SEACHEM SALINITY Salt Users - Please Help - Got some but Very Concerned about Using it - Some Odd t

[that Reef Guy]

So my Frag Tank Alkalinity keeps Rising.

It is currently at 11.4 and I am trying to lower it to acceptable levels.

But when I make Reef Crystals the Alkalinity is at 13.7 so that will only make things worse.

So I got a Small Bucket of Salinity by Seachem from my LFS to try because it is supposed to have Lower Alkalinity than Reef Crystals.

And it does as I measure it at 9.8

Now the Problems

1. It is Super Cloudy so I am very concerned about using it.
2. When I added the Salt to the RO Water it actually burned me - much like the Seachem Calcium Powder does.
3. Every time I mix it it Smells like something is Burning in the Room.
4. The Salt itself looks odd. Reef Crystals and Instant Ocean both have all very fine grains of salt that are uniform. Salinity has fine grains like that too but also a bunch of larger grains of salt.

I included some pics to show you my Concerns.

Now Reef Crystals mixus up Clear within a Few Minutes.
But after 40 Minutes the Salinity Salt is still very Cloudy.

Do you guys have the same things happening as me or do I have a bad batch?

Alkalinity 9.8
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1335

Picture #1 - Mixed up a Bucket of Salinity (Note how Cloudy it is - You cannot even see the Heater in the Bucket) on the Left and Reef Crystals on the Right - Both were made at the same time.
Picture #2 - Seachem Salinity Salt - (Note the Larger Particles Sizes - I have never seen Salt like this before).
Picture #3 - Reef Crystals Salt

 

[BlueZreef]

Do some searching, everyone freaks out about salinity salt but it's normal. It does get hot like a chem reaction when added to water and stays cloudy (and smells kinda sulfur like). I always mixed in a Brute with power heads for several hours before it would clear up. Get some agitation going in the bucket and it should clear up.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Do some searching, everyone freaks out about salinity salt but it's normal. It does get hot like a chem reaction when added to water and stays cloudy (and smells kinda sulfur like). I always mixed in a Brute with power heads for several hours before it would clear up. Get some agitation going in the bucket and it should clear up.

Does the Salt typically look like my picture (Bigger Particles unlike Reef Crystals which is all very fine particles)?

 

[BetURWrasse]

As stated above just keep a power head on it for a few hours. I mix my salinity in 25 gallon batches and let it mix for a day. Cloudiness goes away.

 

[Piranhapat]

I have used they salt for a few years. Everything you have said is normal. You also will get a hard build up in bucket and on pump. Also color could be brown or white to gray. Cloudy water clears ups. A little trick that will help is adding the power Very slowly when pouring it into bucket. Wait a few minutes to add next scoop of salt. I stop using it because LFS had to order it and price went up. But its an excellent salt. I wish I was able to still get that salt for the price I was getting it.

 

[Zacco]

I use Salinity in my tanks. And I have nothing negative to say about it. Love the stuff and so do my corals. Cloudiness will clear up. Takes a little long than other salts because it's more concentrated. A half level cup is spot on 1.026.
I know it says not to use an air stone, but I've always used air stones in my mixing buckets. Course of habit.

 

[that Reef Guy]

As stated above just keep a power head on it for a few hours. I mix my salinity in 25 gallon batches and let it mix for a day. Cloudiness goes away.

I read that you have to use this Salt withing 4 Hours of making it.

I don't know why but that is what I read.

I do not get it either?

I have heard of people mixing up Reef Crystals and using it a couple weeks later with no problems at all.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I have used they salt for a few years. Everything you have said is normal. You also will get a hard build up in bucket and on pump. Also color could be brown or white to gray. Cloudy water clears ups. A little trick that will help is adding the power Very slowly when pouring it into bucket. Wait a few minutes to add next scoop of salt. I stop using it because LFS had to order it and price went up. But its an excellent salt. I wish I was able to still get that salt for the price I was getting it.

Do your corals like it and look better/grow faster under it compared to other brands like others tell me it does?

 

[cjblatchford]

A half level cup is spot on 1.026.

To what quantity of water? 5 gallons?

 

[Zacco]

I like the salt because it is pretty spot on in - ph / alk / cal/ mag /and strontium parameters. I find myself always adding a 2 part alk and cal. supplement when using "other salts" to bring it within the correct parameters we are striving for in reef tanks. Salinity also prints their batch analysis right on the container. My corals look and seem to be in better health since I switched to salinity.

 

[Zacco]

SeaChem not only tests their batches at their facilities, but they send it to a third party lab For analysis also.

 

[Zacco]

A half level cup is spot on 1.026.

To what quantity of water? 5 gallons?

half a cup = 1 gallon @ 1.026

 

[BetURWrasse]

From aquavitro:

salinity™
Q: I am using your new salt, salinity™, and am having a hard time getting the same parameters listed on your guaranteed analysis. I am mixing my saltwater to 1.025 specific gravity. Your label guarantees 410mg/L for calcium but when I test, I only get 385mg/L. Am I doing something wrong?

A: When our batch samples are sent off to the lab to be analyzed, the guaranteed values are at a salinity of 35ppt. We do not use the measurement of specific gravity because this measurement is temperature dependent. While your specific gravity is 1.025, this does not mean that your salinity is up to 35ppt. It is best to use a temperature compensated refractometer and measure in terms of ppt in order to achieve accurate parameters.

Q: I recently switched over to using the salinity™ salt and after mixing, even a couple of days later, it remains cloudy. I currently add salt to a 35 gallon drum of RO water until I have reached a salinity of 35ppt. I am using a heater and a strong powerhead in order to mix it more thoroughly. I typically mix my saltwater on Friday for a Sunday water change. Is there something I can do to prevent the cloudiness?

A: It is completely normal for some batches of salinity™ to mix up more cloudy than others. This is due to more elevated levels of certain elements, in particular, calcium and alkalinity. Please rest assured that this cloudiness will not harm any of your inhabitants, corals, etc. and should dissipate very quickly. We use the salinity™ here at Seachem and there are times when we cannot let it mix for 24 hours, and have to use it within several hours of mixing. Though cloudy initially, within thirty minutes to an hour of putting it in the tanks, it is crystal clear.

Furthermore, based on our observations, the salt clouds more as the water temp increases. Also, mixing the salt more than 24 hours causes a decrease in alkalinity and pH. This is somewhat expected as the increase in CO2 (more so with excessive agitation) causes a pH shift downward and can also cause precipitation of some of the components, namely calcium and carbonates.

For best results, make salinity™ up at room temperature (22 to 25 degrees Centigrade). Stir well until thoroughly dissolved. salinity™ is then ready for immediate use. Excessive mixing may result in cloudiness, due to carbon dioxide absorption. Cloudiness will dissipate when the salinity™ solution is added to the aquarium.

 

[myzislow]

everything you mentioned is directly inline and completely normal for Salinity.

 

[that Reef Guy]

SeaChem not only tests their batches at their facilities, but they send it to a third party lab For analysis also.

Why don't they send the PH and Alkalinity to a Third Party Lab?

And why on earth would you put Copper in Salt that is when Copper Kills Everything that is not a Fish?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Why don't they send the PH and Alkalinity to a Third Party Lab?

And why on earth would you put Copper in Salt that is when Copper Kills Everything that is not a Fish?

pH after mixing depends only on the alkalinity and the CO2 level in the air. They have no control over the pH since they have no control over your CO2 level, and thus should not even make any claim about it, IMO.

I wouldn't be sure they add copper just because it is a listed component since it might come in as an impurity in other ingredients, but copper is a necessary trace element in seawater. Without any, most creatures will not survive. The level they claim is not unusually high relative to seawater.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I like the salt because it is pretty spot on in - ph / alk / cal/ mag /and strontium parameters. I find myself always adding a 2 part alk and cal. supplement when using "other salts" to bring it within the correct parameters we are striving for in reef tanks. Salinity also prints their batch analysis right on the container. My corals look and seem to be in better health since I switched to salinity.

You've found a salt mix that requires alkalinity? Which one? Most are very high, and I've never seen one below natural seawater levels.

Normal Instant Ocean is the only one I know of that is on the low side of calcium. Most have excessive calcium to begin with.

 

[Piranhapat]

I have never lost one SPS while using that salt. Another reason why I'm upset. You can't buy it online. ONLY LFS can sell it. So I had to order it through LFS and the price went sky high. It's a SHAME. Excellent Salt.

 

[fishroomlady]

I use salinity and I will comment that the grains are small and similar to other salts - the larger pieces in the op's picture is different than mine. I like it because I can mix it up and use it because I don't have storage containers to mix my salt and prefer to use within about 4 hours of making. It does heat up when you mix it in, that was weird to get used to. After a little time, the cloudiness does go away.