, 06:48 AM	#6
shag26272 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 3,088	it happens if you dump the salt in there fast especially with IO __________________ .

07/10/2008, 06:16 AM	#2
atwinparadox2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kingston, PA Posts: 782	that's interesting...have you tried to add the rest of the water and see if it clears up? There might be too much salt to water ratio for now? Something chemically coming off the bucket? Something wrong with the DI/RO unit? Just some suggestions... that's crazy, I look forward to what others say about this.

07/10/2008, 06:50 AM	#7
edmlfc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 78	Will it clear up or should I throw out the water and start over? __________________ 160 Gallon (African Cichlids),120 Gallon (2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1-Stars & Stripes Puffer),90 Gallon (semi planted tank w/ Angels, Apisto's, Rams.), 28 Gallon (Semi-planted Kribs), 2.5 Gallon RCS Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon 6' long (Saltwater Puffer Tank) 2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1 Porcupine Puffer

07/10/2008, 06:53 AM	#8
shag26272 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 3,088	it will clear up, Tropic Marin salt dissolves right away if you consider switching __________________ .

07/10/2008, 06:56 AM	#9
Nano Chris Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,758	...and its more expensive...btw... __________________ Chris ------- 34 Gallon Red Sea Max 130! Setup (Just got back into the hobby) Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon RedSeaMax!

07/13/2008, 06:53 AM	#10
edmlfc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 78	As of today the water still has not cleared. It's still a milky white so I dumped it. All I can think of is that it happened because I put the salt in first or possibly that the water company was flushing the lines. I did all my water changes prior to making ro/di water. It usually takes me about 24 hours to make 55 gallons so I'm leaning to the line flushing theory. They usually do it about every 3 months. Maybe I just picked the wrong day to make water. What do you think? I am now making a new batch but I will wait to add the salt after I get my water made. I will be sticking to the instant ocean salt (available in my area). Any other salt I would have to mail order. Thanks for everyone's help. __________________ 160 Gallon (African Cichlids),120 Gallon (2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1-Stars & Stripes Puffer),90 Gallon (semi planted tank w/ Angels, Apisto's, Rams.), 28 Gallon (Semi-planted Kribs), 2.5 Gallon RCS Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon 6' long (Saltwater Puffer Tank) 2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1 Porcupine Puffer

07/13/2008, 07:23 AM	#11
MinnFish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Home of 10,000 lakes Posts: 917	How many stages in RO/DI? Bad batch of salt? __________________ 33G Long, 4x54 watt T5, Tunze 6025, Tunze Osmolator ATO, Tunze Streamfilter 3163 Posts about moving an oversized fish to a bigger tank. Is like hearing every stripper is just working to pay for colle

07/13/2008, 07:32 AM	#12
edmlfc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 78	This was the first time. __________________ 160 Gallon (African Cichlids),120 Gallon (2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1-Stars & Stripes Puffer),90 Gallon (semi planted tank w/ Angels, Apisto's, Rams.), 28 Gallon (Semi-planted Kribs), 2.5 Gallon RCS Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon 6' long (Saltwater Puffer Tank) 2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1 Porcupine Puffer

07/13/2008, 07:34 AM	#13
edmlfc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 78	Sorry I don't think I completely answered the question. My ro/di unit is: OCEAN REEF + 1 FIVE STAGE 75 GPD RO/DI This was the first time I made a bad batch of salt. I use about 20 cups of salt in the 55 gallon drum. I was at the bottom of my bucket so I wanted to make sure I had enough salt to make the full drum. So I put the salt in first, which I usually put the salt in last. __________________ 160 Gallon (African Cichlids),120 Gallon (2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1-Stars & Stripes Puffer),90 Gallon (semi planted tank w/ Angels, Apisto's, Rams.), 28 Gallon (Semi-planted Kribs), 2.5 Gallon RCS Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon 6' long (Saltwater Puffer Tank) 2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1 Porcupine Puffer Last edited by edmlfc1; 07/13/2008 at 07:40 AM.

07/13/2008, 07:54 AM	#14
findingnemo2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Texarkana, Texas Posts: 200	This happens to me every time I put the salt in first. I started out using the regular Instand Ocean, and switched to the reef one. I don't understand what causes it but it happens every time I put the salt in first. Needless to say, I don't do it anymore! LOL Good luck to you! __________________ To handle yourself, use your head, to handle others use your heart. Brenda Current Tank Info: 110, 30 quarantine tank, 300 gallon in the works

07/13/2008, 08:09 AM	#15
edmlfc1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 78	Thanks for the comment. That was the first time I put salt first. I won't do it again either. So far my water from the ro/di is clear. Once I add the salt I'll see what happens. I have a new bucket now. At least I now know what went wrong. Thanks again. __________________ 160 Gallon (African Cichlids),120 Gallon (2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1-Stars & Stripes Puffer),90 Gallon (semi planted tank w/ Angels, Apisto's, Rams.), 28 Gallon (Semi-planted Kribs), 2.5 Gallon RCS Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon 6' long (Saltwater Puffer Tank) 2-Green Spotted Puffers & 1 Porcupine Puffer

07/13/2008, 01:41 PM	#16
rickofco Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: co Posts: 134	you should always add salt to water and never add water to salt it will cause it to parcipate ( i think that it hase to do with causing some of the calcium to harden to calcium carbinate and won't disolve)