Salt mixing temperature

[Ryand63]

So I have been reading a few different opinions on mixing salt. Is it better to mix it with cold water and than heat or heat first and then mix salt?? I've always just used room temp to mix than heated??!!?? Thanks!

[Humuhumunuku]

Originally Posted by disc1

The salt most likely to precipitate from your salt mix is calcium carbonate. It has the property called retrograde solubility. It is actually more soluble at cooler temps and higher pressures. Just the opposite of what you've always been told. Mix your water cold, then heat after it clears.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It depends on what you are trying to avoid. For most purposes, it won't matter as long as you add salt to stirring water.

Calcium carbonate is slight more soluble in colder water, but the salt mix overall will take a bit longer to dissolve, making it a bit unclear whether warmer or colder water will lead to more calcium carbonate precipitation when mixing artificial seawater.

In my case, I never heat my salt water because I do lots of tiny and slow water changes.

[Humuhumunuku]

Consequently, that is one of the reasons there is something called the carbonate compensation depth (about 4500m depending on the ocean), below which effectively all calcium carbonate dissolves.

[Humuhumunuku]

Originally Posted by Randy Holmes-Farley

It depends on what you are trying to avoid. For most purposes, it won't matter as long as you add salt to stirring water.

Calcium carbonate is slight more soluble in colder water, but the salt mix overall will take a bit longer to dissolve, making it a bit unclear whether warmer or colder water will lead to more calcium carbonate precipitation when mixing artificial seawater.

In my case, I never heat my salt water because I do lots of tiny and slow water changes.

Sounds like Randy talk for don't worry about it

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes.

[Ryand63]

Thanks everyone! Guess I won't worry as much as I have been!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Happy Reefing.