Water finally going in the tank.

[Byrd]

so im to the point of feeling my first ever saltwater tank. I mix 50g up for 24hrs using instant ocean reef mix but the water is extremely cloudy with a brown tint. It also left a brown residue in my mixing barrel. Did I do something wrong?

 

[Byrd]

Bump

 

[Victor_C3]

I haven’t used instant ocean since 2008, but that sounds about right with that particular variety of salt.

One of the things you get with a more expensive salt mix is a cleaner and quicker mix. I believe the brown film you mention is quite common.

If you’re just setting out and just getting your tank ready to cycle, everything should be just fine.

 

[R.Weller]

4 yrs with Instant Ocean & I've never had an issue. Is the water still cloudy overnight? What is the measured salinity?

 

[Byrd]

4 yrs with Instant Ocean & I've never had an issue. Is the water still cloudy overnight? What is the measured salinity?

Did 50g 0tds water slowly added salt over a 5min period with 3000gph of circulation. I let it mix for 24hrs and salinity was at 1.023. I went ahead and added to my tank and ran it through a cheese cloth as I pumped it in and the cloth turned brown and the water was still brownish this morning after being in the tank for 12hrs with no pumps running. I still have about 250g to still make so I started my next back yesterday and when I looked in my mixing barrel this morning, it was still cloudy after 12hrs of mixing but I didn't pay much attention to the color.

 

[R.Weller]

Did 50g 0tds water slowly added salt over a 5min period with 3000gph of circulation. I let it mix for 24hrs and salinity was at 1.023. I went ahead and added to my tank and ran it through a cheese cloth as I pumped it in and the cloth turned brown and the water was still brownish this morning after being in the tank for 12hrs with no pumps running. I still have about 250g to still make so I started my next back yesterday and when I looked in my mixing barrel this morning, it was still cloudy after 12hrs of mixing but I didn't pay much attention to the color.

The brown is unusual. It couldn't hurt to reach out to Instant Ocean w/ the batch number. I know they provide salt to many public aquariums, & brand recognition has value.