RO + SALT = CLOUDY (special conditions need help quick)

[jetman5443]

OK, I'm in GTMO Cuba helping my mom set up a reef tank, we want to make our own salt instead of collecting NSW... (NSW is not the argument here...) We have an RO unit (no DI) that gets the water from 450ppm to 10ppm. The water on base here is made by a desalinization plant. when i test the feed water it has a PH of 9.4. when i mixed the red sea salt (what i personally use and never have a problem, actually the exact bag i was using from, which i need to use as other supplies can not be easily bought.) it clouded and never settled... also the PH of the mixed water was low 7.4. I've been reading and researching a ton, but i can't quite figure it out. any help is appreciated,

how do i get it to mix clear?
what would be a better salt?

Thanks guys!!!

[Kentanner11]

you really really want to mix it well it it will take forever for it to dissolve. you might want to put a powerhead in there. As for the PH thing, not my area, I have no clue! Good Luck!

[senatormoe31]

If the source water is hard or you buffer it before you add your salt--there's your problem.
Using an RO/Di water will probably prevent that. But unfortunatly when the ccarbonates come out of solution it is next to impossible to re-dilute them.

Never buffer Ro or Ro/di when you are about to or are mixing it. This precipitation will happen every time.
Good luck.

[senatormoe31]

The High ph of the source water is probably due to high alk/kh and will cause this sort of prob.
You could use a sponge on a powerhead to take out lg particles but the new water chenmisty is probably FUBAR, so starting over is unfortunatley the only sure way to go.

[senatormoe31]

Is there a cardboard colored film in the mixing container???

[Pyrrhus]

^^^

Nail on the head.

[kcjefff]

what does the cardboard colored film indicate?

[senatormoe31]

The film is carbonates and minerals that have precipitated in the water from over saturation.

[kcjefff]

is it slimy, and kinda looks like mud? If so, I have that in my sump settling at the bottom. Why would that be there?

[senatormoe31]

NO.
Most likely you have detritus and mulm in your sump which are silty by-products of what we are doing to keep our tanks going.
just small silty solids.
Siphon<->don't siphon--the debate rages.

I siphon my sump periodically so that if i fart around in there or move or service skimmer/heaters,etc., then a silty cloud of who knows what won't go for a ride through my display.
I cannot say that i have ever had issue from this particle cloud, but seems counter productive at the least. Those few critters that get siphoned once every 2 months or so seem to be back every time.

Shrug.

The film in a top up or mixing bucket that someone who buffers their water before adding salt accumulates is mineral and karbonat.

[jetman5443]

hmmm OK guys... i think i have it all figured out... thanks a ton guys.

i think the desalinization plant buffers the water to get the PH in range. I have no control over that. so maybe I'm dealing with buffered water. should i just mix it in easy and slow and with a power head then???

As for the carbord colored film... There is none, and no real white film either, no films altogeather...

[senatormoe31]

YUP,
I always have subscribed to the adage that slower is usually better.
take your time and keep us posted.

[senatormoe31]

Home Use RO-DI systems are relatively cheap when it comes to what they do.

Would surely make a possitive difference if you can find it in the budget for the unit and replacement cartridges
They don't need complicated instal.
Just screw the end to a hose or standard faucet thread.

[jetman5443]

I have a kent hs-i RO 180 GPD unit... deffinatley a capable reef unit.

[senatormoe31]

That should do it then.