water change station fail

dieselfish89 · 01/21/2015, 12:09 PM

Anyone have any idea what would cause my water in my salt mixing station to form a brown slime over night. I used clean ro/di water. I've used this barrel several times before. Any ideas plz let me know.

username in use · 01/21/2015, 12:10 PM

Instant Ocean?

dieselfish89 · 01/21/2015, 12:11 PM

Yes instant ocean salt

jimrawr · 01/21/2015, 12:30 PM

Its the salt mix. When I used IO salt I would get brown residue all over the brute bucket.

dieselfish89 · 01/21/2015, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimrawr

Its the salt mix. When I used IO salt I would get brown residue all over the brute bucket.

Is the mix still OK to use or do I have to remix it

username in use · 01/21/2015, 12:43 PM

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1947206

billdogg · 01/21/2015, 12:46 PM

It's fine. Until it finally died, I ran a System 1 diatom filter on my mix barrel every time.

Kyle918 · 01/21/2015, 12:47 PM

I've heard this happening with Reef Crystals specifically. How long do you mix for?

At the moment, I just the regular IO and have no problems. I generally make water and use it all within a few hours of it clearing up. I've let salt water mix continuously for about a week without an residue forming but I also rinse my container since I don't leave it out when not in use. I mix water in my laundry room in my apartment.

slief · 01/21/2015, 12:51 PM

I've run the cheap instant ocean salt for many many years and never had an issue. I keep 100 gallons of instant ocean mixed up in my storage container and it never turns brown and I know that because my containers are somewhat transparent. I got through upwards of 200 gallons worth of salt a month. That said, if any light gets into your storage container or if any bacteria was introduced, that could cause the scenario you are talking about. My water is kept in a dark shed outside that is plumbed to my tank. I use only RODI and never add anything to my mixing container other than salt. I also keep my hands out of that water which insures that nothing such as bacteria is inadvertently introduced to the holding tank. To me it sounds like some sort of a bacterial bloom.

dieselfish89 · 01/21/2015, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle918

I've heard this happening with Reef Crystals specifically. How long do you mix for?

At the moment, I just the regular IO and have no problems. I generally make water and use it all within a few hours of it clearing up. I've let salt water mix continuously for about a week without an residue forming but I also rinse my container since I don't leave it out when not in use. I mix water in my laundry room in my apartment.

Its been mixing 24 hours. I normally mix and use right away but I had to let sit longer due to a sick kid. I use all the mix and let the barrel sit till next mix time. I use the IO reef crystal mix.

dieselfish89 · 01/21/2015, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slief

I've run the cheap instant ocean salt for many many years and never had an issue. I keep 100 gallons of instant ocean mixed up in my storage container and it never turns brown and I know that because my containers are somewhat transparent. I got through upwards of 200 gallons worth of salt a month. That said, if any light gets into your storage container or if any bacteria was introduced, that could cause the scenario you are talking about. My water is kept in a dark shed outside that is plumbed to my tank. I use only RODI and never add anything to my mixing container other than salt. I also keep my hands out of that water which insures that nothing such as bacteria is inadvertently introduced to the holding tank. To me it sounds like some sort of a bacterial bloom.

Thanks for the info I'm guessing its cause I reached in it sense my mixing pump came in hooked. So I had to reach in the batch for afew mins to hook back up so I probably did interduce something.

jonwright · 01/21/2015, 08:52 PM

Maybe lots if folks that use reef crystals have the same bacteria?

Common with Rc. I have it too and don't worry about it.

dieselfish89 · 01/21/2015, 09:26 PM

I'm just going to use the water see what happens

ebond009 · 01/21/2015, 10:25 PM

use IO RC and same issue, brown crud everywhere. when i know i dont need to be mixing SW i run it full of RO water for a few days and it dissolves into the water.usually.

Rybren · 01/22/2015, 06:11 AM

I've been using IO for a number of years. I don't get a slime in my SW barrel, but I do get a hard, brown buildup on the walls. According to RHF, it's just a harmless precipitate.

01/21/2015, 12:09 PM	#1
dieselfish89 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 76	water change station fail Anyone have any idea what would cause my water in my salt mixing station to form a brown slime over night. I used clean ro/di water. I've used this barrel several times before. Any ideas plz let me know.

01/21/2015, 12:10 PM	#2
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	Instant Ocean? __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

01/21/2015, 12:30 PM	#4
jimrawr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Palm Beach County, FL Posts: 1,887	Its the salt mix. When I used IO salt I would get brown residue all over the brute bucket. __________________ Tank Info: 75g, 40g Sump, AquaMaxx Skimmer, Two Tunze 6095, ATI 8x52", Bubble Magus Dosing Pump, Apex Controller, Tunze ATO.

01/21/2015, 12:43 PM	#6
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1947206 __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

01/21/2015, 12:46 PM	#7
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	It's fine. Until it finally died, I ran a System 1 diatom filter on my mix barrel every time. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

01/21/2015, 12:11 PM	#3
dieselfish89 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 76	Yes instant ocean salt

01/21/2015, 12:47 PM	#8
Kyle918 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 642	I've heard this happening with Reef Crystals specifically. How long do you mix for? At the moment, I just the regular IO and have no problems. I generally make water and use it all within a few hours of it clearing up. I've let salt water mix continuously for about a week without an residue forming but I also rinse my container since I don't leave it out when not in use. I mix water in my laundry room in my apartment. __________________ Work in Progress: 75g Rimless DT \| 20g sump \| Aquamaxx ConeS-1 \| Two Tunze Turbelle 6025 Tank established 02/16/14

01/21/2015, 12:51 PM	#9
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	I've run the cheap instant ocean salt for many many years and never had an issue. I keep 100 gallons of instant ocean mixed up in my storage container and it never turns brown and I know that because my containers are somewhat transparent. I got through upwards of 200 gallons worth of salt a month. That said, if any light gets into your storage container or if any bacteria was introduced, that could cause the scenario you are talking about. My water is kept in a dark shed outside that is plumbed to my tank. I use only RODI and never add anything to my mixing container other than salt. I also keep my hands out of that water which insures that nothing such as bacteria is inadvertently introduced to the holding tank. To me it sounds like some sort of a bacterial bloom. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

01/21/2015, 08:52 PM	#12
jonwright Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 658	Maybe lots if folks that use reef crystals have the same bacteria? Common with Rc. I have it too and don't worry about it.

01/21/2015, 09:26 PM	#13
dieselfish89 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 76	I'm just going to use the water see what happens

01/21/2015, 10:25 PM	#14
ebond009 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 164	use IO RC and same issue, brown crud everywhere. when i know i dont need to be mixing SW i run it full of RO water for a few days and it dissolves into the water.usually.

01/22/2015, 06:11 AM	#15
Rybren Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,642	I've been using IO for a number of years. I don't get a slime in my SW barrel, but I do get a hard, brown buildup on the walls. According to RHF, it's just a harmless precipitate. __________________ 120G Mixed Reef, 28G AIO zoa/pipefish tank