Cloudy saltwater mix

Dale_M · 05/04/2019, 06:57 PM

Need some advice...
I was going to do a 20% water change in my 20gal tomorrow. I have a Brute barrel with about 10 gal of saltwater mix circulating all week. There is a circulating pump at the bottom and about 8 ft of vinyl tubing attached. I arranged the tube so that its directed towards the surface to keep it stirred and give it some aeration. I checked it a couple times this week and it looked perfectly clear. Today I looked in the barrel and the water is all cloudy and everything in the barrel feels slimy. I have kept the cover on the barrel and its a tight fit.
So, my question is... Can I still use this water?
Should I test it? If so, what am I looking for?

s.katyarmal · 05/04/2019, 08:59 PM

I would throw it if it was all clear then turned cloudy as you wouldn’t be testing all parameters to determine what’s wrong. Just keep it simple you don’t want turn into mad scientist. I usually mix saltwater for my tank for 3-4 hours before use.

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j.falk · 05/05/2019, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale_M

Need some advice...
I was going to do a 20% water change in my 20gal tomorrow. I have a Brute barrel with about 10 gal of saltwater mix circulating all week. There is a circulating pump at the bottom and about 8 ft of vinyl tubing attached. I arranged the tube so that its directed towards the surface to keep it stirred and give it some aeration. I checked it a couple times this week and it looked perfectly clear. Today I looked in the barrel and the water is all cloudy and everything in the barrel feels slimy. I have kept the cover on the barrel and its a tight fit.
So, my question is... Can I still use this water?
Should I test it? If so, what am I looking for?

Check your pump...see if it's leaking oil / burned up.

I wouldn't use it. Why would you want to put cloudy water in your aquarium anyway? Seeing that it's not clear (like normal) tells you obviously that something isn't right.

I always set mine up over night and use it the next day. I try not to let it sit more than a couple of days or the garbage can does become slimy.

Echo2 · 05/05/2019, 06:29 AM

Dump the water. Why chance it?
I make my mix the night before my water change.

Dale_M · 05/09/2019, 06:24 PM

Dumped it... made a new batch.
Lesson learned

j.falk · 05/10/2019, 07:49 AM

Did you figure out what caused it?

jd371 · 05/10/2019, 08:01 AM

Cloudy and slimy, maybe it was a bacterial bloom since it started out clear... weird.

Dale_M · 05/11/2019, 07:43 PM

Salt precipitation and bacterial bloom most likely.
It had been circulating in the barrel for a week.

05/04/2019, 06:57 PM	#1
Dale_M Official Noob Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Valrico, FL Posts: 76	Cloudy saltwater mix Need some advice... I was going to do a 20% water change in my 20gal tomorrow. I have a Brute barrel with about 10 gal of saltwater mix circulating all week. There is a circulating pump at the bottom and about 8 ft of vinyl tubing attached. I arranged the tube so that its directed towards the surface to keep it stirred and give it some aeration. I checked it a couple times this week and it looked perfectly clear. Today I looked in the barrel and the water is all cloudy and everything in the barrel feels slimy. I have kept the cover on the barrel and its a tight fit. So, my question is... Can I still use this water? Should I test it? If so, what am I looking for?

05/04/2019, 08:59 PM	#2
s.katyarmal Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Chicago Posts: 15	I would throw it if it was all clear then turned cloudy as you wouldn’t be testing all parameters to determine what’s wrong. Just keep it simple you don’t want turn into mad scientist. I usually mix saltwater for my tank for 3-4 hours before use. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05/05/2019, 06:29 AM	#4
Echo2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: CT Posts: 7	Dump the water. Why chance it? I make my mix the night before my water change.

05/09/2019, 06:24 PM	#5
Dale_M Official Noob Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Valrico, FL Posts: 76	Dumped it... made a new batch. Lesson learned

05/10/2019, 07:49 AM	#6
j.falk Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 632	Did you figure out what caused it?

05/10/2019, 08:01 AM	#7
jd371 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Long Island Posts: 615	Cloudy and slimy, maybe it was a bacterial bloom since it started out clear... weird.

05/11/2019, 07:43 PM	#8
Dale_M Official Noob Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Valrico, FL Posts: 76	Salt precipitation and bacterial bloom most likely. It had been circulating in the barrel for a week.