Is this mold/rust in my salt mixing barrel?

[Phycodurus]

i use a brute 20-gal barrel for my mixing station, and i’ve seen a patches of bacterial/algal film develop between cleanings. i’ve never thought of it as mold (can mold grow underwater?)

 

[Oldcoder]

I did not see this earlier but I have the exact same set up issue. Mine is much worse. My setup is also a 44 gallon brut, but set up in the basement pretty constant temperature at 65 degrees I do not heat it and only circulate when I am mixing the salt. I use use the Neptune for AWC so not concerned about the temperature. About once a month I disconnect the barrel and wash with bleach. It comes back in a couple weeks. I have also worried about it a lot. I was glad to see Randy say he was not concerned.
Would still interested in further input from others if anyone was able to get rid of it or figured out what it is looks like mold to me. I don’t get any visible in the RO barrel.

 

[JCOLE]

I did not see this earlier but I have the exact same set up issue. Mine is much worse. My setup is also a 44 gallon brut, but set up in the basement pretty constant temperature at 65 degrees I do not heat it and only circulate when I am mixing the salt. I use use the Neptune for AWC so not concerned about the temperature. About once a month I disconnect the barrel and wash with bleach. It comes back in a couple weeks. I have also worried about it a lot. I was glad to see Randy say he was not concerned.
Would still interested in further input from others if anyone was able to get rid of it or figured out what it is looks like mold to me. I don’t get any visible in the RO barrel.

It has not returned after cleaning the barrel. I also removed my heater after cleaning as well. Mine could have been some kind of bacteria from the heater. If it doesn't come back then that is what I am chalking it up to.

 

[LeftyReefer]

And this is why I stick to the $45 buckets of salt. haha.

 

[Ross Petersen]

I have the same stuff growing in a 20 gallon brute. Still water for ~ 2 weeks. Tropic Marin salt. Tempted to clean in full as it's pretty nasty... but hate the prospect of tossing $20 of water.

 

[JCOLE]

I haven't noticed it for 3 months now. This is only because I switched back to IORC. The bucket might have all that residue but no more mysterious black spots.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I haven't noticed it for 3 months now. This is only because I switched back to IORC. The bucket might have all that residue but no more mysterious black spots.

Why did you go back to Reef Crystals? Just curious, I run reef Crystals also. To be honest, I've had way better growth with it than TMP.

 

[Ross Petersen]

Compelling. Sounds like salt type may be a factor. My regular IO purple bucket salt brute container has no black growth... but my TM does. I use different salts at work vs home.

Hard to say with different variables but worth looking into.

 

[Brice Wagner]

I am also seeing this. I am going to keep using it I think since I have been using it and everything is fine. I don't think it's toxic and if the "stuff" thrived in my reef it would have been a problem by now. I'll let you know if the tank cashes.

 

[immaman2011]

Sorry to bring up a dead thread....but I have had my same brute trash can 55gal in basement with basement lights on constantly. The RO water always tests 0 for everything. I've had the same water sitting in there for almost 2 years without fully emptying. Also had some premixed saltwater buckets sitting down there, there were spots in those but it looked like rust. Since I use prime I wasn't worried about it and still used it. I think you accidentally introduced something to your water for it to mold up and stink. And I have my brute right between my washer and dryer. So not sure what happened but something got in there.

 

[immaman2011]

It has not returned after cleaning the barrel. I also removed my heater after cleaning as well. Mine could have been some kind of bacteria from the heater. If it doesn't come back then that is what I am chalking it up to.

I recommend heating up smaller buckets of premix salt water right before you do water changes. And keep the big one for plain RO water. That's what I've been doing and it's worked since I started doing it.