Mixing Salt

[agranoff]

Question - When I mix my salt I follow the same routine every time but sometimes it produces cloudy water and sometimes clear.

Here is how I mix:

1. I fill a bucket up with RO/DI (4 gallons)

2. I put a heater and powerhead in bucket

3. After about 30 minutes, I slowly add salt so it dissolves (same amount to get to desired salinity of 35ppt) - maybe all salt gets in there over the course of 2 -3 hours

Thoughts on my steps? Should I not be heating prior to mixing?

Thanks.

[Cymonous]

I would not heat till at least 3-4 hours of mixing.

I fill my container with water, turn on pump and add salt. I usually let it mix for 24hrs.

The next morning, I turn on my heater and do a water change later in the day.

[agranoff]

Thanks.

One thing I left out is once I get all my salt in I let it mix for 12 hours.

I will try heating right before adding to the tank as oppose to during the mixing.

[tzylak]

Hmm, is the salt source the same? Weird.
My water turns milky, but that's when salt is still in a particulate form.
I skip the heater and power head. Instead, I stir water -all 5 gallons of it, with a spatula. Pour 2.5 cups of salt. Stir again and close the lid. Next day it is crystal clear and all dissolved.
My salt is Instant Ocean. What's yours?

[billdogg]

I keep my 55g barrel ready to go with a heater and powerhead at all times. (It's my topoff barrel between water changes) 24+ hours before waterchange, I dump 1 full bag of IO or IORC + 2 12oz jif jars full of salt and then turn on the mag18 that stays in the barrel to mi it all up. IME, there's almost always a bit of cloudiness at first - it seems to go away after a few hours.

[agranoff]

I use hw-Marinemix reef salt

[Stackemdeep]

Great questions. Most manufacturers recommend mixing at an ambient temperature of around 68F. Mixing for too long can cause unwanted precipitation so I use 4 hours as a mixing period. (Red Sea has a limit of 4) Warming the water after this period is fine but many find it not needed for typical small changes. Here is my procedure.
1. Fill 5 gal with RODI
2. Drop maxijet in and start water movement.
3. Accurately measure salt to add.
4. Sprinkle salt slowly into moving water.
5. Wait 4 hours.
6. Test

As with anything in this hobby consistency is a good thing and following the same procedure each time is wise. Advanced aquarists may decide to make an adjustment to their salt such as adding some Magnesium and that is perfectly fine to do near the end of step 5. Good Luck!

[firemountain]

I mix and store my salt water cold....you will see less precipitation. It's then mixed over overnight with a powerhead. When I am ready to do a water change, I then transfer the premixed saltwater into a smaller container, and then heat it for my water changes.


Depends on the salt brand. IORC needs to be periodically stirred for storage purposes. It has organics in it with anti-caking agents in it. If not stirred periodically, it can go anaerobic.

[soulpatch]

for water changes I dont heat the new water. I pour slowly into my sump and let the tank do its job. Temp barely falls half a degree.

Now if for my QT tank I will heat the water as there is no sump and pouring into the tank will cause sudden drops in temp especially since I do at least a 50% water change in there (not a cycled QT).

Having nanos I am lucky in that I mix with a spoon in my bucket and go from there.