salt mix

[copeland118]

i have a new 29 gallon tank i got instant ocean salt with it
i mix it 5 gallons at a time in a bucket filled tank with 25 gallons
i think the salt might be old it has been in tank for 12hours
and is still cloudy with salt
are dose it take time to blend in
i put 6 pounds of salt in the mix which should equal out to 20gallons
need help
my hydrometer reads 1.021
:eek1: :eek1: :eek1: :eek1: :eek1: :eek1: :eek1:

 

[ReefRescue]

did you just mix it and dump in your tank, or did you let it sit for a bit?did you put any sand or live rock? what kind of circulation do you have in the tank?

 

[reefnetworth]

3 cups per gallon will refract @ 35 ppt.
sounds like you dont have enough flow to mix it properly. i mix 20 gallon cotainers and it disolves in a matter of hours @ a flow rate of appx. 35Xs turnover ratio.
ditch the hydrometer, buy a good refract if youre serious about this hobby, its worth the investment, especially if you plan on having corals.
also, salinity effects the general health of your fishes gills, liver and kidneys and life expectancy...

 

[EllieSuz]

Did you know that you have to add the salt to the water and not the other way around? For some reason, when you put the salt in first it gets cloudy. May we presume that you have some movement going on in your tank? If not, you need to get a powerhead in there to get some flow going and clear up the water. You're shooting for 1.025 or 1.026 for a reef tank and a little less if you're planning fish only. How much rock do you have? Tell us more about your plans for this tank. Since you're new at this, we might be able to save you a few bucks if you get headed down the wrong road. Include all the details you can think of.

 

[copeland118]

mix in 5 gallon bucket
just filter flow with out the filter in
no live rock are sand yet was going to wait a few days
only filled 25 gallons of 29 used six pounds of instant ocean
which is enough for 20gallons

 

[Ranchhand02]

Try mixing it up good in the tank. I had the same problem in my tank, but it cleared up in a couple of hours

 

[smootie]

Would salt take longer to dissolve in colder water? Maybe installing your heater will help. Worth a try...

 

[ronin_man]

yes i have noticed that it takes longer in cold water than in warm, other than that im not sure what would cause this unless you have poor flow

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14135003#post14135003 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EllieSuz
Did you know that you have to add the salt to the water and not the other way around? For some reason, when you put the salt in first it gets cloudy. May we presume that you have some movement going on in your tank? If not, you need to get a powerhead in there to get some flow going and clear up the water. You're shooting for 1.025 or 1.026 for a reef tank and a little less if you're planning fish only. How much rock do you have? Tell us more about your plans for this tank. Since you're new at this, we might be able to save you a few bucks if you get headed down the wrong road. Include all the details you can think of.

Good point.

The reason that it gets cloudy when you add water to salt, as opposed to salt to water, is due to precipitation.

Don't ask me what exactly precips out (( perhaps calcium )), but what happens is the solution is too concentrated, and can't hold it in solution.

 

[copeland118]

i would like to place reef and fish in tank
my lighting says t8-20 watt (2-24"bulbs)
so next time use hot water than place salt in ??
then let cool to room temp?

 

[Flipper62]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14134982#post14134982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefnetworth
3 cups per gallon will refract @ 35 ppt.
sounds like you dont have enough flow to mix it properly. i mix 20 gallon cotainers and it disolves in a matter of hours @ a flow rate of appx. 35Xs turnover ratio.
ditch the hydrometer, buy a good refract if youre serious about this hobby, its worth the investment, especially if you plan on having corals.
also, salinity effects the general health of your fishes gills, liver and kidneys and life expectancy...

WOW............Reefnetworth.........MOST Salts say a 1/2 Cup of salt per gallon of water. This will be in the range of 1.026

WHAT SALT ARE YOU USING .........That 3 CUPS OF SALT PER GALLON = 35 ppt / 1.026

Toddrtrex....How did you miss this one ???

 

[Toddrtrex]

Depends on how you define a "cup" I use 2.5 cups for 5 gallons. However, my cups are those plastic Solo cups (( think they are 8 oz. ))

And I missed it because it has been a long day.

 

[copeland118]

should i put filter on to filter the salt that did not mix
are what tell it mixes ?
i would say 90% mixed