Salt consistency strategy-Salt-3reef Forums

Michaelr5 · 07-30-2005, 03:24 PM

Since I am basically starting over, I am trying to decide on salt. I have been using IO and/or Oceanic. I have read a lot of the threads and reports and like someone else said, it's enough to make you want to quit! I don't think I'm going to ask about the best salt, that item seems to be an open invitation to mayhem!

What I am wondering is consistency. If you have a 50 gal bucket of mix, it seems that you might get inconsistent results making small batches out of it (settling, so forth). But the bigger buckets are more econmical. What do you think about mixing an entire 50 gal bucket of salt into say 5 gallons of water. Then when you need a small batch, just mix the mix 1 part mix, 9 parts water and viola! 10 units of correct mix. Will the mix keep?, will it precipitate out such a concentration? Has anyone tried it?

Mike

Birdlady · 07-30-2005, 04:03 PM

I tried it, as recommended by the manufacture....5 gallon bucket, 25 gallon bag of salt. I had about 3/4 inches of white sludge at the bottom. It would not remix. So, I humbly, do not recommend that method. sorry

Anyone else try this with success?

APC · 07-30-2005, 04:03 PM

I am not sure if you can do that. You might get to a supersaturated solution. Water can only hold so much salt and other trace elements. Eventually it will reach a point where you have too much salt/trace elements and it (salt/trace elements) will begin to precipitate out. I have no idea what level that happens at with salt water, but it is something to consider before giving this a shot.

APC · 07-30-2005, 04:06 PM

BL - it looks like we were replying at the same time. I think you have shown that you will get a super saturated solution.

That being said, I am sure you could experiment and find the saturation point, but I am not sure it is worth the effort :-)

inwall75 · 07-30-2005, 04:11 PM

Yes, this will work but you need an airtight lid. Evaporation of the slurry can cause the calcium carbonate to fall out of the solution. This is called the slurry method.

Quote:

As you may be aware, surface seawater is supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate, so calcium carbonate is the first mineral that forms from evaporating seawater. Even slight evaporation of seawater in the presence of calcium carbonate crystals is sufficient to form “whitings” or spontaneous calcium carbonate “snowstorms” — such as large banks of oolitic sand on the Great Bahama Bank and areas where rapid evaporation of shoal waters occurs (Morse and Mackensie 1990). A freshly mixed batch of one of the many types of synthetic seawater will also be supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate. As those of you with reef tanks know, calcium carbonate does not redissolve rapidly under aquarium conditions, so any calcium carbonate lost in the process of mixing synthetic seawater will effectively be permanently lost.

As seawater continues to dry, with between 10 to 25 percent of the water remaining, gypsum is formed (Millero and Sohn 1992). This is a process of geophysical significance. The gypsum sands of White Sands National Monument (in New Mexico) were ultimately derived from the evaporation of an ancient sea, and then the subsequent dissolution of that calcium sulfate and its reprecipitation and dispersment from a drying inland lake (which had no river outlets to feed it).

http://web.archive.org/web/200112172...io/default.asp

Why does it matter if you end adding undissolved CaCO3? Here's why.

Quote:

Some have suggested that these particulate products (whether dry or as a slurry in water) can be added directly to an aquarium to provide calcium and alkalinity. Unfortunately, that method does not work well. Calcium carbonate is already substantially supersaturated in seawater and in reasonably maintained reef tank. Consequently, adding more solid does not lead to dissolution. On the contrary, since the water is already supersaturated, addition of solid calcium carbonate can actually lead to a decline in calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, and pH.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...y2002/chem.htm

Birdlady · 07-30-2005, 04:23 PM

I had mine in a spackle type bucket with the lid on...isn't that airtight?

Do you do this? I am curious if I did something wrong...

Jay · 07-30-2005, 04:25 PM

I have been buying 150 or 200 gallon buckets of salt mix and mixing small batches. Is this not the correct way to make the saltwater? I havent had any problems that I know of from this. I guess I need to read the instructions more clearly. Can someone else please verify that I have been doing this wrong? I just find it hard to beleive with as much as I have read and now have prolly 20+ books that I have never read this.

Jay

inwall75 · 07-30-2005, 04:28 PM

HMMM...that's pretty airtight.

I don't do it. You might want to send a PM to Craig Manoukian because he does. However, I know that he uses hot water and that might be the difference.

inwall75 · 07-30-2005, 04:33 PM

Jay,

You aren't doing anything wrong. Most people do it that way. Some people have had occassional buckets of salt with substantially variable chemistry between the top of the bucket and the bottom. There are a number of threads on RC regarding this.

If anyone is worried about this, I would just keep old buckets, add half of the salt in the new bucket to the old bucket, and shake both buckets well.

Jay · 07-30-2005, 05:31 PM

Theres a good idea. I will do that. Thanks for clearing that up.

Jay