Why I filter my salt - newbies should check it out

[ReeFit]

If you mix your own saltwater, do you filter your salt before you put it in your fresh RO water? I've been doing this ever since i watched them mix salt at SWF last year. I put each cup through a filter sock and run water over the top with a pump and hose. Here is why I do.

 

This is from 20 cups of salt strait out of a brand new salt bucket.

 

 

I've had similar results with Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, Kent marine and H2O Ocean Pro, I have to say though, IO reef crystals is by far the dirtiest i've seen out of the three consistently.

[newfisher]

Good to know! Thanks for the heads up.

[steelhead77]

Well, that's interesting, but what is it? And would it be harmful in the great scheme of things?

[Smann]

Well' date=' that's interesting, but what is it? And would it be harmful in the great scheme of things?[/quote']

 

I agree, what do you think you are " filtering out" , i've used IO and now IO reef crystals for years never been happier.

[grassi]

That is all good stuff! Maybe iron lol

[ReeFit]

I don't honestly think these things are packaged perfect, machines are not cleaned perfect, humans make mistakes. Everything good in the mix will go through a filter sock, it does it on a regular basis in our tanks. If I can see it, it's not going in my tank. What is it? Could be anything from dirt to human dandruff. Who knows, all I know is it doesn't look like it's in my water collumn at that size, if it won't go through it's not going to into my corals or fishes habitat. The sock also helps my salt mix disolve faster and evenly instead of clumping in the bottom of the drum.

[ReeFit]

And don't take this the wrong way, I use IO reef crystals exclusively now, I just felt impressed to share my findings so others, especially the newer hobbiest can see that precautions are a necessity in this hobby and everyone should be aware and make there own assesments of their practices.

[Mandinga]

If only we could design a system for mixing salt like God. Rain and rivers dissolve minerals, waves spash and disolve..etc etc etc...and VOILA perfect salt mix every time.

-Mandinga

[Smann]

And don't take this the wrong way' date=' I use IO reef crystals exclusively now, I just felt impressed to share my findings so others, especially the newer hobbiest can see that precautions are a necessity in this hobby and everyone should be aware and make there own assesments of their practices.[/quote']

 

OK, I thought this was a "lets bash IO thread" again!. I use the 50g bags, I'll try it with those and post back

[oxx155]

I stopped using IO Reef Crystals because of the "extras". I still use regular IO exclusively.

[dsoz]

Some of that could be the calcium and carbonate (alkalinity) that dissolve when diluted enough, but will precipitate (turn solid) when concentrated. That is one of the reasons the directions say to add the salt to the water, not water to salt.

 

Adding salt to water starts with the salt greatly diluted and gradually increases the concentration of the ions so they dissolve properly.

 

Adding water to salt starts with the salt greatly concentrated then slowly decrease. There are many interactions at high concentrations that do not occur at lower concentrations, and most of those interactions tie up the calcium and carbonate ions so they are not useful to our animals right away. They can and do slowly dissolve in the aquarium (at the lower concentrations).

 

Even the brown and other colored chunks may be essential elements that have precipitated out because of the high concentrations. You may be removing some of the elements that are essential...

 

dsoz

[tanktop74]

I filter my water as I am putting it into my tanks. Then if there are any of these things that haven't dissolved they will get caught before they make it to my tank.

[undrtkr_00]

Some of that could be the calcium and carbonate (alkalinity) that dissolve when diluted enough, but will precipitate (turn solid) when concentrated. That is one of the reasons the directions say to add the salt to the water, not water to salt.

 

Adding salt to water starts with the salt greatly diluted and gradually increases the concentration of the ions so they dissolve properly.

 

Adding water to salt starts with the salt greatly concentrated then slowly decrease. There are many interactions at high concentrations that do not occur at lower concentrations, and most of those interactions tie up the calcium and carbonate ions so they are not useful to our animals right away. They can and do slowly dissolve in the aquarium (at the lower concentrations).

 

Even the brown and other colored chunks may be essential elements that have precipitated out because of the high concentrations. You may be removing some of the elements that are essential...

 

dsoz

 

Good call, Dennis. Thanks for chiming in to point out the chemistry here.