Newly Mixed Saltwater is SUPER Cloudy - AquaVitro Salinity

[Brit’s Fish]

So I switched salts after the whole Tropic Marin debacle and initially, I used up some Reef Crystals that I had left over. I decided to give AquaVitro Salinity a try at the recommendation of my LFS who uses it for some of their service clients. I just mixed up a batch of 40g of new saltwater last night but by the time I was done, it was pretty late and I decided to leave the actual water changes for today. (I have 4 tanks to work on today.) I made the mistake of letting the water continue to mix with a power head over night and now the water is SUPER cloudy. I didn’t realize the bucket says that you can use the water immediately and that excessive mixing can cause cloudiness. I also left a heater in overnight and it’s sitting at 75F.

Should I just dump this batch of water or is it okay to use & it will just clear up in the tanks?
Does anyone else have experience with this salt?

Another reason I left it overnight was because of how cloudy it is when you initially mix it too. There’s a gross film on the top of the water that I’m not used to seeing after using TM for quite some time. I haven’t been able to find a ton of reviews and my LFS isn’t open until Friday, so I can’t ask them. I feel like I made the wrong choice with this salt, but who knows…

 

[blaxsun]

I don't have any experience with this salt, and one of the reasons I switched to Tropic Marin was because I didn't like how the Red Sea Coral Pro salt mixed. You could try leaving it for a day or two to see if it clears up, but it will probably dilute to some extent if you add to your tank (how cloudy it would make the water or how long it might take to dissipate is anyone's guess though).

I still have some of my German Tropic Marin salt left, but if I needed to do a massive water change I would probably use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals (this is one of the more popular brands at my LFS).

 

[mindme]

So I switched salts after the whole Tropic Marin debacle and initially, I used up some Reef Crystals that I had left over. I decided to give AquaVitro Salinity a try at the recommendation of my LFS who uses it for some of their service clients. I just mixed up a batch of 40g of new saltwater last night but by the time I was done, it was pretty late and I decided to leave the actual water changes for today. (I have 4 tanks to work on today.) I made the mistake of letting the water continue to mix with a power head over night and now the water is SUPER cloudy. I didn’t realize the bucket says that you can use the water immediately and that excessive mixing can cause cloudiness. I also left a heater in overnight and it’s sitting at 75F.

Should I just dump this batch of water or is it okay to use & it will just clear up in the tanks?
Does anyone else have experience with this salt?

Another reason I left it overnight was because of how cloudy it is when you initially mix it too. There’s a gross film on the top of the water that I’m not used to seeing after using TM for quite some time. I haven’t been able to find a ton of reviews and my LFS isn’t open until Friday, so I can’t ask them. I feel like I made the wrong choice with this salt, but who knows…

Why is it a mistake to leave a powerhead on and keep it mixing? I always leave my powerheads on after mixing, sometimes for many days. Curious as to what mistake I'm making and if I need to stop doing that.

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I don't have any experience with this salt, and one of the reasons I switched to Tropic Marin was because I didn't like how the Red Sea Coral Pro salt mixed. You could try leaving it for a day or two to see if it clears up, but it will probably dilute to some extent if you add to your tank (how cloudy it would make the water or how long it might take to dissipate is anyone's guess though).

I still have some of my German Tropic Marin salt left, but if I needed to do a massive water change I would probably use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals (this is one of the more popular brands at my LFS).

Thank you!!
How’s it going with the German TM? I had heard rumbles of issues with the German version as well but to be honest, I’d prefer to use the German version than the Salinity. Or I will just go to Reef Crystals or Fritz.

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Why is it a mistake to leave a powerhead on and keep it mixing? I always leave my powerheads on after mixing, sometimes for many days. Curious as to what mistake I'm making and if I need to stop doing that.

So I normally do this as well and didn’t think anything of it. The only reason it’s an issue with this particular salt is that it’s mentioned on the bucket that excessive mixing will cause cloudiness. Never had this issue with any other salt.
And I know the directions say it’s okay to use but the water just looks disgusting and I wanted to be extra sure before I make a 40g mistake.

 

[blaxsun]

Thank you!!
How’s it going with the German TM? I had heard rumbles of issues with the German version as well but to be honest, I’d prefer to use the German version than the Salinity. Or I will just go to Reef Crystals or Fritz.

I've heard the same rumbles, but I think they're just idle rumours. The German salt I'm still using (without issue) dates back to last April or May. I'm fortunate in that i still have close to half a bucket and rarely perform water changes,

 

[damsels are not mean]

If excessive mixing causes cloudiness then how on earth is it gonna stay clear in a display tank full of powerheads?

 

[Rmckoy]

So I switched salts after the whole Tropic Marin debacle and initially, I used up some Reef Crystals that I had left over. I decided to give AquaVitro Salinity a try at the recommendation of my LFS who uses it for some of their service clients. I just mixed up a batch of 40g of new saltwater last night but by the time I was done, it was pretty late and I decided to leave the actual water changes for today. (I have 4 tanks to work on today.) I made the mistake of letting the water continue to mix with a power head over night and now the water is SUPER cloudy. I didn’t realize the bucket says that you can use the water immediately and that excessive mixing can cause cloudiness. I also left a heater in overnight and it’s sitting at 75F.

Should I just dump this batch of water or is it okay to use & it will just clear up in the tanks?
Does anyone else have experience with this salt?

Another reason I left it overnight was because of how cloudy it is when you initially mix it too. There’s a gross film on the top of the water that I’m not used to seeing after using TM for quite some time. I haven’t been able to find a ton of reviews and my LFS isn’t open until Friday, so I can’t ask them. I feel like I made the wrong choice with this salt, but who knows…

Really weird …
I’ve been using this salt for years .
And even mix it over night with a pump .
sometimes for a few days before getting to to actually doing the water change.

I have noticed the odd bucket leaves a brownish film on the sides .

if I mix and add it directly to the tank . The water in the tank will cloud ( possibly different alkalinity levels )

 

[mindme]

So I normally do this as well and didn’t think anything of it. The only reason it’s an issue with this particular salt is that it’s mentioned on the bucket that excessive mixing will cause cloudiness. Never had this issue with any other salt.
And I know the directions say it’s okay to use but the water just looks disgusting and I wanted to be extra sure before I make a 40g mistake.

Yeah, that's odd and scary to me.

 

[Cell]

If excessive mixing causes cloudiness then how on earth is it gonna stay clear in a display tank full of powerheads?

Extra proteins and whatnot in tank water that is not present in freshly mixed saltwater.

 

[Cell]

I never really understood this. How is the saltwater circulating in a container different than the same saltwater circulating in the tank. Somehow the extra nutrients in the water stabilize it or something?

Yes.

Organics and phosphate are very good at stopping abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate from seawater. They are absent in salt mixes. They get onto the growing crystal surface and block further precipitation.

Corals, in fact, control the shape of skeletons using organics to control where precipitation takes place.

In an experiment I did long ago, i found I was able to push alk super high in tank water if I added an organic designed for that purpose (sodium polyacrylate). The idea was that one might be table to keep a tank (or coral farm) at, say 20-30 dKH, and possibly get far faster growth of hard corals. I never tested it out with corals.

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m going to mix a batch of water tomorrow.
I’ll have to test parameters right away . Comparing to waiting as I normally do .

 

[damsels are not mean]

Extra proteins and whatnot in tank water that is not present in freshly mixed saltwater.

Seems odd, so the salt is bad to use in a pinch? Like if you're using it for a quick quarantine/observation tank or something you'd just have cloudy water? Just such a strange thing to have your salt do!

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I did have a small bucket mixed the other day which was rather cloudy also. I left the leftovers in the bucket overnight and the bottom of the bucket was completely white with a film on everything. Not sure what’s precipitating out of the salt but I was out of town last week and am behind on WCs. So I used about 30g just now and here are my 2 120s next to each other. The cloudiness will hopefully dissipate over the next day. Should I add Fritz Clarifier to help or some extra MB7?
There’s still a bunch of sediment at the bottom of the Brute can. This just makes me nervous…

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I’m going to mix a batch of water tomorrow.
I’ll have to test parameters right away . Comparing to waiting as I normally do .

Thank you! I’m glad to hear you’re using this salt though. Let me know what you find!
it’s hard to even test parameters with what I have since the water is so cloudy, I’m not sure I could tell anyways.

 

[Sean Clark]

I posed about this exact same issue with the same salt a while back. Turned out it my process that changed (making smaller batches) and when I adjusted my method for the smaller batch everything was crystal clear. I have used Aquavitro Salinity exclusively since 2016 and will continue to use it.

Thread 'More dirty salt?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/more-dirty-salt.892604/

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I posed about this exact same issue with the same salt a while back. Turned out it my process that changed (making smaller batched) and when I adjusted my method for the smaller batch everything was crystal clear. I have used Aquavitro Salinity exclusively since 2016 and will continue to use it.

Thread 'More dirty salt?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/more-dirty-salt.892604/

Thanks for linking this!!

 

[Rmckoy]

Every so often a bucket mixes dirtier. .
There was one a few years ago . Even left metallic flakes in the bottom of the mixing tote.
Could it be a old pump breaking down , or was there something in the salt ….. who knows .
but I will test parameters when i mix my new water .
It’s a new bucket too so hopefully clean

 

[Rmckoy]

8;00 pm water is finally finished running

in a 32 gal brute .

 

[Rmckoy]

8:15 I added aqua vitro salinity salt . But not as much as needed .
generally I add 6 scoops , test salinity and add roughly 2 more scoops later .
Scoop size is a 250 gram sour cream container ( equal to 1 1/3 cup )