Why is my newly mixed saltwater dirty??

fox0521 · Feb 21, 2021

I’ve noticed my newly mixed saltwater having some brown “stuff” in it lately. Tried rinsing and wiping away the brown build up on the walls of the container (nfs brute can), but it came back after a couple mixes. The last water change I did on my 55 g seemed to tick off my Duncan and hammer which is really why I’m here, I want to avoid any damage! They were fine after a day and no fish showed signs of distress but I’d still like to discuss!

main concerns/questions: why the brown “stuff”? Is it harmful? Can I prevent it? Any idea why my Duncan and hammer reacted poorly to my last water change?

so! Here’s some info:

first, I use instant ocean sea salt or reef crystals (been back and forth as I got buckets of each when buying equipment). home RODI system test 0 TDS. I have mixed with an air pump in the past, (very vigorous mixing!) however I’m using a powerhead right now. The water smells fine and is not discolored when in a clear plastic pitcher. Salt is definitely dissolved. This particular batch pictured below, has been mixing for 7 days. Typically I mix and use within 48 hours, however I wanted to see if longer mixing affected this at all!

55 g stocked with 2 clowns, 1 banggai, and 1 gold head goby. Mixed corals (including the Duncan and hammer I mentioned). 5 months old.
Nitrate 20 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
O2 6
KH 11.6
Temp 77.7
Salinity 1.026
Calcium 537
Mg 1580
Phosphates .25
Silicate .25

130g stocked with 2 clowns, scopas tang, purple tang, peppermint shrimp, fighting conch. Mixed corals. 3 months old.
Nitrate 3 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
pH 7.8
Ammonia 0
O2 7
KH 8.9
Temp 79.4
Salinity 1.026
Calcium 572
My 1680
Phosphates 0
Silicate 0

newly mixed saltwater
Nitrates 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
O2 7
KH 12.5
Temp 77.3
Salinity 1.026
Calcium 510
Mg 174
Phosphates 0
Silicate 0

Gtinnel · Feb 21, 2021

With reef cryatals, and probably other salt mixes, it is a well know fact that they will leave a brown residue in your mixing container. It isn't anything wrong with your batch of salt, and it won't cause any issues with your tank. Mine gets way worse than your pictures before I take my mixing station apart and clean the brute container out.

I've read some people say that it is an anticaking agent but others say it isn't, so who know why it leaves a brown residue. I just recommend cleaning it out of your container periodically and don't worry about it. Or you can switch to a more expensive salt brand that doesn't have it.

I don't know why your corals were unhappy but I guarantee it's not because of the residue that your salt has, if it were there would be many, many similar cases with others using instant ocean salt.

Vergilius · Feb 21, 2021

I have the same issue with Reef Crystals. I think it is a precipitate.

I find that if I don't heat the water until after 24 hrs... no precipitate.

Gtinnel · Feb 21, 2021

Vergilius said:
I find that if I don't heat the water until after 24 hrs... no precipitate.

I never heat my water and it doesn't change that it covers the bottom of my container, so I don't think its heat related.

Mike konesky · Feb 21, 2021

Prefilter on mixing pump, or 5 micron sediment in a reactor. No crud. Using reef crystals. The brown stuff is normal with RC.

((FORDTECH)) · Mar 31, 2021

fox0521 said:
I’ve noticed my newly mixed saltwater having some brown “stuff” in it lately. Tried rinsing and wiping away the brown build up on the walls of the container (nfs brute can), but it came back after a couple mixes. The last water change I did on my 55 g seemed to tick off my Duncan and hammer which is really why I’m here, I want to avoid any damage! They were fine after a day and no fish showed signs of distress but I’d still like to discuss!

main concerns/questions: why the brown “stuff”? Is it harmful? Can I prevent it? Any idea why my Duncan and hammer reacted poorly to my last water change?

so! Here’s some info:

first, I use instant ocean sea salt or reef crystals (been back and forth as I got buckets of each when buying equipment). home RODI system test 0 TDS. I have mixed with an air pump in the past, (very vigorous mixing!) however I’m using a powerhead right now. The water smells fine and is not discolored when in a clear plastic pitcher. Salt is definitely dissolved. This particular batch pictured below, has been mixing for 7 days. Typically I mix and use within 48 hours, however I wanted to see if longer mixing affected this at all!

55 g stocked with 2 clowns, 1 banggai, and 1 gold head goby. Mixed corals (including the Duncan and hammer I mentioned). 5 months old.
Nitrate 20 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
O2 6
KH 11.6
Temp 77.7
Salinity 1.026
Calcium 537
Mg 1580
Phosphates .25
Silicate .25

130g stocked with 2 clowns, scopas tang, purple tang, peppermint shrimp, fighting conch. Mixed corals. 3 months old.
Nitrate 3 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
pH 7.8
Ammonia 0
O2 7
KH 8.9
Temp 79.4
Salinity 1.026
Calcium 572
My 1680
Phosphates 0
Silicate 0

newly mixed saltwater
Nitrates 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
O2 7
KH 12.5
Temp 77.3
Salinity 1.026
Calcium 510
Mg 174
Phosphates 0
Silicate 0

This is what you get with reef crystals. Just wait till you get a huge mixing station and then have to clean it from all that junk in a year. You will be cursing then!!! This is why I switched to tmp

jarviz · Mar 31, 2021

((FORDTECH)) said:
This is what you get with reef crystals. Just wait till you get a huge mixing station and then have to clean it from all that junk in a year. You will be cursing then!!! This is why I switched to tmp

This is normal? Ew... does anybody know why? Glad I never switched over from its regular salt.

((FORDTECH)) · Mar 31, 2021

jarviz said:
This is normal? Ew... does anybody know why? Glad I never switched over from its regular salt.

Yes normal for that salt

ELChingonsReef · May 16, 2021

I've been using aquavitro salinity for a couple years..it used to mix clear. Now it's very cloudy and leaves kinda like metallic particles in my mixing tub. It kinda looks like glitter mixed with sand. I mix 10 gallons at a time with a hydor koralia 850 mixing it up with no heater. I leave the salt mixing for maybe 3 hrs before use. I was thinking about changing salt but it seems like all salts have some kind of issue like this . I have no brown stuff on my mixing bucket but it definitely has a film and it leaves that koralia white full of residue