Cloudy Water After mixing Salt

[dochow]

Looking for a little input. I bought HW Marinemix Reefer salt about 18 months ago when I had my 75 gallon reef. I had no issues with cloudy water at that time when I mixed my 0 TDS RO/DI water with it.

I broke down my 75 a year ago, but recently started a new nano 2.6 gallon. Using my HW Marinemix Reefer salt has been cloudy now.

I’ve even “mixed” my salt up to make sure that heavier elements are not on the bottom and hopefully there is more uniformity of the elements in the salt.

Is the salt just old? Should I get new salt? Attached is a pic of exactly the salt I use.

 

[Coralreefer1]

Is it stored in a bag or bucket? Oxygen will degrade your salt as will contaminants in the air. I would oss it and buy new fresh salt. Actually, I would buy a 5 gallon bucket and take it to your local pet shop and buy it already made using RO/DI water. It’s usually a dollar or two a gallon. Takes the guess work out of mixing and storing saltwater.

 

[dochow]

It’s in a bag. I mix with my own RO/DI water and nearest pet shop is an hr+ away

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is it stored in a bag or bucket? Oxygen will degrade your salt as will contaminants in the air. I would oss it and buy new fresh salt. Actually, I would buy a 5 gallon bucket and take it to your local pet shop and buy it already made using RO/DI water. It’s usually a dollar or two a gallon. Takes the guess work out of mixing and storing saltwater.

What effect of O2 are you suggesting? I expect that oxygen has no impact on salt mix, unless you are worrying about converting, say, ferrous iron to ferric iron.

Moisture entering is the bigger concern, allowing formation of insoluble calcium carbonate, depleting alk and calcium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s in a bag. I mix with my own RO/DI water and nearest pet shop is an hr+ away

If when settled and clear, the alk is OK, the mix is good to go. The cloudiness is likely just calcium carbonate.

 

[dochow]

Thank you for responses. I think it’s insoluble calcium carbonate. It never clears up until I put in tank and it is filtered.

I think I may just buy some new salt, thoughts?