What's the deal with RO/DI water?

When I am mixing salt (I use Reef Crystals btw) with my ro/di water for a water change my water always gets milky white for several days, and even after it clears up enough to use in the tank, my mixing bucket is still lined with salt residue that I then have to clean. I have had this problem since I switched to ro/di water back in January.

I have tried several ways to reduce the amount of milkiness to no real avail. I've tried adding 1 cup of salt every couple hours until reaching desired SG (which has worked the best but still not great). I've tried dumping it all in at once and just letting it go till it clears (takes 3-4 days to get clear-ish). I've tried with more water movement and even less water movement all of which still leave me with the same results (no effect either way).

I ask this question because when I first started my tank I was using tap water and never had a problem like this, it was only after I switched to ro/di water that this started happening.

Can anyone offer any advice on how to fix this problem or at least reasons why this may be occuring?

 

Are you adding the water first, or the salt first?

It might be that batch of salt. I have no problems coralife salt, and red sea pro. Dissolves in min.

Its hard to believe its the water.

 

+1 on the red sea pro, my water is crystal clear in minutes after adding the salt to my RODI water. May be the batch.

 

Are you using a powerhead in the mixing bucket? If so, it could be a bad batch.

I'd say take your salt mix and shake it up / mix it up very well in it's container or bag. Everyone should do this before mixing up a batch of water.

 

Agree as well,i've used rc's for years without issue like that.Probably a bad batch.Are you heating the water or adding it to cold water (meaning at or below room temp)?I find salt mixes much faster when the water is heater to temp.I've also since switched to coral pro,I like it much better.

 

I am adding water first then salt with powerhead already running.

 

I am using a powerhead but I have never shaken up the salt before using...I will give this a try to see if it helps.

The thing about the bad batch comments is that when I first switched to ro/di water I had been using Instant Ocean Salt and continued using the same box and still had this problem once I switched so I have trouble accepting that the salt is bad when it worked fine in the tap water but not in the ro/di water.

 

I have never heated the water ahead of time, so I am using cold ro/di water, usually made the same day or day ahead. I will try heating the water first as well as shaking the salt bags to mix them up a bit, hopefully the combination of these things will help me out.

What is it about coral pro that makes you like it better the RC?

 

Do you store it in an air tight bucket or something when youve opened it? I put mine in the coralife bucket i get when i bought 200 gallons worth. Its air tight, and my salt seems to stay "fresh"

 

So far I have only bought salt in the box with sealed bags. I leave the salt in the bags until I use it. I usually get 3-4 water changes per bag and the bag that I open for use I just kinda roll up and use a bag clip to keep it closed. I know it isn't ideal but this problem is occuring even with the first batch I make from each bag so I don't think that's the problem.

When you make your water, do you just dump all of the salt in at the same time or do you spread it out at all?