How to prevent a dirty mixing tank!?

zcedric · Dec 9, 2017

Good Night Reef2Reef

I discovered a new problem on my Mixing Tank. The inside walls are really dirty. I am not sure if it is some kind of algea or dirt from the salt. I use Mega Sea, premium reef salt. The tank is completely black and has no access to light for growing algea. I use also a fan and a heater in this tank. Water is hold on about 75/77F. I use a lid witch is 98% on the tank.

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of it because I just cleaned it nicely out.

Thanks if someone has a tip or the same problem?

DLHDesign · Dec 9, 2017

Sounds like calcium residue, I think - fairly common if so. Good to clean it out from time to time, but nothing really to worry about, I don't think. Heating the water exacerbates the formation of it some, but that's usually a point of the mixing tank (to get the water up to temp).

JOKER · Dec 9, 2017

I think precipitate is normal when mixing any salt. Most are brown, and is worse when heating. I know I have plenty in my tank which is 60 gallons. It settles after mixing. Mine is an AWC container that I clean about once a year, and I haven't noticed any problems. I don't heat my water.

reefwiser · Dec 9, 2017

Its from the organics and clay used to keep Bucket salts from clumping. All of the premixed buckets salts have to use an agent to keep the Sodium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate from clumping together. Every get a bucket of salt that was solid.

Well moisture caused that to happen due to a bad mix of salt. I just use ESV salt now days so I make sure every batch of salt I mix is the same.

Fin · Dec 9, 2017

I keep a small reactor (with a MaxiJet pump) filled with a little filter floss and carbon running inside of my barrel 24/7. My water and barrel stay pretty clean. I just took this pic and last time I cleaned it was in the spring.

zcedric · Dec 9, 2017

reefwiser said:
Its from the organics and clay used to keep Bucket salts from clumping. All of the premixed buckets salts have to use an agent to keep the Sodium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate from clumping together. Every get a bucket of salt that was solid. Well moisture caused that to happen due to a bad mix of salt. I just use ESV salt now days so I make sure every batch of salt I mix is the same.

Thank you for this information. Good to know. No it never happen to me taht i have a solid bucket of salt. haha I am lucky

Fin said:
I keep a small reactor (with a MaxiJet pump) filled with a little filter floss and carbon running inside of my barrel 24/7. My water and barrel stay pretty clean. I just took this pic and last time I cleaned it was in the spring.

omg this is super clean! that a good idea. I have a jet/fan in the bucket but it somehow still ends up on my walls. It is a good idea to have a carbon running. I may consider this idea.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 9, 2017

What you get inside a mixing container depends on the mix.

I'm not familiar with the mix you are using so cannot say, but for normal Instant Ocean and a few others (e.g., Red Sea Coral Pro), the precipitate is white calcium carbonate. It can be entirely prevented by adding muriatic acid to reduce the alkalinity and pH, but I never saw that as desirable.

With Reef Crystals, there is a brownish residue. I'm not sure what it is, but it may relate to the vitamins and other additives in it that are not in normal IO, or it may be bacteria consuming he vitamins (or a combination of these possibilities).

I discuss these and other precipitates here:

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.htm