Salt not fully mixing

[Landenb20]

So I’ve been using instant ocean sea salt for a little bit and it seems like it’s not really mixing. It mixes in to it being sort of clear but when you look closer you can see salt crystals still floating in the water. I’ve got it mixing in a small bucket (for Pico tank) with a power head that’s 500gph so it should be mixing. Can someone help please?!!!

 

[Rmckoy]

Do you use a heater in the mixing bucket ?
Did you add the water first and add salt later ?
I have found with a few salts if you add the salt first and pour the water on it will leave salt crystals

 

[Landenb20]

Do you use a heater in the mixing bucket ?
Did you add the water first and add salt later ?
I have found with a few salts if you add the salt first and pour the water on it will leave salt crystals

Yes i poured the salt in after the water. And no I don’t have a heater in the bucket. Should I?

 

[DaneGer21]

How long are you mixing for?

 

[Landenb20]

Well I’m mixing right now so it’s been about 20 minutes or so. It usually mixes very quick

 

[Rmckoy]

I use salinity ( aqua vitro )
I normally mix 24 hours or over night at min

 

[DaneGer21]

Well I’m mixing right now so it’s been about 20 minutes or so. It usually mixes very quick

Oh, to be honest, I recommend mixing for at least 12hrs, preferably 24hrs. Then again, I make 110gals at a time. And as mentioned above, I also prefer mixing with a heater.

 

[Landenb20]

Oh, to be honest, I recommend mixing for at least 12hrs, preferably 24hrs. Then again, I make 110gals at a time. And as mentioned above, I also prefer mixing with a heater.

Okay well I’ve got a heater in the bucket now and I’ll see how it’s doing tomorrow morning

 

[Uncle99]

I don’t heat, this can lead to small precipitation in many mixes.
For me, my 62 degree F saltwater at 10-15% may reduce my DT temp by 2 degrees to only 76, so no value for me to heat that.

I make, mix and deploy within 24hrs.

 

[Jeffcb]

Yes i poured the salt in after the water. And no I don’t have a heater in the bucket. Should I?

Yes you need a heater. Salinity dose not change with temperature but the readings you get from the way you measure it will. You want to get your readings at the temp you will be adding it to the tank.

 

[redeyejedi]

Okay well I’ve got a heater in the bucket now and I’ll see how it’s doing tomorrow morning

Id check the bucket for mixing times. I use coral pro salt and that says not to mix for more than 4hrs

 

[zcedric]

Not sure about that! Density changes with heat/cool so will the salinity go up or down.

Anyway, heat up to 76-78, salt will dilute easier with heat and also mix for 12/24h before using it in the tank.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hey all,

Sounds like you are doing things right. Give it the recommended time to mix, make sure you match temp and salinity before adding and you should be fine.

I have used several salts over the years. Though I do not recommend this, I have left salt stirring in a brute for days before doing the water change and have used it as soon as the time on the instructions is up. The longer it sits, salinity may raise due to evaporation but easily fixed with ro top off. Also alk and ph may change,

As far as temp, Randy just addressed this. So good timing

How cold is too cold to mix salt?

As the title states I’m curious on how cold is too cold to mix salt. I have a fish room that I heat to about 70-72° and I have my rodi and mixing station in there. Do I have to heat the water to my desired 78° before I mix or is that 70-72° okay? I know salinity varies with temperature. I was...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[wonroc]

Get better salt. Tropic marin is best. When you spend thousands on coral and tanks you can spend 100 bucks on a large bucket of TM

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The new water is likely fine. Just let the fine particles of useless calcium carbonate settle out. High alk mixes typically have some calcium carbonate precipitate, and that is not a problem, IMO.


What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Figure 1. The residue on the bottom of the plastic trash can that I use to mix Instant Ocean. I rarely clean it out. The solid is most likely calcium carbonate.​

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Not sure about that! Density changes with heat/cool so will the salinity go up or down.

Anyway, heat up to 76-78, salt will dilute easier with heat and also mix for 12/24h before using it in the tank.

No. Salinity never changes with temperature. 35 ppt = 35 ppt at any temperature.

Temperature does impact many of the ways we measure salinity (density/specific gravity, refractive index, conductivity) and if the device you are using does not automatically compensate for the temperature change, you need to do that manually.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Id check the bucket for mixing times. I use coral pro salt and that says not to mix for more than 4hrs

That is due to its potential to precipitate calcium carbonate if the stirrer heats the water too much (its not from the act of stirring). It's true of any high alk mix.

 

[LeftyReefer]

Some salts tell you not to over-mix. Pretty sure Red Sea actually states to not mix more than 4 hours.

I think people tend to over-mix and over-heat their salt water leading to precipitation.

 

[zcedric]

right

No. Salinity never changes with temperature. 35 ppt = 35 ppt at any temperature.

Temperature does impact many of the ways we measure salinity (density/specific gravity, refractive index, conductivity) and if the device you are using does not automatically compensate for the temperature change, you need to do that manually.

Right! I guess i said it wrong.
It will be different depending on the device your using. That's why it is important to use the right device at the right temperature.

 

[Jeffcb]

Tips and tricks here.... mix at 68 degrees.