Black dust formed on a heater, toxic?

[Fishingandreefing]

I had an aqueon pro heater in a brute to mix water and noticed the bucket was dirty after couple of months so I did a clean up and it was all nasty to include the heater.

Then I used it in a clean container to cure the dry rocks for only couple of weeks, then it formed the same dusty like black stuffs on the heater. I have two jeaers heaters I didn’t use initially because it seems they are hotter

what’s going? I have two other heaters in my current 120 and will check it on Sunday when doing water changes.


anyone had this issue or heard of it?

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

What kind of salt are you using? I use red sea coral pro and I find the heater in my QT tank (aqueon preset) always gets a crust on it although although its lighter in colour that what yours shows. I just assumed the heaters warm surface was causing the higher dkh values to precipitate out on the heaters body. Thats just a theory though, I have no idea if thats even possible but I know salts with higher values are more prone to precipitation.

 

[homer1475]

Looks like the typical brown crud people see from IORC.

 

[TriggerFinger]

I have 4 of these heaters, one I use for mixing. I’ve not noticed anything that dark. I’ve only had a white substance stick to it, which I think was precipitate from pouring in too much salt at once. What kind of salt mix do you use? I use the blue box of Fritz.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I have 4 of these heaters, one I use for mixing. I’ve not noticed anything that dark. I’ve only had a white substance stick to it, which I think was precipitate from pouring in too much salt at once. What kind of salt mix do you use? I use the blue box of Fritz.

Coralife but I used left over instant ocean to cure my rocks with the same results. Hopefully my other two aqueon pros are not like that.

 

[homer1475]

Not the heater, it's from the salt.

IO and IORC even more so have this brown crud. Perfectly fine to use.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Not the heater, it's from the salt.

IO and IORC even more so have this brown crud. Perfectly fine to use.

Cool. Will def do a test on just tap or rodi for the curiosity.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Just want to give an update as I did my water change today and the same heater in the sump does NOT form the black dust. Wonder if only that heater?

 

[35ppt]

Redacted

 

[Flippers4pups]

Just wondering why some of you have this "brown crud" when using IO. I have never had this happen and I've been using IO for decades. Weird. There's got to be a answer for it.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I agree with @homer1475, It has nothing to do with the heater. If you swap the heaters the one from the tank will do the same thing. I've not used that specific salt brand but the photos remind me of when I used to use Instant Ocean, same thing would happen.

But my display is using same salt mix as in the bucket. So is that mean the “system” absorbed it before it forms on the heater? I am confused.

Also, they are somewhat common but are they toxic? No one seems to answer this yet

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Just wondering why some of you have this "brown crud" when using IO. I have never had this happen and I've been using IO for decades. Weird. There's got to be a answer for it.

I think I had that too. Rodi was always zero and worse was under 3

 

[35ppt]

Redacted

 

[Fishingandreefing]

The brown crud is something many people see when mixing some salts, usually IO or IO RC. This dose not occur in the tank. What is it and why does it happen? I don't know. I have been told that it's just an "anti-caking" agent. But that doesn't explain why is happened in my barrel and not in @Flippers4pups. When I used IO I just put up with it and cleaned out my mixing barrel on a regular basis. My ultimate reason for switching away from IO was because I got a box of IO with crazy high parameters, 18 dKH Alk and 750 ppm or more Ca. Precipitated like crazy when you try to mix up a batch. I complain and they send out a new box and that box's parameters were off as well. I forget the figures, low alkalinity and high calcium IIRC. After that I switched to HW.

Got you. I am using coralife and it’s happening with that heater. I used to use IO too

 

[homer1475]

I get very little of it with regular IO, and after it mixes for 48 hours it pretty much dissipates.

This is more of a problem with IORC.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I get very little of it with regular IO, and after it mixes for 48 hours it pretty much dissipates.

This is more of a problem with IORC.

I mean the mix was clear but it’s just got that stuff on it over the period of maybe a month or so.

 

[homer1475]

Just pulled a power head and wiped it off quick just to show it's from the salt. I have no heater in this barrel, just a couple PH's to mix.

 

[homer1475]

I can actually see the brown crud floating on my water. But as I mentioned earlier, it dissipates after 48 hours of mixing, but does stay on the sides of the barrel, and PH's.

Not really an issue with IO, but it is significantly more in reef crystals. I have also read it was an anti caking agent. Been using IO for years with 0 issue and the brown crud.

 

[Spieg]

I believe some of the darker colored buildup is probably bacteria, algae or mold in the mixing container. When you remove chlorine from water (which is added to kill these things in the first place), add salt mix, add heat, let it sit for a length of time, it's a perfect place for these things to live.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Just pulled a power head and wiped it off quick just to show it's from the salt. I have no heater in this barrel, just a couple PH's to mix.

Hmmmmm as long as they are not toxic, I guess I will wipe it down monthly or so.