Robb in Austin Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I think I know what the answer is but I'm gonna ask anyways. I mixed up a new batch of SW last night and it's cloudy. I used my normal mixing vessel, a 24g Rubbermaid tub. Before I used it, I cleaned it with a vinegar/water mixture, scrubbed it down, rinsed with tap water, soaked it in tap water with Prime added and then let it air dry. No vinegar smell after drying. I use a MJ1200 to mix it, and this was still dirty(had a white colored haze on it which has been there before and never caused issues) from the last time. The new SW tests normally. It's only cloudy in the Rubbermaid. When I was testing it looked ok in the test tubes. Now the question: Should I use it or dump it and try again? I really hate the idea of dumping ~20g of new SW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 what kind of salt? My red sea salt always mixes up cloudy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbnj Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I once had a bucket of salt that started to mix cloudy when I got to the bottom half of the bucket.....I used it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 Forgot to mention it Mark. Red Sea Coral Pro. It's never done it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lamont Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I have had this happen to me once also. I ended up using the mix. Once it entered the tank it became clear. It may also depend on how many gallons you are adding. I only added 4 gallons to a 40g breeder. Everything turned out okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 ya itll be fine, mixed for to long, i let mine mix for 3 hrs then do water change. u'll be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Forgot to mention it Mark. Red Sea Coral Pro. It's never done it before. Mine does it everytime and like Cindy says, it passes quickly once in the tank. I'm going to try pouring my mixed SW through a 200 micron sock next time to see if it makes a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbnj Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 FYI, I switched to Seachem Reef Salt a while back and the stuff mixes beautifully. Tests great for Ca/dKH too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike M. Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I usually take two days to get a batch of saltwater to stable salinity. Initially the mix is cloudy, and I find in measuring salinity overnight that it creeps up from the reading I take a couple of hours after tossing in the salt and measuring. Overnight, the mix clarifies and the salinity rises a few more increments. Basically, I think a cloudy mix is just not completely dissolved. Now, I have had multiple experiences with Instant Ocean mixes where a brown scum is left in the bottom of my mixing tank. Makes me wonder what that stuff is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 I guess I'll trust it. Like I said it's never done it before and I usually mix overnight. I get the scum also. If my tank crashes you all owe me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hydro Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I usually take two days to get a batch of saltwater to stable salinity. Initially the mix is cloudy, and I find in measuring salinity overnight that it creeps up from the reading I take a couple of hours after tossing in the salt and measuring. Overnight, the mix clarifies and the salinity rises a few more increments. Basically, I think a cloudy mix is just not completely dissolved. Now, I have had multiple experiences with Instant Ocean mixes where a brown scum is left in the bottom of my mixing tank. Makes me wonder what that stuff is. I agree with Mike, just not mixed in all the way especially if it is cloudy white. I usually let my water mix for 2 days or more, this seems like the only way to get a true salinity reading. The cloudiness seems to go away after a day or so and there is always trash leftover after the salt mixes for me too, I think that its dirt. I usually turn the recirculating pump off for a couple of hours and then just siphon out the stuff on the bottom before dumping the new water in my tank. B/c of my experience with low PH I always oxygenate the water really well, that's another reason why I wait a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Two to three days of mixing along with a day of aireation and the water clears up. I read somewhere they may be using gfo to keep the phosphates down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Wow I mix for about 3 minutes. Ya'll are dedicated. I use Seachem and have never had a cloudy mix. I've only used Seachem and cannot compare experiences. I do sometimes have a small amount of precipitation fall out in the bottom of the barrel after I'm all done. Nothing I've ever worried about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hydro Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Wow I mix for about 3 minutes. Ya'll are dedicated. I use Seachem and have never had a cloudy mix. I've only used Seachem and cannot compare experiences. I do sometimes have a small amount of precipitation fall out in the bottom of the barrel after I'm all done. Nothing I've ever worried about. Well I don't stand there and stir it by hand If you let your water set longer you will see a noticable difference in the salinity, all of the salt can't dissolve in 3 min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Wow I mix for about 3 minutes. +1 and I'm unlikely to let it sit for more than 30-40 minutes before it gets dumped in. I use Instant Ocean and there have been a couple of times I've had a bucket or case that would stay cloudy for a while but the animals never seemed to mind. I haven't noticed the scum some of you have mentioned but I can't say I've really paid much attention to my empty buckets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 @Dave; who is the they you are talking about? Scum with RSCP is somewhat well documented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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