Salt Issues

HyperAquatics · 12/16/2020, 12:32 AM

I have had my instant ocean 200-gallon box of salt, (not the reef version) for about a little over a year now and a couple of months back it started to get hard, (even the closed bags)... I don't know why this is, but it seems some others with the same salt have similar issues. I don't believe there was any way that the salt could have been exposed to any water, as I store the salt in my closet in my room. I noticed that the salt "almost" fully dissolves... but there is some form of particulate that floats around in the bucket while I'm mixing, and doesn't seem to go away. (maybe around 2000 little sand size particulates) I don't think they are salt but usually, I just end up using the bucket anyway for my water changes, and once in the tank, the particulates seem to slowly fade and nothing bad happens. Recently I got a branching hammer coral, and it's not opening up too well, the colors on it are good, however, it only partially opens about 2 inches across on each head, and the tentacles look more like frogspawn than a hammer because of their small size. My parameters and salinity levels are good, but I can currently only test, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and Ph, (i ordered a calcium and phosphate test kit, which should arrive soon. If anyone here believes that I should be changing my salt, what are some good reef recommendations that come with added calcium and such? Sorry for the word dump, that was a lot.

Vinny Kreyling · 12/16/2020, 09:21 AM

IO had a problem with hardening of salt for some time but it has been resolved.

12/16/2020, 12:32 AM	#1
HyperAquatics Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Posts: 17	Salt Issues I have had my instant ocean 200-gallon box of salt, (not the reef version) for about a little over a year now and a couple of months back it started to get hard, (even the closed bags)... I don't know why this is, but it seems some others with the same salt have similar issues. I don't believe there was any way that the salt could have been exposed to any water, as I store the salt in my closet in my room. I noticed that the salt "almost" fully dissolves... but there is some form of particulate that floats around in the bucket while I'm mixing, and doesn't seem to go away. (maybe around 2000 little sand size particulates) I don't think they are salt but usually, I just end up using the bucket anyway for my water changes, and once in the tank, the particulates seem to slowly fade and nothing bad happens. Recently I got a branching hammer coral, and it's not opening up too well, the colors on it are good, however, it only partially opens about 2 inches across on each head, and the tentacles look more like frogspawn than a hammer because of their small size. My parameters and salinity levels are good, but I can currently only test, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and Ph, (i ordered a calcium and phosphate test kit, which should arrive soon. If anyone here believes that I should be changing my salt, what are some good reef recommendations that come with added calcium and such? Sorry for the word dump, that was a lot. __________________ “All the water that will ever be is, right now.” – National Geographic - Current tank info, 40g fresh and 20g Salt

12/16/2020, 09:21 AM	#2
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	IO had a problem with hardening of salt for some time but it has been resolved. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.