How to avoid Algea in Mixing Station?

[rpkneumann]

I’m using. 32 g Brute to mix saltwater and store it for a few weeks. Afte 2 weeks my brute developed quite a bit of algea on the walls.
Any suggestions on how to avoid this?

i did use the water for my water change and I’ll now clean it again with vinegar- water.

 

[ReefRondo]

Citric acid will clean that up really good. What salt are you using? Do you store the brute can in a dark place?

 

[rpkneumann]

M

Citric acid will clean that up really good. What salt are you using? Do you store the brute can in a dark place?

 

[rpkneumann]

Tropic Marin pro reef. In a cool pantry. Brute has a lid and then place is most of time dark. Water when stored is about 72 f.
The algae just started recently. Vinegar usually kills all algea. I’ll take a lemon to the surface after cleaning.

 

[ReefRondo]

Well TMPR is the cleanest salt I’ve ever used so that’s a great start. Sounds like you are doing everything correctly. When was the last time you checked your TDS of your RO water?

 

[rpkneumann]

Well TMPR is the cleanest salt I’ve ever used so that’s a great start. Sounds like you are doing everything correctly. When was the last time you checked your TDS of your RO water?

I check TDS every time I produce rodi water.
Measurement before DI stage is 7 to 9 output 0.
I store the rodi water in a separate 25 gallon tank. No algea in that tank.
I think I might have polluted the water when I mounted the heaters with my bare arms and hands.
I checked the timer of my Wyze plugs. (I use them to normally heat the water a day before I use it)
Looks like this time the heater kicked in 3 days before I actually was going to change the water. So it was a cozy 80 f for three days without circulation.
Btw.
Trying to clean the white brute turns out to not be easy. The algea is extremely hard to get rid of. Using a brush the top layer came off after some effort but there is a hint of dark still visible.
Neither citric acid not vinegar got rid of it all. I shy away from trying to use chlorine.
Or would that be an option?
Right now im letting the brute soak in vinegar water for few days to see if that dissolves the rest.

 

[ReefRondo]

I honestly found a strong concentration of critic acid (food grade) turned my mixing bin from a very rusty brown to pure white in about an hour just spraying the inside with a spray gun. I was quite shocked at how well it worked as vinegar has never worked that well for me. Is the inside of your bin totally smooth? I had a brute bin that I used for rock a few years ago and the algae got right in all of the scratches.

 

[rpkneumann]

Ok. I used lemon to try to clean.
I’ll look for some food grade citric acid. What concentration are you mixing?
The brute was brand new and only ever saw water in it.
I think it’s surface is very smooth. Use a natural bristle brush which shouldn’t scratch the surface.

 

[taliesin]

I switched from Vinegar to Citrix Acid about a year ago and what a difference it makes, plus you don't have that "smell" afterwards. I buy mine off of Amazon, it's generally about 15 to 20 bucks for a 5 lb bag, which has lasted me about 6 months. (2 tanks.. soon to be a 3rd next week)

 

[rpkneumann]

I switched from Vinegar to Citrix Acid about a year ago and what a difference it makes, plus you don't have that "smell" afterwards. I buy mine off of Amazon, it's generally about 15 to 20 bucks for a 5 lb bag, which has lasted me about 6 months. (2 tanks.. soon to be a 3rd next week)

What concentration do you mix? Powder/water

 

[homer1475]

Bleach is fine to use.

Just rinse well, and allow to fully dry. Chlorine off gases in about 24 hours.

I soak my filter socks and was them in nothing but bleach. Hang to dry and their good to go. Been doing that way for many years.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'd ignore it.

 

[taliesin]

I generally do a cup for 5 gallons. (Whether that's the correct measurement or not) I will let the chemists in the group say, but it works for me. All I know is that it saved a neglected skimmer that I was frustrated with.

 

[Brett S]

Brute has a lid and then place is most of time dark.

Algae can’t grow in the dark. This is why people do blackouts to get rid of nuisance algae. Either it’s not as dark as you think it is or that’s not algae. It could be a bacteria, or it could be some sort of residue from the salt or something else.

 

[homer1475]

White brutes let quite a bit of light through them.

 

[ReefRondo]

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how well the citric acid solution works for you. I do t measure it to be honest I just check loads in and dissolve it and it works great.