High Tide Aquatics

Residual after mixing saltwater

mray2660

mray2660

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We have been using IQ salt since we started with our tanks but noticed recently observed a light brown residual in bottom of the mixing buckets. Has any one observed this? Concern is what is this material? The chemisty for the tanks are okay notihing that I can see. The only problem is aptasia explosion in our 24g nano and growth of I recently switched to new bucker of seachem salt and did not observe this residue.

Mike
 
Is the orange stuff slimmy? Do you let water sit in the buckets for extended periods of time? If so, it is very likely bacterial biofilm. Generally harmless. Some bacteria are known to be able to live in environments we deem inhabitable. What is your source water for the salt mix? Where did you get the buckets you are using?


If they are however dry buckets that get a brown dusting freshly on each mix, I would be concerned more about your water quality. Perhaps (big if) you are precipitating some iron complex or by way of some odd chemistry leaching something from the bucket. ..or by equally odd chemistry precipitating another trace element from your seasalt.
 
Many salts use trace elements and "vitamins", the quantity of those can vary from batch to batch, my understanding is that some of those elements can precipitate out if they are over saturated leaving a residue a like you described.

I once had a bucket of Reef Crystals that left a significant amount of residue in my trash cans after each mixing the salt was OK though other than that, I also notice quite a bit of residue from SeaChem reef, which is what I use from day to day. Try a vinegar wipe down on all of your mixing gear and soak your pumps, that will cut down on precipitation.
 
insiders say it's from the mixer itself. I've always gotten it in some degree from IO/RC/Oceanic/Coralife/etc. every salt I've tried did it to some degree. No worries. An acid test shows it foams for what that's worth.
 
GreshamH said:
insiders say it's from the mixer itself. I've always gotten it in some degree from IO/RC/Oceanic/Coralife/etc. every salt I've tried did it to some degree. No worries. An acid test shows it foams for what that's worth.
Click to expand...

Don't under stand the acid foams?

Note Weare using RO/DI source water. Water usually only sits for 2 or 3 days at most, usually wipe the bucket down after. I am using Home Depot 5 g paint pales. Only noticed recently when we got to the bottom of IQ bucket.

MIke
 
acid + base = foam

I always use RODI and have always seen the residue. Nothing to worry about. can't be any more clear then that :)
 
GreshamH said:
No worries. An acid test shows it foams for what that's worth.
Click to expand...

GreshamH said:
acid + base = foam
Click to expand...

Acid + carbonate will give you carbon dioxide bubbles. If the brown stuff is some kind of carbonate, it's probably no big deal.

If the material contains zinc, you can get hydrogen bubbles.

If the material is a cyanide salt, you can get cyanide bubbles.

I'm sure there's other fun stuff you can get, but those are the ones off the top of my head.
 
don't forget
goggles-do-nothing.jpg
 
^^^ laughs at picture and wonders how tony heard about Gresham's table saw incident two weeks ago???

cut off shot me in the forehead, yup, I was wearing goggles but no forehead protection.
 
ouch! ..but I guess that since you didn't get seriously hurt (seemingly) that I can laugh a little at your expense :p

Kickouts are scary though Had it happen to me on a piece that I couldn't use the guard on!
 
An old cabinetmaker at one of my first jobs used to do a tablesaw kickback demo for all the newbies.

Pretty impressive to see a 4' stick of plywood skewering a cardboard box 25' behind the tablesaw :D
 
Oh by all means laugh, I did and still am :) A new protocol was put in place because of this so I am rather proud. I mean, I can't recall ever having rules changed simply due to what happened to me :)

It was one of those portable table saws with like 1.5" gap between the blade and the guard. As the blade was slowing down and nearly stopped the small cut off wiggled into the gap and shot in slow motion at me. I had time to move back just a bit so it bounced off my forehead. I still bleed like no ones business and I should have gotten at least one stitch, but bah, a single butterfly bandage from my kit and I am good to go :lol:

I saw a picture of a guy that got acyclic launched back at his stomach. It gutted him...scary stuff!!!!

My shop teacher was 'Mr Hand" no joke, that's his real name. Two years before I took his class one of his students lost 4 fingers on a table saw.
 
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