Mixing Salt Water : Questions

[PotRoast]

Hey there. Please stick with me through my growing pains. This board and the GIRS board has been money as far as advice.


So here it goes.....

I had a 240 gallon empty tank. I thought it might be a good idea to just dump my reef crystals in there and fire up the pump and start circulating.

As it turns out that was a dumb idea as the salt didn't really fully mix for a couple weeks. Even now there is thin film of salt on everything.

The water is at room temperature (75). I have not turned on the heaters yet.


So, fire away, tell me what I did wrong, what I need to do in the future, and maybe how to get rid of this salt in my tank that won't seem to fully disolve.

 

[iaJim]

You probably need some additional circulation. In the future, mix your salt with water before adding it to the tank. I put it in a bucket and put a powerhead in the bucket. It dissolves in no time, but I let it go for a few hours.

 

[ipiniowa]

I have 2-55 gallon barrels. In one I keep fresh water and the other I mix my saltwater with a heater in it, so it is ready to go when I need a water change. I would suggest mixing your water at least 24 hours in advance and have a heater in there during the same time to make sure it's the same temp as your tank temp when you change it.

 

[Atticus]

Did you put the salt in and then add the water? This can cause the problem you are describing. As mentioned before you will need to move a powerhead around the tank to aggitate the settled salt or stir the tank. The water surface should clear if your overflow is skimming the surface correctly. If not, address that issue asap as surface scum decreases oxygen levels and light penetration in a tank.

 

[musty baby]

You really did nothing wrong, just pour the salt into the water rather than pour the water onto the salt. Reach in and stir up settled areas with your hand every once in a while, or re-aim your flow, and it should dissolve relatively quickly. Some salts also dissolve faster and more completely than others.

 

[musty baby]

oops, looks like you did pour the salt into the water. Still, shouldn't be a problem.