salt mix

copeland118 · 01/11/2009, 10:25 PM

i have a new 29 gallon tank i got instant ocean salt with it
i mix it 5 gallons at a time in a bucket filled tank with 25 gallons
i think the salt might be old it has been in tank for 12hours
and is still cloudy with salt
are dose it take time to blend in
i put 6 pounds of salt in the mix which should equal out to 20gallons
need help
my hydrometer reads 1.021

ReefRescue · 01/11/2009, 10:30 PM

did you just mix it and dump in your tank, or did you let it sit for a bit?did you put any sand or live rock? what kind of circulation do you have in the tank?

reefnetworth · 01/11/2009, 10:37 PM

3 cups per gallon will refract @ 35 ppt.
sounds like you dont have enough flow to mix it properly. i mix 20 gallon cotainers and it disolves in a matter of hours @ a flow rate of appx. 35Xs turnover ratio.
ditch the hydrometer, buy a good refract if youre serious about this hobby, its worth the investment, especially if you plan on having corals.
also, salinity effects the general health of your fishes gills, liver and kidneys and life expectancy...

EllieSuz · 01/11/2009, 10:40 PM

Did you know that you have to add the salt to the water and not the other way around? For some reason, when you put the salt in first it gets cloudy. May we presume that you have some movement going on in your tank? If not, you need to get a powerhead in there to get some flow going and clear up the water. You're shooting for 1.025 or 1.026 for a reef tank and a little less if you're planning fish only. How much rock do you have? Tell us more about your plans for this tank. Since you're new at this, we might be able to save you a few bucks if you get headed down the wrong road. Include all the details you can think of.

copeland118 · 01/11/2009, 10:41 PM

mix in 5 gallon bucket
just filter flow with out the filter in
no live rock are sand yet was going to wait a few days
only filled 25 gallons of 29 used six pounds of instant ocean
which is enough for 20gallons

Ranchhand02 · 01/11/2009, 10:43 PM

Try mixing it up good in the tank. I had the same problem in my tank, but it cleared up in a couple of hours

smootie · 01/11/2009, 10:51 PM

Would salt take longer to dissolve in colder water? Maybe installing your heater will help. Worth a try...

ronin_man · 01/11/2009, 11:12 PM

yes i have noticed that it takes longer in cold water than in warm, other than that im not sure what would cause this unless you have poor flow

Toddrtrex · 01/11/2009, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by EllieSuz
Did you know that you have to add the salt to the water and not the other way around? For some reason, when you put the salt in first it gets cloudy. May we presume that you have some movement going on in your tank? If not, you need to get a powerhead in there to get some flow going and clear up the water. You're shooting for 1.025 or 1.026 for a reef tank and a little less if you're planning fish only. How much rock do you have? Tell us more about your plans for this tank. Since you're new at this, we might be able to save you a few bucks if you get headed down the wrong road. Include all the details you can think of.

Good point.

The reason that it gets cloudy when you add water to salt, as opposed to salt to water, is due to precipitation.

Don't ask me what exactly precips out (( perhaps calcium )), but what happens is the solution is too concentrated, and can't hold it in solution.

copeland118 · 01/11/2009, 11:47 PM

i would like to place reef and fish in tank
my lighting says t8-20 watt (2-24"bulbs)
so next time use hot water than place salt in ??
then let cool to room temp?

Flipper62 · 01/11/2009, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefnetworth
3 cups per gallon will refract @ 35 ppt.
sounds like you dont have enough flow to mix it properly. i mix 20 gallon cotainers and it disolves in a matter of hours @ a flow rate of appx. 35Xs turnover ratio.
ditch the hydrometer, buy a good refract if youre serious about this hobby, its worth the investment, especially if you plan on having corals.
also, salinity effects the general health of your fishes gills, liver and kidneys and life expectancy...

WOW............Reefnetworth.........MOST Salts say a 1/2 Cup of salt per gallon of water. This will be in the range of 1.026

WHAT SALT ARE YOU USING .........That 3 CUPS OF SALT PER GALLON = 35 ppt / 1.026

Toddrtrex....How did you miss this one ???

Toddrtrex · 01/12/2009, 12:03 AM

Depends on how you define a "cup" I use 2.5 cups for 5 gallons. However, my cups are those plastic Solo cups (( think they are 8 oz. ))

And I missed it because it has been a long day.

copeland118 · 01/12/2009, 11:12 AM

should i put filter on to filter the salt that did not mix
are what tell it mixes ?
i would say 90% mixed

01/11/2009, 10:25 PM	#1
copeland118 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Springfield,NE Posts: 114	salt mix i have a new 29 gallon tank i got instant ocean salt with it i mix it 5 gallons at a time in a bucket filled tank with 25 gallons i think the salt might be old it has been in tank for 12hours and is still cloudy with salt are dose it take time to blend in i put 6 pounds of salt in the mix which should equal out to 20gallons need help my hydrometer reads 1.021

01/11/2009, 10:37 PM	#3
reefnetworth Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 3,810	3 cups per gallon will refract @ 35 ppt. sounds like you dont have enough flow to mix it properly. i mix 20 gallon cotainers and it disolves in a matter of hours @ a flow rate of appx. 35Xs turnover ratio. ditch the hydrometer, buy a good refract if youre serious about this hobby, its worth the investment, especially if you plan on having corals. also, salinity effects the general health of your fishes gills, liver and kidneys and life expectancy... __________________ GIVE A MAN A FISH, YOU FEED HIM FOR A DAY. TEACH A MAN TO FISH, HE FEEDS HIMSELF FOR LIFE. (NEVER, underestimate another man's greed) Current Tank Info: SPS dominated barebottom display with BB sump since 2005, most consistant parameters in 19+ years of reefkeeping.

01/11/2009, 10:40 PM	#4
EllieSuz Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 3,858	Did you know that you have to add the salt to the water and not the other way around? For some reason, when you put the salt in first it gets cloudy. May we presume that you have some movement going on in your tank? If not, you need to get a powerhead in there to get some flow going and clear up the water. You're shooting for 1.025 or 1.026 for a reef tank and a little less if you're planning fish only. How much rock do you have? Tell us more about your plans for this tank. Since you're new at this, we might be able to save you a few bucks if you get headed down the wrong road. Include all the details you can think of. __________________ "You can't learn this hobby one question at a time." (Mr. Tuskfish) Eileen Current Tank Info: I'm out of the hobby, but used to have a60 gal. reef, refugium in sump, Internal Mag 9 return, SC 302 skimmer, two Maxi-Jet 1200's modded, four bulb T5 Lighting, Reefkeeper Lite Controller with three PC4's, Little Fishes GFO reactor.

01/11/2009, 11:12 PM	#8
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	yes i have noticed that it takes longer in cold water than in warm, other than that im not sure what would cause this unless you have poor flow __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/12/2009, 12:03 AM	#12
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Depends on how you define a "cup" I use 2.5 cups for 5 gallons. However, my cups are those plastic Solo cups (( think they are 8 oz. )) And I missed it because it has been a long day. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

01/11/2009, 10:30 PM	#2
ReefRescue Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: los angeles Posts: 303	did you just mix it and dump in your tank, or did you let it sit for a bit?did you put any sand or live rock? what kind of circulation do you have in the tank?

01/11/2009, 10:41 PM	#5
copeland118 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Springfield,NE Posts: 114	mix in 5 gallon bucket just filter flow with out the filter in no live rock are sand yet was going to wait a few days only filled 25 gallons of 29 used six pounds of instant ocean which is enough for 20gallons

01/11/2009, 10:43 PM	#6
Ranchhand02 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 532	Try mixing it up good in the tank. I had the same problem in my tank, but it cleared up in a couple of hours

01/11/2009, 10:51 PM	#7
smootie Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 99	Would salt take longer to dissolve in colder water? Maybe installing your heater will help. Worth a try...

01/11/2009, 11:47 PM	#10
copeland118 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Springfield,NE Posts: 114	i would like to place reef and fish in tank my lighting says t8-20 watt (2-24"bulbs) so next time use hot water than place salt in ?? then let cool to room temp?

01/12/2009, 11:12 AM	#13
copeland118 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Springfield,NE Posts: 114	should i put filter on to filter the salt that did not mix are what tell it mixes ? i would say 90% mixed