Pretty new to mixing my own water, I'm doing it wrong?

[Murphs_Reef]

So as the title says I have only recently got my RO unit and have purchased Royal Nature salt as recommended by a work pal.

I mix 10 litres of RO with 3.33 pounds of salt with produces a grav of 1.026. I use a power head to turn the water and have a small 50watt heater to bring it up to 79 F over night.

Although Royal Nature states that it will produce an alk of 9, my tests (API and Salifert) give me a 6 or just over. I use becarb to bring it up to 9 .. Am I missing a step in mixing? Not leaving it long enough? Or is the brand poor?

 

Edit I use 333 GRAMS of salt per 10 litre....

[tetraodon]

So as the title says I have only recently got my RO unit and have purchased Royal Nature salt as recommended by a work pal.

I mix 10 litres of RO with 3.3 pounds of salt with produces a grav of 1.026. I use a power head to turn the water and have a small 50watt heater to bring it up to 79 F over night.

Although Royal Nature states that it will produce an alk of 9, my tests (API and Salifert) give me a 6 or just over. I use becarb to bring it up to 9 .. Am I missing a step in mixing? Not leaving it long enough? Or is the brand poor?

test the alk of your RO water first, most salts advertise a parameter of X but only if the starting parameter is Y. also most salt in reality only bring each parameter up by specific amount, not to specific levels. also try mixing to a higher salinity and see what it is. its a fun little game we call chemistry. i took a look at your aquatic log and you have really high calc. what are you adding other than salt to your water?

[xiaoxiy]

test the alk of your RO water first.

[tetraodon]

before mixing the salt, because most salts only raise the base water parameters by a specific amount rather than raising the water to a specific level.

[xiaoxiy]

before mixing the salt, because most salts only raise the base water parameters by a specific amount rather than raising the water to a specific level.

If he's actually using RO water, his alk test isn't going to give him a reading.

[Murphs_Reef]

If he's actually using RO water, his alk test isn't going to give him a reading.

Correct, I get zero on RO reading. Royal Nature suggest the following on using RO

 

dkH 9

Ca 425

Mag 1350

 

My Ca was very high for a time due to using the stores water, which I didn't like in the end, I need to update my aqualog to reflect its now a little over 430. Don't test mag at the moment.

[markalot]

So as the title says I have only recently got my RO unit and have purchased Royal Nature salt as recommended by a work pal.

I mix 10 litres of RO with 3.33 pounds of salt with produces a grav of 1.026. I use a power head to turn the water and have a small 50watt heater to bring it up to 79 F over night.

Although Royal Nature states that it will produce an alk of 9, my tests (API and Salifert) give me a 6 or just over. I use becarb to bring it up to 9 .. Am I missing a step in mixing? Not leaving it long enough? Or is the brand poor?

 

Edit I use 333 GRAMS of salt per 10 litre....

 

Only test the final product, the Alk of RO doesn't make sense.

 

Any salt will give the params based on the final salinity, so if Alk is low I would assume the Salinity is low but rather than assume I would test with a calibrated refractometer to make sure. Do not mix by weight, buy a refractometer and use it. All refractometers should be calibrated using 35ppt fluid EVEN IF the instructions say calibrating with distilled is ok (it's not for full saltwater).

[D Z]

Another thing to mention: Are you adding your salt to the full 10 liters of water? If you add all of the salt to only a portion of water, there is a good chance that you will precipitate out some of the additives.

[JavaJacketOC]

Probably won't make a huge difference but if you're mixing per their instructions and getting the correct specific gravity, you might want to mix up the dry salt really well. From what I understand, the different components of salt can settle in the container based on how long they've be sitting. The Alk compound might have settled closer to the bottom.

[Murphs_Reef]

Only test the final product, the Alk of RO doesn't make sense.

 

Any salt will give the params based on the final salinity, so if Alk is low I would assume the Salinity is low but rather than assume I would test with a calibrated refractometer to make sure. Do not mix by weight, buy a refractometer and use it. All refractometers should be calibrated using 35ppt fluid EVEN IF the instructions say calibrating with distilled is ok (it's not for full saltwater).

 

 

Sorry yeah I did a one off on RO To set a baseline. I always test after mix. My refractometer calibrated monthly and baselines against a friends saystem and the weight of 333 grams is pretty much 1.026 give or take, I add either more salt or RO depending on the need.

 

Another thing to mention: Are you adding your salt to the full 10 liters of water? If you add all of the salt to only a portion of water, there is a good chance that you will precipitate out some of the additives.

 

 

Yep full amount to the 10 litres

 

Probably won't make a huge difference but if you're mixing per their instructions and getting the correct specific gravity, you might want to mix up the dry salt really well. From what I understand, the different components of salt can settle in the container based on how long they've be sitting. The Alk compound might have settled closer to the bottom.

that would make sense I'll give it a go and come back.

[markalot]

Sorry if I missed this but you are adding salt mix to the water, not water to the salt mix, correct?

[basser1]

O.K., I' throwin' this out there, but I think you're mixing it too long. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt and have been very pleased with it and my corals seem to as well, since they are growing, great colors and polyp extension, etc.

 

I use my water as soon as I mix it, no heaters and no pumps (other than to mix the salt), but that's it. Here is a great video from Red Sea that explains mixing in detail. By mixing too long, some of your elements may precipitate out and especially at elevated temps. Next time you mix water, give it a try.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlIHJ02NaKk

[Murphs_Reef]

Sorry if I missed this but you are adding salt mix to the water, not water to the salt mix, correct?

Sorry yeah I am adding salt to the full 10 litre of water

O.K., I' throwin' this out there, but I think you're mixing it too long. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt and have been very pleased with it and my corals seem to as well, since they are growing, great colors and polyp extension, etc.

 

I use my water as soon as I mix it, no heaters and no pumps (other than to mix the salt), but that's it. Here is a great video from Red Sea that explains mixing in detail. By mixing too long, some of your elements may precipitate out and especially at elevated temps. Next time you mix water, give it a try.

 

Oh Christ ok! So usually I kick mine off at around 20:30 (once the kids are in bed and wife is watching what ever it is she watches) then before work in the morning at around 06:30 I will do the water change, matching temp as well as salinity. I will give this a go and see what comes out. Thanks

[patback]

O.K., I' throwin' this out there, but I think you're mixing it too long. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt and have been very pleased with it and my corals seem to as well, since they are growing, great colors and polyp extension, etc.

 

I use my water as soon as I mix it, no heaters and no pumps (other than to mix the salt), but that's it. Here is a great video from Red Sea that explains mixing in detail. By mixing too long, some of your elements may precipitate out and especially at elevated temps. Next time you mix water, give it a try.

 

if it will precipitate out by sitting in a bucket too long, it will do the same in your tank. Many of us leave mixed water for a week plus and aerate it right before use and haven't had any issues.

[tetraodon]

well ill admit im wrong,

[JR!]

make rodi water

​add heater

​

​about 2 or 3 hours before use.

​add pumps and salt.

mix till clear

​done

[Murphs_Reef]

make rodi water

​add heater

​

​about 2 or 3 hours before use.

​add pumps and salt.

mix till clear

​done

So basically I'm doing nothing dead wrong, each to there own methods. I'm going to try a new salt brand.

[Anden]

You dont mix overnight you only mix 2-4 hours befor use and if you let it stand overnight it will drop in ALK/kalk.

 

So yes your are doing it wrong. ;-)

[Murphs_Reef]

You dont mix overnight you only mix 2-4 hours befor use and if you let it stand overnight it will drop in ALK/kalk.

So yes your are doing it wrong. ;-)

Hmmm as Patback suggests though if this is the case this will happen n the tank.. Your response makes no sense?

 

Any way for the sake of test I have given this a try yesterday morning, and alk was just as low. So I think I'll go out a different brand of salt

[disaster999]

When you say RO water, are you not using a filter with DI? Probably wouldnt affect the parameter of the saltwater mix either way, but for the general health of your tank, should use RODI.

 

Most manufactures put a general guild line of what their salt mixes to. Not everytime the salt mixes to exactly what the manufacture specified. A lot of salt companies have lower/higher numbers in their salt mix than what the manufactures claims. Every batch of salt varies, its just the nature of the game. The only way to be sure is to check the parameters and make any adjustments.

 

When I started this hobby I follow the general consent on making saltwater, mix the saltwater overnight with powerhead and heater. What I found is that this almost always ends with precipitation inside the bucket and the pump and heater turns to white. Over the years I began to mix the water just 10 mins before I do my water change due to shear laziness and I have not seen anything different with my tank when I leave the water mixed overnight, 2-4 hours, or right before water change. Not only do I dont have precipitate covering my pumps, I dont need to leave buckets around the house overnight and risk getting yelled at by the SO. If your worried about the temperature, stick a heater inside the RODI container instead.

[basser1]

When you say RO water, are you not using a filter with DI? Probably wouldnt affect the parameter of the saltwater mix either way, but for the general health of your tank, should use RODI.

 

Most manufactures put a general guild line of what their salt mixes to. Not everytime the salt mixes to exactly what the manufacture specified. A lot of salt companies have lower/higher numbers in their salt mix than what the manufactures claims. Every batch of salt varies, its just the nature of the game. The only way to be sure is to check the parameters and make any adjustments.

 

When I started this hobby I follow the general consent on making saltwater, mix the saltwater overnight with powerhead and heater. What I found is that this almost always ends with precipitation inside the bucket and the pump and heater turns to white. Over the years I began to mix the water just 10 mins before I do my water change due to shear laziness and I have not seen anything different with my tank when I leave the water mixed overnight, 2-4 hours, or right before water change. Not only do I dont have precipitate covering my pumps, I dont need to leave buckets around the house overnight and risk getting yelled at by the SO. If your worried about the temperature, stick a heater inside the RODI container instead.

 

Ditto to what Disaster said.....

[Murphs_Reef]

Yeah only use RO no DI currently.. TDS isn't bad, and the remaining solids don't contain nitrates, phosphate or coppers (understanding there is more to it than that but the big and bad are not present).

 

So yeah your right I have found that I need to mix direct into an RO container "just for the job" n keep kit clean n clear of any buildup... That I do need to get better at.

[Murphs_Reef]

As an update and as part of removing a lot of my sand bed. I got a new batch of the same salt and instantly got good perams alk is spot on so after all the messing around looked to be bad batch of salt..

 

Which kinda stands up the argument my mate has about having a bad beer giving him a nightmare hangover (when I thought he was being a lightweight)