Which Salt Mix Stores the Best?

BanjoBandito · Mar 28, 2022

I'm almost done setting up the larger tank, and I'm through my existing salt mix, I have a bucket of reef crystals at home, but if I wanted to pre-mix and store saltwater, does anyone have experience with which salt mix keeps the best?

DeepintheReef · Mar 28, 2022

BRS did a video on this a while back. For what is worth I was using Instant Ocean for my maintenance accounts and never had an issue with water sitting in storage tanks as long as there was some movement from a pump or powered

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 28, 2022

Best salt mixes for storage are those with no organics like vitamins, and possibly low alk (if dropping alk is a concern as calcium carbonate precipitates slowly over time).

BanjoBandito · Mar 28, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Best salt mixes for storage are those with no organics like vitamins, and possibly low alk (if dropping alk is a concern as calcium carbonate precipitates slowly over time).

This is my concern Randy. Is the reef crystals precipitating out ALK, Ca, etc. if let to sit.

I’m ultimately going to rig up an auto change system I believe which means I will just be making salt in batches instead of on demand.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 28, 2022

High alk mixes do often precipitate over time. I had lots of CaCO3 precipitate over the years with normal IO, but I just ignored it.

BanjoBandito · Mar 28, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
High alk mixes do often precipitate over time. I had lots of CaCO3 precipitate over the years with normal IO, but I just ignored it.

Maybe I'll just play scientist and test it a few times prior to using after storing for awhile. I like my ALK around 9, but I don't know if there's any salt out there that will hold that ALK when stored? Not sure. I got all these reef crystals though (200 gallon bucket for 29 bucks! kakaw!) so I'll probably use it up.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 28, 2022

Reef Crystals had the organics problem, IMO. If you think they are useful, that will decline over time. My concern is the water becoming anaerobic from bacterial metabolism if them if not aerated.

Devaji · Mar 28, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Reef Crystals had the organics problem, IMO. If you think they are useful, that will decline over time. My concern is the water becoming anaerobic from bacterial metabolism if them if not aerated.

I am in the same boat as OP need to get my AWC/mixing station up this spring.
so if I understand you correctly normal IO does not need to be air rated/ power head but IORC does?
there will be a drop of alk in IO but that is OK as it quite high?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 28, 2022

Devaji said:
I
so if I understand you correctly normal IO does not need to be air rated/ power head but IORC does?
there will be a drop of alk in IO but that is OK as it quite high?

The first is my opinion about aeration after the initial mixing, yes.

The second is also correctly my opinion on using IO over time. If you do larger water changes, you might notice the alk effect in the tank, so be aware of that.

Devaji · Mar 28, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
The first is my opinion about aeration after the initial mixing, yes.

The second is also correctly my opinion on using IO over time. If you do larger water changes, you might notice the alk effect in the tank, so be aware of that.

thanks Randy for clearing that up for me.

rtparty · Mar 28, 2022

homer1475 · Mar 28, 2022

I store regular purple box IO for about a month at a time. I drop the ALK (down to 7.5)with muriatic acid when mixing. In that month, I may loose .5DKH, give or take a point.

BanjoBandito · Mar 28, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Reef Crystals had the organics problem, IMO. If you think they are useful, that will decline over time. My concern is the water becoming anaerobic from bacterial metabolism if them if not aerated.

OK so airstone and powerhead for storage, and the reef crystals will have the "added stuffs" decay out over time? Sorry, I'm a blockhead. I am just confirming my understandings.

homer1475 · Mar 28, 2022

FWIW, after initial mixing, I do not heat(also mix with room temp RO/DI, no extra heat added), nor move the water with any type of pump or PH. It just sits in my brute. Been doing it that way for many years with 0 issues.

BanjoBandito · Mar 28, 2022

homer1475 said:
FWIW, after initial mixing, I do not heat(also mix with room temp RO/DI, no extra heat added), nor move the water with any type of pump or PH. It just sits in my brute. Been doing it that way for many years with 0 issues.

Maybe I'll grab a box of IO then. I can flip this bucket of reef crystals pretty quick me thinks.

homer1475 · Mar 28, 2022

BanjoBandito said:
Maybe I'll grab a box of IO then. I can flip this bucket of reef crystals pretty quick me thinks.

Just be aware the ALK mixes pretty high(not as high as IORC), as well as MAG. I have never needed to add MAG to my tank as my weekly WC's keeps it around 1500.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 28, 2022

BanjoBandito said:
OK so airstone and powerhead for storage, and the reef crystals will have the "added stuffs" decay out over time? Sorry, I'm a blockhead. I am just confirming my understandings.

That’s the concern, yes.

BanjoBandito · Mar 28, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
That’s the concern, yes.

Thank you Randy!

BanjoBandito · Mar 28, 2022

homer1475 said:
Just be aware the ALK mixes pretty high(not as high as IORC), as well as MAG. I have never needed to add MAG to my tank as my weekly WC's keeps it around 1500.

Ya, never had a Mg problem. I'll watch the ALK though. Thank you.