Precipitate after mixing salt. Safe to use?

mike1024 · 12/28/2014, 06:05 PM

I've been having issues with mixing salt. I use RO/DI water, and Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I bring the water up to tank temperature (~78-79), stir the water and throw in the salt in a few small batches, in a 5 gallon bucket. Then I leave the heater on, and turn on a small powerhead to keep the water stirring, for about a day. At the end, the powerhead and heater look positively snow-covered, and there's visible white precipitate in the water. There's no left over salt on the buttom - I stir it rather vigorously. I've changed buckets, and salt mixes (Coral Pro is the latest I've tried, old salt solidified and I stopped using it), and gave the heater and powerhead a good vinegar soak, so they're clean, and still end up with the same results. The water looks cloudy, and stays cloudy for a while when adding to the tank. Is this normal at all, or am I doing something wrong? Sorry - this is one of these things that's probably obvious once you've done this for a while, but seems strange and mysterious to me.

murdock84 · 12/28/2014, 06:10 PM

I'm new at this but using the same salt. I'm mixing in a 32 gallon brute trash can. I heat the water up to 77 degrees as directed on the side of the bucket and then put in the weight of salt as it calls for. So far I have not had this problem. In my brute I am running two 750GPH powerheads and a heater. I normally have clear water in a short time. I don't know if a degree in temperature would make much of a difference. How big is your powerhead that is stirring it up?

mike1024 · 12/28/2014, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murdock84

I'm new at this but using the same salt. I'm mixing in a 32 gallon brute trash can. I heat the water up to 77 degrees as directed on the side of the bucket and then put in the weight of salt as it calls for. So far I have not had this problem. In my brute I am running two 750GPH powerheads and a heater. I normally have clear water in a short time. I don't know if a degree in temperature would make much of a difference. How big is your powerhead that is stirring it up?

It's a Koralia 240, very small. I was hoping it's enough for a 5 gallon bucket, but it may not be. Think that's the problem?

gone fishin · 12/28/2014, 06:43 PM

It is possible the warmer temps are precipitating out some things. Try mixing at room temp once all is dissolved heat up your water. This is the way I do it and never had precipitation issues. Good luck

mike1024 · 12/28/2014, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gone fishin

It is possible the warmer temps are precipitating out some things. Try mixing at room temp once all is dissolved heat up your water. This is the way I do it and never had precipitation issues. Good luck

Thanks! That's what I did before, with my previous salt. Didn't try it with this one. Worth a shot. My room temperature is going to be around 68-70. I thought things would dissolve better at a higher temperature.

disc1 · 12/28/2014, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike1024

I thought things would dissolve better at a higher temperature.

Most things would. That precipitate is calcium carbonate though. It exhibits retrograde solubility. It's more soluble at colder temps.

The rest of the salts (NaCl, KCl, and the like) all dissolve so fast anyway that the higher temp doesn't really help enough to notice.

mike1024 · 12/28/2014, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disc1

Most things would. That precipitate is calcium carbonate though. It exhibits retrograde solubility. It's more soluble at colder temps.

The rest of the salts (NaCl, KCl, and the like) all dissolve so fast anyway that the higher temp doesn't really help enough to notice.

Makes sense. Thanks David. I'll try mixing at a lower temperature.

doctorwhoreefer · 12/28/2014, 08:05 PM

Then I leave the heater on, and turn on a small powerhead to keep the water stirring, for about a day.

I haven't used this salt, but I thought I saw somewhere sometime Red Sea says to use the salt directly after a couple hours as to prevent precipitations that will occur after that..
(I could be wrong on that don't quote me

)

mike1024 · 12/28/2014, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorwhoreefer

Then I leave the heater on, and turn on a small powerhead to keep the water stirring, for about a day.

I haven't used this salt, but I thought I saw somewhere sometime Red Sea says to use the salt directly after a couple hours as to prevent precipitations that will occur after that..
(I could be wrong on that don't quote me

)

Ok, so it's somewhat specific to this salt (I had a different problem with a different salt mix that also caused precipitation). They recommend not mixing for more than 4 hours, and mixing at lower temperatures. Thanks all!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpo...6&postcount=19

I guess it won't matter for small changes, but I thought the point of letting the water mix for 24 hours was to increase dissolved oxygen. Any worries for using it soon after mixing?

12/28/2014, 06:05 PM	#1
mike1024 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bucks county, PA Posts: 64	Precipitate after mixing salt. Safe to use? I've been having issues with mixing salt. I use RO/DI water, and Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I bring the water up to tank temperature (~78-79), stir the water and throw in the salt in a few small batches, in a 5 gallon bucket. Then I leave the heater on, and turn on a small powerhead to keep the water stirring, for about a day. At the end, the powerhead and heater look positively snow-covered, and there's visible white precipitate in the water. There's no left over salt on the buttom - I stir it rather vigorously. I've changed buckets, and salt mixes (Coral Pro is the latest I've tried, old salt solidified and I stopped using it), and gave the heater and powerhead a good vinegar soak, so they're clean, and still end up with the same results. The water looks cloudy, and stays cloudy for a while when adding to the tank. Is this normal at all, or am I doing something wrong? Sorry - this is one of these things that's probably obvious once you've done this for a while, but seems strange and mysterious to me.

12/28/2014, 06:43 PM	#4
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	It is possible the warmer temps are precipitating out some things. Try mixing at room temp once all is dissolved heat up your water. This is the way I do it and never had precipitation issues. Good luck __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

12/28/2014, 06:10 PM	#2
murdock84 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Elizabethtown, PA Posts: 286	I'm new at this but using the same salt. I'm mixing in a 32 gallon brute trash can. I heat the water up to 77 degrees as directed on the side of the bucket and then put in the weight of salt as it calls for. So far I have not had this problem. In my brute I am running two 750GPH powerheads and a heater. I normally have clear water in a short time. I don't know if a degree in temperature would make much of a difference. How big is your powerhead that is stirring it up?

12/28/2014, 08:05 PM	#8
doctorwhoreefer Moved On Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 353	Then I leave the heater on, and turn on a small powerhead to keep the water stirring, for about a day. I haven't used this salt, but I thought I saw somewhere sometime Red Sea says to use the salt directly after a couple hours as to prevent precipitations that will occur after that.. (I could be wrong on that don't quote me )