Reef Crystals results....

RO/DI with an inline TDS that reads 00.

I have gone through about 6 buckets of RC and this just started happening. I have always gotten the brown foam on top of the water when mixing, but now the entire batch is turning brown.
 
If you scoop out a little in a clear glass and hold it up to natural light, does the water still look brown, or is it clear ?
 
The water is brown. It is definitely a type of bacteria bloom. The water is brown and the walls of the barrel are covered with a very thin brown film. I am going to do a water change today and use this water. Like I did last time, I am going to empty my sump, fill it with this water and then let the skimmer run for about 30 minutes before I turn the pump back on. It will be clear within just a few minutes.
 
Wow, I'm out of ideas Jim.

Maybe buy a small bag of another brand salt mix and see if it does the same thing.

Good luck. :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11985659#post11985659 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbar
I bought my first bucket of RC two days ago hoping the problem wasn't to widespread. I need to bring calcium up. I just tested it and it is only 340 Ca. Is that the low reading everyone else is getting? I could of bought two buckets of IO for the same price.
Click to expand...
Yup--my bucket of RC has been testing at between 320-340 Ca. That's why I turned to Coralife salt!;)
 
Know what really blows... I've used Coralife for YEARS and never had any problems. With this new tank I started I decided to try something new... RC. Now I wish I'd just stuck with Coralife.

I've got 3 buckets of salt with low parmas.
 
I spoke with Rob Monahan (spelling?) at Kent a couple days ago. I learned that Kent actually had three salts. Kent, Coralife and Oceanic. According to Rob, Kent is their best for reefs. Kent and Oceanic are domestic and Coralife is made in China. He cited some research which indicated that Coralife was the most consistant.

Any thoughts from anybody? I'm seriously considering changing salt, what a pity after seven years, but I'm not too eager to buy all kinds of supplements. I was able to bring my alkalinity and calcium up to 10 and 400 by doubling the two part dosing. That could become expensive too.
 
Well, I have to admit that I figured out the problem with the brown water.

I emptied my barrel, wiped it down and took everything out and cleaned it. I pulled the pump out and I noticed that even darker water came out of pump. Well, care to guess?





Yes, you guessed it, rust!!! I pulled the back off the pump and it was solid rust.
 
Jim, this is exactly why we are so persistent to ask question after question. When something seems out of the realm, we have to keep asking questions until, hopefully, the aquarist figures out what is wrong.

It is not always easy to diagnose problems right off, but with continued persistence, some finally get to the bottom of their problem.

I'm glad you found yours.

:)
 
In this hobby,critical thought and constructive skepticism is always healthy.

The brown foam is still something that I have always seen since using RC, but that is not a big issue for me.
 
Ok, I finally got my replacement bucket of RC from Bob Studt at ASI! I will mix up a batch in the next day or two, and report the results from the "new" bucket of salt! Hey, at least they stand by their product, and are trying to get it right! I applaud that!
 
I had 4 buckets in a row giving me low calcium and the brown FILM we have discussed. The foam didnt concern me...the film kinda did until my mind was eased here.......I just opened another one yesterday and the levels are spot on of usual(420, 1300, 11)and the brown stuff is half what it was in the others. Incidentally, this bucket was purchased in the same batch of 8 as the other 4 from F & S.

just thought id share that
 
Well I mixed the new bucket batch to 1.026 salinity, 35 SG, 79 degrees
(checked with pinpoint calibrated refractometer) tested twice, both came out at 380 Ca.

Not so good.:rolleyes: :rolleye1:
 
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