Clean your mix bucket regularly

mgargiullo · 06/21/2012, 05:14 PM

This is my 32 gallon food safe Brute after the majority of a 160 gallon Seachem ReefSalt mix.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1340320404.831149.jpg

So. Clean your buckets regularly. Never saw this with my old green buckets. The white really shows the nasty.

MarkGP · 06/21/2012, 05:24 PM

I get the same thing in mine with IO. I clean them out every couple of months to get rid of the brown film.

sirreal63 · 06/21/2012, 06:52 PM

I never get that with IO but I know people who do with Reef Crystals.

BrklynArch · 06/21/2012, 07:06 PM

Not sure if the 2 are related or not but I stopped getting the brown residue when I started adding salt in small amounts over the course of a few hours or half the amount on one day and the rest the second day.

Andrew D · 06/21/2012, 07:07 PM

I'm not so sure it's the salt mix. I mix Tropic Marin Reef grade in a 40G brute, and also get the brown film, every couple of months. Use RO water and keep the lid on as it ages. Annoying, but easy to fix.

mussel and hate · 06/21/2012, 07:25 PM

I get a similar brown film in my salt mix bucket using IO exclusively. I add all my salt at once, usually after the water. I'll try to add the salt gradually as a test. I had always assumed the brown film was present from using the same bucket as a siphon resevoir during water changes and thus introducing bacteria etc.

sirreal63 · 06/21/2012, 07:37 PM

I know that water is not consistent for different locations, but do people wash their containers before use? There has to be a logical reason for the sludge, not that I think it hurts anything, but it is curious why some of us don't have it and others do. Mussel and Hate, I do it the same as you, I dump it in all at once and let it mix overnight.

MarkGP · 06/21/2012, 07:40 PM

I add the salt slowly over a few hours. I think some salt brands such as IO are known for this.

mgargiullo · 06/21/2012, 09:55 PM

It's weird... It's always done that. The other bucket I have for the RO/DI stays nice. I do pump in 10 gallons of water, then add all the salt. I let the pump and heater get it ready. I always keep at least 5 gallons ready to go... Just in case

kriv4o · 06/21/2012, 10:16 PM

The first bucket of IO I used did not leave the brown residue, the second one does.

shaggss · 06/22/2012, 02:19 AM

Randy has talked about thisa and says its no problem, in fact he has a picture of his mixing container on here somewhere (sorry couldn't find it though) and it is caked! Doesn't seem to worry him!

Here ya go......

06/21/2012, 05:14 PM	#1
mgargiullo Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hightstown. NJ Posts: 229	Clean your mix bucket regularly This is my 32 gallon food safe Brute after the majority of a 160 gallon Seachem ReefSalt mix. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1340320404.831149.jpg So. Clean your buckets regularly. Never saw this with my old green buckets. The white really shows the nasty. __________________ People think I'm crazy when I tell them I'm saving my money to buy Rocks and Sand. Current Tank Info: 112g mixed reef, 40g Breeder, 16g Nuvo and 8g Nuvo,

06/21/2012, 06:52 PM	#3
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	I never get that with IO but I know people who do with Reef Crystals. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

06/21/2012, 07:37 PM	#7
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	I know that water is not consistent for different locations, but do people wash their containers before use? There has to be a logical reason for the sludge, not that I think it hurts anything, but it is curious why some of us don't have it and others do. Mussel and Hate, I do it the same as you, I dump it in all at once and let it mix overnight. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

06/21/2012, 09:55 PM	#9
mgargiullo Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hightstown. NJ Posts: 229	It's weird... It's always done that. The other bucket I have for the RO/DI stays nice. I do pump in 10 gallons of water, then add all the salt. I let the pump and heater get it ready. I always keep at least 5 gallons ready to go... Just in case __________________ People think I'm crazy when I tell them I'm saving my money to buy Rocks and Sand. Current Tank Info: 112g mixed reef, 40g Breeder, 16g Nuvo and 8g Nuvo,

06/21/2012, 10:16 PM	#10
kriv4o Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Ocean Pines, MD Posts: 509	The first bucket of IO I used did not leave the brown residue, the second one does. __________________ 40b DT, with a 20l DIY sump 10g clam lagoon plumbed together with^ 10g stand alone NANO, JBJ 24g NanoCube rescue project

06/21/2012, 05:24 PM	#2
MarkGP Why do I do this? Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bristol, RI Posts: 1,015	I get the same thing in mine with IO. I clean them out every couple of months to get rid of the brown film.

06/21/2012, 07:06 PM	#4
BrklynArch Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: brooklyn NY Posts: 529	Not sure if the 2 are related or not but I stopped getting the brown residue when I started adding salt in small amounts over the course of a few hours or half the amount on one day and the rest the second day.

06/21/2012, 07:07 PM	#5
Andrew D Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 356	I'm not so sure it's the salt mix. I mix Tropic Marin Reef grade in a 40G brute, and also get the brown film, every couple of months. Use RO water and keep the lid on as it ages. Annoying, but easy to fix.

06/21/2012, 07:25 PM	#6
mussel and hate Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: location location Posts: 701	I get a similar brown film in my salt mix bucket using IO exclusively. I add all my salt at once, usually after the water. I'll try to add the salt gradually as a test. I had always assumed the brown film was present from using the same bucket as a siphon resevoir during water changes and thus introducing bacteria etc.

06/21/2012, 07:40 PM	#8
MarkGP Why do I do this? Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bristol, RI Posts: 1,015	I add the salt slowly over a few hours. I think some salt brands such as IO are known for this.

06/22/2012, 02:19 AM	#11
shaggss Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,709	Randy has talked about thisa and says its no problem, in fact he has a picture of his mixing container on here somewhere (sorry couldn't find it though) and it is caked! Doesn't seem to worry him! Here ya go...... __________________ NEVER get eye level with an infants anus! New build, planning stages. 30 x 20 x 20", Geisemann Spectra 250W with Radium, Profilux controller, Profilux doser 2, Fluval SP4 return pump, Life Reef 28