Question about reef crystals salt

moon jelly

Active member
I want to raise the specific gravity up a bit in my tank so I am going to top off with salt water. I usually use Tropic Marin salt however I have a small amount of Reef Crystal salt that I thought I can use for the top off. When I mix up the Tropic Marin in a bucket, it becomes clear after an hour or so. The Reef Crystal salt has been mixing up for 12 hours and it's still cloudy. Is this normal? Will it ever become clear or can I use it top off even though it's still cloudy?
 
It shouldn't be cloudy, certainly not after 12 hrs mixing. Have you had it for a long time?
 
:wavehand: DgenR8! Yes, it is several years old. I did make the mixture concentrated, around 6 cups of salt in a 5 gallon bucket so that a can add a few cups of salt solution with 2 gallons of RO water when I add it to the tank. It's easier for me to carry up gallon jugs of water from the basement instead of 5 gallon bucket of water. I'm mixing the salt solution upstairs in the 5g bucket.
 
I mix it 100 gallons at a time and pump it rather than carry it. ;)
I don't know if I'd trust it if you can't get it to clear up. New salt is much cheaper than fixing problems caused by bad salt.
 
MJ.....try letting it sit without circulating and see if it settles and clears....I had a similar situation with Crystal Sea salt that had hardened in their cheap cardboard box packaging....I just siphoned off the top and left the dust sediment at the bottom of the bucket....
 
Thanks cet98! I will try that and see what happens :)

DGenR8-can you come to Chicago and hook me up with a system like that? :love1:
 
I usually mix a 33 gal brute can at a time of rc. It stays cloudy for days... I usually just do the water change with it that's way. Haven't see any affects
 
If you used six cups of salt to around 5 gallons of water, the cloudiness is likely caused by precipitation of calcium. I've never had problems with RC mixing clear after 1-2 hours and I've been using it for 7or 8 years. I don't think this was a salt mix problem.
 
:wavehand: DgenR8! Yes, it is several years old. I did make the mixture concentrated, around 6 cups of salt in a 5 gallon bucket so that a can add a few cups of salt solution with 2 gallons of RO water when I add it to the tank. It's easier for me to carry up gallon jugs of water from the basement instead of 5 gallon bucket of water. I'm mixing the salt solution upstairs in the 5g bucket.

6 cups of salt for 5 gallons of water may be the issue. Most salt mixes run about half a cup per gallon of water.
 
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