Reef Salt

hskim · #1 06-15-2006, 23:06

Hi,

I just got my Reef Salt New Formula and I thought it was suppose to disolve clear in minutes. I mixed 10 gallon of DI water with reef salt and it stayed cloudy for hours and even after in the tank the whole tank is still cloudy. Instant Ocean salt which I used to use mixed clear in about 30min. Do I have a bad batch or somthing?

hskim

hskim · #2 06-18-2006, 18:29

Can anybody help me?

After the salt water was in the tank the cloudiness dispeared after about an hour. Could this be because of high calcium and alkalinity level in the Reef Salt Mix?

I just need to know whether it is suppose to do this or I have bad batch or something. I tested the calcium and strontium level after the water change and it was little higher than normal which used to be lower after water changes with Instant Ocean salt.

Thanks,
hskim

Tech Support CH · #3 06-19-2006, 11:19

It sounds like you caused a precipitation to occur. Did you add the salt to the water or the water to the salt? Adding the water to the salt will usually results in a precipitation. This is because the calcium and alkalinity levels will be very concentrated in a smaller amount of water and this will cause a precipitation. Also what was the salinity of the mixed water? Again if you had used a lot of salt in a smaller than intended amount of water the calcium and alkalinity levels would be extremely high and cause a precipitation. Did you add anything to the water besides salt, like a buffer? Adding a buffer or calcium supplement could also result in a precipitation.

hskim · #4 06-19-2006, 11:44

I used DI water with TDS of 1 and I add nothing other than the reef salt. I add to salt to the water. I add 5 3/4 cup of reef salt to 10 gallons of water to get salinity between 1.025 to 1.026. After mixing the salt it stayed cloudy for 3 hours and after adding to the tank it stayed couldy for 1 hour then everythinng cleared up. Alkalinity was lowered by 0.3 meg/l and calcium went up by 30mg/l than usual.

So, the reef salt is not suppose to be cloudy after mixing with water? Did I add too much salt?

Tech Support CH · #5 06-20-2006, 15:29

It sounds like the salt did not get to mix fully. Perhaps adding such a large amount at a time did not get mixed in fully by your pump. I would try adding it in smaller increments next time allowing a half hour for every cup you add. Also try to make it so that your pump blows across the bottom to help keep it from settling. You should also allow 24 hours of aerating before using the water. This will allow your alkalinity to get to the right levels.

Please let me know when you try this again. If it is cloudy after 24 hours do not use it.

hskim · #6 06-21-2006, 18:03

I'll be doing water change on Thursday but I think I will have to go back to Instant Ocean Salt. My frogspawn is having some reactions to reef salt. It is not able to shrink up normally. when lights go out it retracts its tenticles but since the water change with reef salt it seems to get all tangled up and tenticels apears to be stickng to each other. And my ricordia seems to retract it self really extreamly. This kind of thing never happened before.

I got 160gallon mix of reef salt and I'm sort of stuck with it now. May be I could slowly change over to reef salt mixing instant ocean and reef salt in same water increasing the amount of reef salt every time I do a water change if this possible. Can this be done? And what could be the cause of the reactions in corals? Could it be because I put in cloudy water in the tank?

Thanks,
hskim

hskim · #7 06-22-2006, 19:56

Tech Supoport CH,

I've decided to give Reef Salt another go at it this time following your instructions. I useally do water changes on Thursdays but I'll do it tomorrow. The Frogspawn and Ricordia are back to their normal routines so the cloudy reef salt water only effected them for few days. I'll make sure I use clear mix of the reef salt water this time.

Do you think this is a good idea after the corals having some trouble with the reef salt? Please let me know your opinion by tomorrow so I can do the water change with some confidence. Who knows I might kill the Frogspawn this time but wish me luck and I hope reef salt is what it clames to be.

Thanks,
hskim

Tech Support CH · #8 06-23-2006, 16:05

I would think that your coral's reaction was because you used the cloudy water. Precipitate can irritate some corals.

I'm glad that your willing to try the Reef Salt again. I personally use the Reef Salt and I really like the way the corals brighten up. I have never seen a bad reaction except for with improperly mixed salt. Please let me know if you have any further problems getting your salt mixed properly.