When mixing new salt...what's the brown stuff?

[Dmitry]

With my new set-up I only do 5 gallon water changes and use the white salt buckets to do it. Previously I'd used larger containers that were of various colors. But now I'm mixing it in a white bucket I'm noticing strange rust/brown colored residue that forms when the salt is mixed. Or is this only happening to me? The longer you leave the water mixing with the power-head, the more of it there is. What is this stuff?

 

[tosiek]

I've never had that happen. You check your powerhead for rust?

I always get some sandy residue but its white.

What type of salt are u using?

 

[Deanos]

Sounds like impurities in the salt mix. :dead1:

 

[mstrofdisaster]

Should be crystal clear - any chance something is falling in there? I keep my Home Depot bucket covered when I mix and aerate.

 

[Craig]

was the bucket clean?

 

[marrone]

I see this from time to time, especially when I mix a very strong concentrate. I would usually get some foam or bubbles on top, which looked grayish and have some dirt or dirty looking material in it. I would usually just scoop it out and the rest would be fine. This could either be from the salt material not completely mixing or dissolving. I've seen notice this with IO and Oceanic but not with Tropic Marin.

 

[Bob 1000]

Diry bucket syndrome..Human error..If only we were Robots..

 

[Dmitry]

The bucket is clean and the power-head is new. The salt is Reef Crystals.

 

[Bob 1000]

Somethings not right... Salt only leaves a frothy foam... white...Got to be bucket or or powerhead..

 

[Dmitry]

I'll switch both for the next time and see what happens.

 

[Bob 1000]

I'd like like to know the outcome...thanks for sharing the experience....

 

[TimberTDI]

This also happens to me. When I leave my salt mixing and aerating for a day or so. I get what looks like a brown skimate on top. I just scoop it out. I also am using Reef Crystals.

Steven

 

[tripstank]

Throw away your salt, throw away your bucket, and throw away your powerhead. Simple solution, start over. There is something wrong, if it is not, a,b, or c. It must be a,b,and c.

 

[Wes]

Throw away your salt, throw away your bucket, and throw away your powerhead. Simple solution, start over. There is something wrong, if it is not, a,b, or c. It must be a,b,and c.

This seems a bit extreme.

it's most likely impurities in the salt, i have had this w/ a few different manufacturers, including tropic marin.

mine usually settles on the bottom and i just make sure it doesn't go into the tank. Never had a problem.

From what i have read on RC, it's a pretty normal occurance w/ Reef Crystals but i've never read anything about it being harmful.

 

[cybermeez]

Throw away your salt, throw away your bucket, and throw away your powerhead. Simple solution, start over. There is something wrong, if it is not, a,b, or c. It must be a,b,and c.

Geez. That's a little over the top now.

I use Reef Crystals and have seen this as well from time to time. It was most pronounced when I used of the last of my Instant Ocean but had to mix it with the RC when there wasn't enough IO to complete the water change.

I just skimmed it off the top with a brine shrimp net and everything was fine.

 

[NYreefNoob]

salt

i use io and i get the same thing, ive tried switching buckets power heads wash bucket before hand ect. and this isnt just from one bag, i get the box with 4 bags in it

 

[LeslieS]

Some tank water back syphoned into the bucket of clean salt water. I didn't use it all so it sat all week. An orange brown residue formed on the sides and bottom of one of my bucket.

I dumped the water and bleached the bucket.

 

[jhale]

same thing has happened to me when using IO or RC.

I just made 50 gallons using IO, there was a slight brown residue on the cover of the container, much less than normal. it must vary from batch to batch.

 

[Dmitry]

Okay, so it's not just me. And no one seems to be having any kind of noticeable negative effect. So just make sure this residue stays in the bucket. But I am curious as to what it is and why we get it!