Cloudy Water. Why? Ive been doing this a long time and now?

solojrbb · #1 12/31/2004, 08:28 PM

I have been mixing water with success for years and today as I am trying to change my water out it gets cloudy when I try to mix it. I have a rubbermaid trash can with 25 gallons of water in it and the gravity is still very low 1.10 and the water is already like a white cloud. WHy is it doing this? I have never had any trouble like this until today. Using the same salt, distilled water, some bottled spring water, (is that okay) the store ran out of distilled. It said it had been filtered and de ionized on the label. Added my DKH buffer, let it mix and poof!!!!!cloudy water. This is the second batch I have wasted and salt cost lots of lute. So, Im guessing maybe its the temp of the water? I really have no clue. Someone please help I got to change my water. Thanks.
Ps I looked in the search area for this problem and didnt find it, Thank you again. Ronnie

solojrbb · #2 12/31/2004, 08:29 PM

Pss. It does not start out cloudy it slowy gets that way after it sits a few minutes the heat is heating it up, maybe its this cold weather up here where I live, as I said I really do not know.

Saltz Creep · #3 12/31/2004, 08:49 PM

If you're using other than Rubbermaid BRUTE trashcans than you're leaching unknown substances. Temperature can be a big factor in not dissolving your mix. I use a tank heater in my BRUTE set at 80F. What alkalizer are you using? Many are not very soluble in the first place. Spring water is mineralized water and can contain anything. You should really get a RO/DI unit of eBay for under 100 bucks shipped. My set up can get I/O to completely dissolve to clarity in only 1 hour.

WaterDogs · #4 12/31/2004, 09:25 PM

Assuming the mixing container is the same two things come to mind one water temp, and adding a buffer to cold water has never worked for me. The spring water should work too. I say it either too cold of water or the buffer is reacting which I have had happen myself so I just add it to the tank after the water change.

Dwaine

solojrbb · #5 12/31/2004, 09:30 PM

My unit is needing a membrand and The pet store where I was getting my water from was selling bad water, No one here sells RO units. The buffer I am using is Kalwasser I think its the same one I have used for years. I have used this water off an on for a while as well, The water is very cold and if temp can be a factor then its got to be it. Im from the coast and its always warm there. I had to move my tank and everything due to health problems and to be honest Im living with my mother until my back gets better. I hate to admit that I have lived on my own since I was 17 now I have to move back in with my parents. LoL its sad. She keeps this house like ICE!! I never had that problem in the past I also added another back up heater if the one in my tank goes out due to the extreme cold here right now. Heck, Im only in Up State SC how cold can it get. The trashcan I am using is the same One I have used for years, same salt, same water, same everything. the only thing that is differnt is the temp. The water is cold. I have always mixed it at room temp. like everything it has a breaking point and I think I have found it. Will the water clear up if I let it mix all night with two power heads and two heaters? Im going tolet it run all night and see if I can get it right before tomorrow. The buffers I use one is Kent I forget the other one is for PH and the other is for DKH and ph. What else am I forgeting? I have other additives if it test low for calcium, iodine, strotinum. ETC ETC. But all this time I have used the same everything and now its cloudy as hell. I wasted 50 bucks of salt and water because of that. Thanks

solojrbb · #6 12/31/2004, 09:35 PM

If it doesnt clear up by AM Im going to have to wait until the day after tomorrow and start all Frigging over. That will be the thrid time I had to do it. The sale is on the filter of the power heads, when I squeeze it, it just comes off like tooth paste looks nasty to be honest. I hope it fixes it self in the night, I got nothing to lose but a few Kilowatts and see what happens. I will hold off on the buffer tomorrow and heat the water before I add salt and see what happens Thanks

WaterDogs · #7 12/31/2004, 10:23 PM

The water has to be at least 70F before adding salt and make sure you add the salt to the full volume off water.

I never heard of adding pure kalkwasser as a buffer, that in itself will cloud the water by making the calcium fall out of solution.

Mix just the water and salt and see if that is clear; then add it to the tank along with your dKH buffer. Kalkwasser needs to be mixed with fresh water and dripped into the tank. hth

Dwaine

Saltz Creep · #8 12/31/2004, 10:25 PM

Absolutey. Kalk should never be added directly. There are parts that will never dissolve, therefore only the saturated solution should be added.

solojrbb · #9 12/31/2004, 10:39 PM

It wasnt Kallk. It was Super Buffer DKH I had to go and read it to remember, I was so upset I could think right. Thanks for the help

Piccru Ponios · #10 12/31/2004, 11:39 PM

If you're doing everything the same EXCEPT that you used a different water - the spring water, then it's the spring water.

Cloudy means things not going into solution. If the spring water starts with a low level of stuff in solution, you could be going over the top when you add in your stuff.

So. . . Don't use spring water.

marinelife · #11 01/01/2005, 12:47 AM

You can order a RO Membrane cheap on the internet. I get mine here - http://www.wateranywhere.com