View Full Version : Problems with IO salt
Ne0eN
08/18/2006, 01:13 PM
Has anyone had problems with Instant Ocean salt mix? I usually mix it with RO/DI water in a 32 gal bin. Last time the water turned out milky with white residue covering the sides of the bin, heater, and power head using for mixing. Bad batch?
-- Rob
Arch01
08/18/2006, 01:33 PM
This has happened to me occasionaly with different salts, but usually only if I let it sit in the bin for more than a few days. As long as the water tests fine, I have never had a problem with it.
Andrew
08/18/2006, 01:36 PM
I've had the same problem before. The walls of my 36 were covered in it and I had to use a razor to get it off.
budhorse775
08/18/2006, 01:53 PM
here is another thread about it. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=903522
Arch01
08/18/2006, 02:02 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7966121#post7966121 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by budhorse775
here is another thread about it. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=903522
I don't think this is the same issue. That salt is not disolving, whereas the OP's salt is leaving a calcium-like residue on everything... at least that's my understanding.
Ne0eN
08/18/2006, 02:16 PM
The salt did dissolve. But the milkiness of the mix is what makes me worried. Should I dump the whole bucket?
-- Rob
drstupid
08/18/2006, 02:21 PM
i've been having the same problems this summer, both IO and tropic marin. i've been putting together a new tank while simultaneously fighting cyano in a mature tank. that means mixing a lot of water, and using whatever salt i can get my hands on locally. both brands have mixed very cloudy, coated the mix buckets, new tank/sump in one case, and siezed up three powerheads in live rock containers, QT's and mix buckets.
i came to the conclusion that my RO water was very unstable this summer after having all the dissolved solids removed. i don't know if it was the composition of the source water or the environment in my basement, but i found if i aerate heavily, like 24-48 hours, and then add a small amount of buffer prior to mixing, the cloudiness does not occur and the residue is not as bad. if i skimp on the aeration, it's a mess even with buffer.
Ne0eN
08/18/2006, 02:34 PM
My RO/DI water measures 2-3 TDS... I thought the closer you get to 0 TDS, then the water should have pH of 7. Anything should dissolve in pure H2O without any issues. I still believe that the problem is in the IO formulation and not in the RO/DI water.
-- Rob
theatrus
08/18/2006, 02:53 PM
pH of 7 is what you should get, but since CO2 will mix easily in the water and it has literally no buffering capability, it will rarely test at 7 :)
rhiggsbear
08/18/2006, 05:03 PM
Has anyone had problems with Instant Ocean salt mix? I usually mix it with RO/DI water in a 32 gal bin. Last time the water turned out milky with white residue covering the sides of the bin, heater, and power head using for mixing. Bad batch?
How do you mix it? Water into salt or salt into water?
timespinner
08/19/2006, 12:25 PM
I'm having trouble with IO as well - but the problems just started recently. I'd guess they either changed their formulation or they have a very bad batch. I've used IO for 5 years, and I test every new bucket that I receive. The last two buckets that I received don't mix well, they have very low alk (7-8 dKh), and very low calcium (320-340). TDS out of RO/DI is 1ppm, so I doubt that its the mix water - calcium and alk wouldn't be that low even at a much higher TDS. I'm planning to see if I can't get an exchange from IO for the two buckets I have that are bad. Hopefully this is just a temporary issue and they didn't change their formula on us again.
Serioussnaps
08/19/2006, 01:53 PM
i have had that happen...i switched containers and it hasnt happened since..makes me wonder about the container i was using...
also.....dont put alot in at once.....put some in let dissolve...put some more in and let dissolve...etc etc .....i noticed when i put alot in at once that milky precipitation...couldnt tell you what it is but have experienced it
Serioussnaps
08/19/2006, 01:54 PM
i read a post also that IO is under new ownership and is having some quality control issues...dont take that as a fact but the guy seemed like he knew what he was talking about
timespinner
08/19/2006, 07:34 PM
The problems happened after getting the new buckets of salt - I forgot to mention that the old bucket still tested fine.
liquidlunch
08/20/2006, 08:00 AM
Probably just a fluke. Every company has a lemon once in a while. I just cracked open a new bucket of IO yesterday and it was fine.
JonTarutis
08/20/2006, 08:33 AM
I doubt it has anything to do with the container. Every bucket of salt (at least 20) that comes with the GA aquarium t-shirt has mixed VERY milky and left a cream colored residue (clay?) on everything. Also 1 out of 4 of these buckets has the handle fall off. At least 6 different mixing containers with different source water (not even in the same town) all showed the same result. For me this rules out the source water and the mixing vat are not the issue. That just leaves the salt.... I guess the money save of quality control is spent on the t-shirt....
Parameters test out within reason.... nothing out of whack.... although I am hearing of a few outbreaks of cyano within the past month.... any correlation with the salt?
Jon
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