Cloudy while mixing salt in bucket - but not tank?

[dburt520]

This is something Ive always been curious about...

Why does RODI mixing with salt become cloudy in a bucket in 30+ minutes, but in a tank that is "mixing" 24/7 not?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

The cloudiness is the salt that hasn't mixed with the water yet. It should clear up in your bucket after it has mixed for a while. What are you mixing with and for how long?

 

[dburt520]

It's actually opposite, around the 20 minute mark it is crystal clear, and registers 1.026, if I came back an hour later it is very cloudy but also measures 1.026.

I have been using Fritz for the past year now but just ordered a bucket and going back to Tropic Marin now it appears to be more readily available locally.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

That's odd, I'm not sure what's causing that but it's not normal ime. are you using a pump to mix up the water? Also imo 20 to 30 mins isn't long enough to mix saltwater (I'm not sure if that's what your doing or not), few hours minimum.

 

[dburt520]

Yes, using a pump mixing 5G at a time. Even Fritz reccomended to not leave in bucket for longer than 30 minutes before using it.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Even Fritz reccomended to not leave in bucket for longer than 30 minutes before using it.

They recommend a 2 hour mixing time. I don’t have any issues with fritz clouding up after the initial mix. I also don’t heat the water until I’m ready to do a water change. I’ve kept saltwater in my mixing container for up to a week without issue. Have you tried thoroughly cleaning out your bucket? I get a little bit of a slimy coating if I don’t clean the containers out regularly.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

The cloudiness is the salt that hasn't mixed with the water yet. It should clear up in your bucket after it has mixed for a while. What are you mixing with and for how long?

I got the same issue even after a day or two but it all crystal clear in tank after water change. I guess the tank has mechanical or natural filters?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Yes, using a pump mixing 5G at a time. Even Fritz reccomended to not leave in bucket for longer than 30 minutes before using it.

That seems odd that they would recommend 30 mins, does it say that on your bucket??

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

It's actually opposite, around the 20 minute mark it is crystal clear, and registers 1.026, if I came back an hour later it is very cloudy but also measures 1.026.

I have been using Fritz for the past year now but just ordered a bucket and going back to Tropic Marin now it appears to be more readily available locally.

I quit using Fritz for exactly that reason.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

@Randy Holmes-Farley any thoughts on this one?

 

[dburt520]

Oddly enough, today I used a brand new bucket, but it has done it in the past with an old bucket as well.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Yes, using a pump mixing 5G at a time. Even Fritz reccomended to not leave in bucket for longer than 30 minutes before using it.

So by that logic why would you leave it in your tank....

 

[dburt520]

So by that logic why would you leave it in your tank....

Well sir, that is why I am here asking this question to inquire.

Thanks!

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

There is a simple answer here : ) Switch salts.... I did and my Life got easier Below is what I am using now. All of the problems you have described on this thread went away when I switched : )

Thos is what I use now.

 

[dburt520]

I am making the switch back to Tropic Marin as stated above, was just curious what would cause this issue.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

There is a simple answer here : ) Switch salts.... I did and my Life got easier Below is what I am using now. All of the problems you have described on this thread went away when I switched : )

Thos is what I use now.

How did it make life easier? I'm of the opinion that all salts are the same, they just have different Cal Alk mag and trace element #s (so it'll be tough to get me to buy an expensive salt)

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

How did it make life easier? I'm of the opinion that all salts are the same, they just have different Cal Alk mag and trace element #s (so it'll be tough to get me to buy an expensive salt)

How did it make my life easier? I have a 55 gallon barrel I make water in... when I was using Fritz, I always felt like I had to clean my barrel and everything in it. Sooooooo many precipitates.. From the moment I changed salt, that problem went away. My barrel stays clean... the Red Sea salt dissolves... almost instantly.. almost no precipitates. ...that’s all

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

How did it make life easier? I'm of the opinion that all salts are the same, they just have different Cal Alk mag and trace element #s (so it'll be tough to get me to buy an expensive salt)

You know, we all like to think that since we all use RODI systems these days that the water we use to mix with is all the same. I don’t believe that. My water comes from one hole in the ground.... your water comes from a different hole in the ground. We each have trace elements that are different. Switching away from Fritz worked for me : )

 

[xxkenny90xx]

How did it make my life easier? I have a 55 gallon barrel I make water in... when I was using Fritz, I always felt like I had to clean my barrel and everything in it. Sooooooo many precipitates.. From the moment I changed salt, that problem went away. My barrel stays clean... the Red Sea salt dissolves... almost instantly.. almost no precipitates. ...that’s all

Ah gotcha. I hear the same thing about reef crystals (brown residue) but I have always cleaned my brute can after every water change so haven't noticed any.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This is something Ive always been curious about...

Why does RODI mixing with salt become cloudy in a bucket in 30+ minutes, but in a tank that is "mixing" 24/7 not?

There are several reasons that precipitation of calcium carbonate is faster in raw seawater than in an aquarium even with similar alk, calcium, and magnesium.

IMO, the most important are phosphate and organics that will rapidly bind to any freshly formed calcium carbonate surfaces, poisoning them (that's a chemist term, but it means messing up the surface structure) so that it does not act as a seed for more precipitation.

I've tested this myself with organics i selected for this purpose (polyacrylic acid, sodium salt) , and it allowed me to push the alk and calcium and pH of a tank water sample far higher before precipitation took place.