White dots in new saltwater

Emster · 07/23/2006, 04:53 PM

I just mixed up some new saltwater with a new bucket of instant ocean salt. After 24 hours with powerhead mixing it has white dots floating and some settling on the bottom. Has anybody ever seen this before? Can I use this? I'm going to do some alk and cal. tests on it once I get it to 1.026. Thanks for any info.

masterqaz · 07/23/2006, 05:00 PM

ive had that happen to me as well. Im not quite sure what they are though i was guttsy and used the water anyways..... No ill effects so far and im pretty sure after a few weeks nothing is going to happen though im still interested in knowing for future mixes.

Emster · 07/23/2006, 06:55 PM

Okay, just did some water tests at 1.026 and the calcium is 370 and the alk is 3.31meq(9.3dkh). This seems to be about right for instant ocean. Anybody else seen this happen before and used the water? I know this must of happened to others before. Thanks for sharing masterqaz.

boilermaker1 · 07/23/2006, 06:58 PM

Did you have it heated too?
In my experience, IO doesn't seem to mix when the water's too cold. It might just not be fully dissolving.

CaptainPicard · 07/23/2006, 07:08 PM

Instant ocean is giving you a calcium of 370?
Funny i only get 340 with Reef Crystals...

Lordhelmet · 07/23/2006, 07:23 PM

I had the same thing happen to me about a year ago. I used it as well and had nothing happen. don't worry about it.

Emster · 07/23/2006, 07:27 PM

The water is in the garage and its probably about 90 degrees, I live in Florida. Even in the winter it has never done this. I got a calcium reading of 370 with salifert and I thought that was about right. I don't test new salt water very often. I think I might do a waterchange on my 10gal frag tank and see what happens, don't want to use it in the 90gal yet.

ek9vboi · 07/23/2006, 08:27 PM

Thats funny I got a low 275. Guess I'll be testing my salt again. Or maybe its my SeaChem... either way I have to check it out.

itstheantitang · 07/23/2006, 08:45 PM

I had the white dots too. They were like little white spheres, tiny, and some were at the bottom, surface, and in the water column.

I didn't use the water, because I thought it was ruined salt. I had left the bag open and the humidity made it into chunks instead of free flowing crystals.

masterqaz · 07/23/2006, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by itstheantitang
I had the white dots too. They were like little white spheres, tiny, and some were at the bottom, surface, and in the water column.

I didn't use the water, because I thought it was ruined salt. I had left the bag open and the humidity made it into chunks instead of free flowing crystals.

Ya i did the same...left the bag open.

NCreefwannabe · 07/23/2006, 10:00 PM

ive-used it after it turned to chunks and had no ill effects. but as for what your getting with your test kits. its going to vary from bag to bag, from bucket to bucket. their never the same lol.

nebraskareef · 07/24/2006, 02:14 AM

I too have been having this same issue, from a bag of reef crystals that had been left open for some time. I used the water twice, but decided I would rinse the bucket out. Earlier this evening I went to go mix up a batch of water and realized there were a bunch of these things inside the bucket!

I thought I was going to have to drop change on new buckets, as I tasted the white orbs and they did not taste of salt, who knows exactly WHAT compound this is, but I'm sure I ingested some, and I'm not dead yet...lol I for some reason thought it was my bucket being ate away or something to that effect.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to experience this phenomenon.

Emster · 07/24/2006, 04:19 AM

Well guess what. My bucket was left open too and I had to chop it up with a screw driver. I have never had the salt get hard on me so i'm starting to think that it must have something to do with that. I should post this in the reef chemistry forum. Thanks guys for sharing your experiences, this is why I love reef central. If there is anyone else with similiar experiences please share.

07/23/2006, 04:53 PM	#1
Emster Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 2,364	White dots in new saltwater I just mixed up some new saltwater with a new bucket of instant ocean salt. After 24 hours with powerhead mixing it has white dots floating and some settling on the bottom. Has anybody ever seen this before? Can I use this? I'm going to do some alk and cal. tests on it once I get it to 1.026. Thanks for any info.

07/23/2006, 06:55 PM	#3
Emster Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 2,364	Okay, just did some water tests at 1.026 and the calcium is 370 and the alk is 3.31meq(9.3dkh). This seems to be about right for instant ocean. Anybody else seen this happen before and used the water? I know this must of happened to others before. Thanks for sharing masterqaz. __________________ Emmett Jan. 09 TOTM Current Tank Info: 180 gal, Iwaki 70, 4-3/4" sea swirls, 3-400 watt Radiums, 4-80watt T-5's , custom Ca reactor, 1/3hp aqualogic chiller, i-Tech 400, Tunze osmolator

07/23/2006, 07:23 PM	#6
Lordhelmet Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,008	I had the same thing happen to me about a year ago. I used it as well and had nothing happen. don't worry about it. __________________ I need a new signiture Current Tank Info: 90 gallon, 14 gallon

07/23/2006, 07:27 PM	#7
Emster Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 2,364	The water is in the garage and its probably about 90 degrees, I live in Florida. Even in the winter it has never done this. I got a calcium reading of 370 with salifert and I thought that was about right. I don't test new salt water very often. I think I might do a waterchange on my 10gal frag tank and see what happens, don't want to use it in the 90gal yet. __________________ Emmett Jan. 09 TOTM Current Tank Info: 180 gal, Iwaki 70, 4-3/4" sea swirls, 3-400 watt Radiums, 4-80watt T-5's , custom Ca reactor, 1/3hp aqualogic chiller, i-Tech 400, Tunze osmolator

07/23/2006, 08:45 PM	#9
itstheantitang Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 477	I had the white dots too. They were like little white spheres, tiny, and some were at the bottom, surface, and in the water column. I didn't use the water, because I thought it was ruined salt. I had left the bag open and the humidity made it into chunks instead of free flowing crystals. __________________ Ignore the smoke and smile...

07/23/2006, 05:00 PM	#2
masterqaz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oakville Ont. Canada Posts: 551	ive had that happen to me as well. Im not quite sure what they are though i was guttsy and used the water anyways..... No ill effects so far and im pretty sure after a few weeks nothing is going to happen though im still interested in knowing for future mixes.

07/23/2006, 06:58 PM	#4
boilermaker1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chantilly, VA Posts: 784	Did you have it heated too? In my experience, IO doesn't seem to mix when the water's too cold. It might just not be fully dissolving.

07/23/2006, 07:08 PM	#5
CaptainPicard Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 110	Instant ocean is giving you a calcium of 370? Funny i only get 340 with Reef Crystals...

07/23/2006, 08:27 PM	#8
ek9vboi Registered Member. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 3,027	Thats funny I got a low 275. Guess I'll be testing my salt again. Or maybe its my SeaChem... either way I have to check it out.

07/23/2006, 10:00 PM	#11
NCreefwannabe Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 953	ive-used it after it turned to chunks and had no ill effects. but as for what your getting with your test kits. its going to vary from bag to bag, from bucket to bucket. their never the same lol.

07/24/2006, 02:14 AM	#12
nebraskareef MFCEO Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,495 Blog Entries: 1	I too have been having this same issue, from a bag of reef crystals that had been left open for some time. I used the water twice, but decided I would rinse the bucket out. Earlier this evening I went to go mix up a batch of water and realized there were a bunch of these things inside the bucket! I thought I was going to have to drop change on new buckets, as I tasted the white orbs and they did not taste of salt, who knows exactly WHAT compound this is, but I'm sure I ingested some, and I'm not dead yet...lol I for some reason thought it was my bucket being ate away or something to that effect. I'm glad I'm not the only one to experience this phenomenon. __________________ Originally Posted by tmz "Now if I drink the vodka the colors do look much better than if I drink the vinegar."

07/24/2006, 04:19 AM	#13
Emster Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 2,364	Well guess what. My bucket was left open too and I had to chop it up with a screw driver. I have never had the salt get hard on me so i'm starting to think that it must have something to do with that. I should post this in the reef chemistry forum. Thanks guys for sharing your experiences, this is why I love reef central. If there is anyone else with similiar experiences please share. __________________ Emmett Jan. 09 TOTM Current Tank Info: 180 gal, Iwaki 70, 4-3/4" sea swirls, 3-400 watt Radiums, 4-80watt T-5's , custom Ca reactor, 1/3hp aqualogic chiller, i-Tech 400, Tunze osmolator