Managing Salt Creep?

[Awibrandy]

I'm having a tough time managing the salt creep inside my stand, and need some insight on how you guys/gals manage it.

I have to clean the inside of my stand several times per day. This is getting tiring.

Any advice is welcomed!!!!

 

[dherrera83]

how do you get salt crep on your stand?? I dont get almost any. Do you have splashing or leaking?

 

[Awibrandy]

how do you get salt crep on your stand?? I dont get almost any. Do you have splashing or leaking?

No splashing, and no leaks. I am as puzzled about this as anyone. I expect droplets of water under the rim of the sump, and they are there. But not the darn wetness on the doors.
If I saw spraying water then I would know to stop it, but I don't see any. I do have a quite a bit of evaporation. More so now then before. The sump is now a bit more full of water then before. I'm guessing this is from the tank being leveled, and both overflows running so more water is being drained.

 

[Awibrandy]

No one?

 

[andylee]

There's got to be water splashing or bubbling somewhere (another possibility is a tiny leak). Evaporation would not do this.

 

[rkaragozler]

1st thing i will ask is . did you resolve for micro bubble issue in your sump, if not that is where the salt creep is coming from. small bubbles tend to go all over the place just like when you fill a glass with ginger ale.

 

[strgazr27]

I agree I fought a MB issue and it was amazing how fast the creep would build up. Also, is the stand open or closed back? A closed back stand is likely allowing the humidity level to rise high enough for the warmer water vapor to condense on the cooler stand doors.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

the back looks open but its right up against the wall from what i saw in her thread. awi maybe placing 2 small circular fans (quiet ones) one on each side. one sucking air in the stand and one blowing out might work. (you would have to drill out circles in the stand to use em though)

 

[Awibrandy]

There's got to be water splashing or bubbling somewhere (another possibility is a tiny leak). Evaporation would not do this.

No splashing, a little bubbling in the socks (I change them everyday).

1st thing i will ask is . did you resolve for micro bubble issue in your sump, if not that is where the salt creep is coming from. small bubbles tend to go all over the place just like when you fill a glass with ginger ale.

Yes, Richie I addressed it with the help of Pauli. I raised the skimmer up, and now there is a minute amount of bubbles in the bottom of the skimmers section.

I agree I fought a MB issue and it was amazing how fast the creep would build up. Also, is the stand open or closed back? A closed back stand is likely allowing the humidity level to rise high enough for the warmer water vapor to condense on the cooler stand doors.

The stand is open back! Only 2 supports in the back.

the back looks open but its right up against the wall from what i saw in her thread. awi maybe placing 2 small circular fans (quiet ones) one on each side. one sucking air in the stand and one blowing out might work. (you would have to drill out circles in the stand to use em though)

That is an illusion in the pic Tony, It is at least 4" away from the wall.

I guess Tony is the only one here who has looked at my stand.:lol_large

 

[Tonyscoots84]

.. how about aiming a fan towards the back right or left to push the air out of there. i would give that a shot

 

[Tonyscoots84]

also awi if you can use paint or something on ur pc to put a red arrow in the areas of the pic you are getting the salt creep in that would help alot.

 

[Awibrandy]

I'll give the fan a try.
The salt creep is on the front euro brace, and on the right door. Even with clean socks within a couple of hours there is a light film already developing.

 

[Turbovr3six]

Skimmer drain?

 

[Tonyscoots84]

awi if its in those spots and you have salt creep on the eurobrace and the right door then its something to do with what rich had said about the small bubbles popping. I dont think the fan will help you in that situation...

if you where getting wet doors from lets say humidity inside the stand then the fan would help. what i would try is get a piece of plexiglass and put it up ontop of the eurobrace which would be high enough to block any bubble popping spritzing over the eurobrace and see if its that ...

 

[Awibrandy]

awi if its in those spots and you have salt creep on the eurobrace and the right door then its something to do with what rich had said about the small bubbles popping. I dont think the fan will help you in that situation...

if you where getting wet doors from lets say humidity inside the stand then the fan would help. what i would try is get a piece of plexiglass and put it up ontop of the eurobrace which would be high enough to block any bubble popping spritzing over the eurobrace and see if its that ...

Thanks Tony! Funny, I was thinking of doing just that. I do have a nice long piece of acrylic from my old light fixture, I'll use that. It will be a PITA since I will have to remove it everyday to change out the socks, but if it will save the new stand from salt damage so be it.:wink1:

 

[Awibrandy]

Skimmer drain?

Sorry Justin, didn't mean to ignore your post. Not sure I understand. Are you asking me if the micro bubbles are coming from the skimmer's drain? Some, but they have been handled.

 

[Turbovr3six]

Sorry, I should have been a little more detailed. What I meant to ask was if it is a possibility that the bubbles from the skimmer are getting onto the front of the euro brace, or the black hose that feeds your reactor. I've noticed my skimmer will collect creep from the skimmer drain, so thought it might be happening to you.

 

[Awibrandy]

Sorry, I should have been a little more detailed. What I meant to ask was if it is a possibility that the bubbles from the skimmer are getting onto the front of the euro brace, or the black hose that feeds your reactor. I've noticed my skimmer will collect creep from the skimmer drain, so thought it might be happening to you.

It is possible, but I am not absolutely sure. There is a slight film of salt creep on the euro brace from the right to the front of it, and yes a little on the reactor, skimmer drain. As well as the right wall of the stand, and the door as shown in the pix below.
Today after I clean it up I will place some barriers between the side wall, and the front right door. See what happens.

 

[rkaragozler]

Awi I think I know where your salt creep is coming from.
In your first pic the 90 degree elbow on the right is facing horizontal.
and the elbow on the left side is just sitting at the top of the filter sock.
may i suggest you do something like this tube and extend it to the bottom.

 

[Awibrandy]

Hi Richie, it does look that way.lol What you don't see is that there is another elbow with the same type of PVC that you have that goes down into the socks.


PS, the salt creep on the door this morning was much less, but still there. I cannot put anything over the sump for 2 reasons: 1 is that there is very little room to work with. I'd have to cut around the skimmer, the 2 drains, and the mangroves. Not to mention that I worry that a cover will decrease the amount of light the chaeto would get.

I guess I will just have to wipe down the salt creep at least on a daily basis.