SW mixing question

[usmcmarc]

I have been whipping up batches of SW once a week. I make about 5 gal at a pop. I mixed up a batch last night and let it set overnight (like usual), but when I came in this morning it was cloudy (it was clear last night) ...never had that happen before. What happened?

 

[austinsdad]

Things that make you go "hmmmmm"....

Same salt and source (same bucket) as before too?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Agree with austinsdad... hmmm.

Did you also mix it up the same way as before - first the water, then add the salt?

 

[usmcmarc]

yes..same source, same salt, mixed the same way. Should I throw it out? Or use it?

Although...I did get it fromthe LFS (the RO water) could there be a problem with their water? If they sold alot of it before I got there, might it be the filter was overused?

 

[melosu58]

I dont ever add SW unless it is clear. Maybe you could add a PH overnite to see what it looks like next day. If it stays cloudy I would not add. JMO

 

[austinsdad]

LFS (the RO water) could there be a problem with their water?

I'd ditch it. That was my next issue. The source water. Better safe than sorry IMO now.

 

[usmcmarc]

Well..I added a PH last nght. When I looked at it this morning, the water was clear...but had this white stuff on the bottom...I thnk it was from the original vessel I kept the water in, which was styrofoam. I think somehow it began to break down. I tossed the water out..along with the container.

Bought a 5gal water cooler (The orange bucket kind) drilled holes in the lid, snaked the heater and PH cords thru it, and have a new mixing bucket. New batch of water is looking good so far.

Things that make you go hmmmmm.....

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Regarding that water cooler, plan on getting something else because the insulation will trap the heat and your temp will just keep increasing and increasing... Either that or plan on leaving the lid off, which is probably not good due to possible contamination.

My first mixing tub was one of those big coolers on wheels. Thought I'd be smart and save on energy since I was going to have it in the garage. Even filled with 15 gallons of water, it just kept getting hotter and hotter - even though I'd unplugged the heater. And that was just with a MaxiJet 900. I now use a big Rubbermaid rectangular tub. (But I have a nice new cooler on wheels now!)

 

[usmcmarc]

But the heater has a thermostat. Won't it shut off when the temp heats to a certain point, then turn on when it drops? The cover has an air space in it, so I drilled offset holes in it for ventilation. Since they are offset, things should not be able to fall in.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Yeah... the heater will turn off. But what I found with my setup was that even with the heater unplugged, the heat generated from the powerhead alone was just building up in the insulated cooler and heating the water higher and higher. The insulation of the cooler was doing too good of a job!

Maybe with the drilled holes in the top, you'll be OK. But I figured I'd just pass on my experience so you wouldn't be surprised if your water ended up hotter than you wanted, and thought you had a bad heater!

 

[usmcmarc]

Thanks..I will keep an eye on it...It's been holding around 80 so far. I have a tiny water pump in it..like less than 100gph. I hope it works out...I cant keep buying stuff and throwing it out!!! I have a 75% full 160gal bucket of Reef Crystals I have to figure out what I'm gonna do with. I switched to Oceanic Salt because of my calcium problem, and it works out better with the 5gal packs. I dump in a pack and done!

 

[usmcmarc]

I'm almost certain it was the RO water from LFS. So, I bowed to the SW gods and bought an RO/DI setup from thefilterguys.biz. $250 with shipping, but it saves me from carrying containers and I know the water will be right. I figure with the amount I use per week, It will be paid for within a year vs. getting somewhere else.

 

[usmcmarc]

OK..New RO/DI setup and working well. Made two batches of SW w/o any problems.

New Question.. I switched to Oceanic Natural Sea Salt because I was having low calcium problems. Now my Ca runs in the 440ppm range (great!)

I still have a half a bucket of Reef Crystals...I figured I would alternate each week:

PWC with Oceanic SW (Week 1)

PWC with Reef Crystals SW (Week 2)

and do this until the Reef Crystals were gone. Anyone think this is a bad idea? Is there a problem with mixing different brands of SW in small quantities?

Oh and Kurt...I took the heater out of the bucket. The pump has been keeping the temp at around 81 F.

 

[austinsdad]

I'm not sure switching back and forth would be advised. Might work a deal with the lfs for half of what the bucket is worth or eat the cost. Just feels right in the gut that a consistent water mix would be better for your tank.

 

[ccCapt]

Something doesn't sound quite right. You were having calcium probs with Reef Crystals? hmmmmmm I haven't used RC in years, but I think it mixes to about 420 ca.
I've heard and read about Oceanic being very inconsistent. Some buckets extremely high in ca...like over 500 and alk either very high or very low.
I never used it so I have no first hand experience with it, but I did use RC and had success with it.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

RC mixes to about 360ppm Ca at 1.024 with DI water. It's been pretty consistent for me.

usmcmarc... had to chuckle when you mentioned the heater! As long as you're happy with 81, sounds like you're good to go!

[edit: Also agree that switching back and forth, or mixing the two together, probably isn't a good idea. No sound evidence for that opinion... it just doesn't seem right. I'd just chalk it up to the "learning experience" and eat the cost. Can't begin to list the "spare" things I now have in my aquarium storage area due to poor purchasing decisions! ]

 

[usmcmarc]

RC was mixing at about 380ppm for me @ 1.023 SG.

cccapt...what salt are you currently using?


We are getting into the who's salt is best conversation. It's SOOOOOO confusing. I have heard from people that all they use is oceanic and it's great. Others mention the inconsistencies. I dont know who to listen to. I went with RC since most people said it was good and cheap(relatively). But I need (want) higher Ca, and RC wasnt doing it, I had to add an additive to get the Ca up. Now I'm wondering if my switch had anything to do with the appearance of ick in my tank.

Well. Since I have switched to Oceanic already..I'll stay with it until something happens. If it messes up the tank..I'll switch back to RC.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Now I'm wondering if my switch had anything to do with the appearance of ick in my tank.

Nope. Not possible.

If you did major water changes with a different brand of salt, that may have lead to quickly changing water chemistry parameters which could've stressed your fish. And like people, fish under stress are more susceptible to disease. The fish could've been dealing with the ich with no outward signs, but maybe a change in water parameters tipped the scale and the ich got the upper hand. If you weren't doing huge water changes though, and if the salinity/temp/pH were pretty much the same as you were adding the different brand, I wouldn't think the difference in water chemistry would be stressful.

 

[usmcmarc]

No...I did 5 - 20% PWC's over a month with the new SW. I just thought maybe the change somehow stressed them out (like you said). I was sure to keep the SG/Temp/and pH as close as possible. So I guess it was coincidence. I just dont understand why the 2 neon gobies are the only ones who have it (or are showing it). Clown, firefish and flame angel look great and are acting very happy (I know they are happy because they told me...I'm a fish whisperer...LOL)

 

[ccCapt]

RC was mixing at about 380ppm for me @ 1.023 SG.

cccapt...what salt are you currently using?

Why 1.023? Natural Sea Water is 1.026 (35ppt using a refractometer) and there is no good reason not to maintain that salinity.

When I first set up my tank I used Reef Crystals. Used that for maybe 5-6 years or so then I switched to Red Sea and used that for over 10 yrs. I recently switched to Red Sea Coral Pro. I'm on my 2nd 175 gal bucket and so far I like it.
I'm not one to switch things up too much. If it works for me, I stick with it.