Mixed salt

[Edan_l]

Hi all.
If you reefers around where I live have experienced a high rate of unexplained fish and coral death. The only common factor is that they use the same salt. They have been using this salt for a while but only after recently buying new pals did the problems start.
After mixing some salt with fresh R/O water they measured 10 ppm of nitrates (in the fresh mix).

Is it possible that the salt has been mixed with a different brand?
How can the quality of the salt be tested?
Is it normal or possible to find nitrates in the fresh mix?


Edan

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Nitrate at 10 ppm isn't normal, but it shouldn't kill fish. Ammonia might, so you might test for that as well.

What brand is it?

[Edan_l]

Instant Ocean

I'll have the salt mixed for ammonia as well.

Would two different salts combined cause a reaction?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I've never heard of mixing two salt brands and getting a problem that would kill fish. There was an issue a while back with two particular salt mixes where switching from one to the other may have caused some issues for some corals, but not fish.

[Edan_l]

Hi Randy

I made an error with the Nitrates. It was actually Ammonia that was measured at around 0.2 ppm. what could be the cause for Ammonia in freshly mixed water?


it is now 6 tanks that have been hurt. the symptoms are mostly on sps.


Merry X-mass all!!!!


Edan

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ammonia often reads detectable levels in new salt water. It may be present as an impurity in one of the ingredients. It is usually not sufficient to be a problem. Does your tank read detectable ammonia?

High ammonia (enough to smell even) can also come from chloramine put in tap water. For example, if youhave an RO/DI and the DI is depleted.

Craig Bingman found ammonia in a bunch of salts in this article:

The Composition Of Several Synthetic Seawater Mixes
http://web.archive.org/web/20030608135355/http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp

[Edan_l]

Thank you for the reply.
My friend stopped using the salt and has contacted the company which in turn asked for some salt in order to check it.
Their wasn't any ammonia detectable in the tank....

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome. If you don't have any detectable ammonia in the main tank, then it probably isn't a significant concern. Doing 10% changes with this salt mix would only bring the ammonia to 0.02 ppm, and it will rapidly be used up in the aquarium.

[NCNBilly]

Might want to check the RO water too - could be a bad membrane.