Hello Everyone and, again, thanks for all of your very helpful suggestions.
The pink coraline algae has yet to reappear. Still watching it, though.
Here is a new problem and I hope you can help!
I mixed up some new salt water, using ro/di water(TDS= 1). I have two coralia pumps in the barrel as well as a 200 watt heater. I mixed in 14 cups of Bio-Sea Marine mix in 30 gals of water. I did 7 cups one day and 7 the next. All seemed fine until I went down to retrieve 6 gals for a water change. The water was cloudy and I couldn't see the bottom. I went ahead with the change (knew I shouldn't, but!). Later I checked the tank and all of the zoanthids had closed. Also some of the snails and hermits have stopped moving. I checked the mixing barrel and it had an almost electrical smell, like when an appliance shorts out.
Did I really screw up the system? Fish are fine and feeding normally. Please let me know what you think. All other tests for Ammonia etc were zero. Calcium at 450.
The SG of the new water was 1.023, the tank 1.025 and the tank is now a little over 1.024. I did add some buffer as the Alk was low, but only a tsp to 30 gals. the makeup water did have an odd smell and I suspect the Coralia pumps although these are less than a year old. One odd thing, when scooping up the water I received a shock so I shut off the GFIC. Is it possible the pumps could be leaching something into the water? I will check them over. Thanks for your help.
I recently have been having problems with my Bio-sea salt as well. I PM'd MDP about it but he said that such a problem didn't exist and it must be my water. I mixed what little I had of my last box of Bio-sea in my RO water, but no cloudiness...so the water seems fine. No suppliments for me...just an mj400 and a little heater that both seem to be working well.
If someone has problems mixing salts... meaningful information must be offered.
1) Was the bag of salt opened then used... Or, was the bag of salt opened a while back and the salt was damp and no longer a fine dry powder?
If the salt picked up moisture it will not dissolve as rapidly as bone dry salts in a newly opened package.
If the salt bag was opened and the salts picked up mositure, it is possible contaminants were brought into the salt.
2) We mix in 2000 pound + lots. Thus one 15 pound package cannot be "bad".
3) If there is an unusual odor with freshly mixed salts, check all equipment in contact with the chemistry and the mixed solution.
No one from around the world reports odor or cloudy water from BIO-SEA.
4) For BIO-SEA to be 450 ppm. of Ca, the honest SG would be 1.027-1.028.
Adding cups of salts is a very loose guide line. It is always better to use a quality hydrometer. Better yet, use a quality refractometer.
5) Purchasing a 150 gal. size carton and using small portions (cups) at a time is not the best way to use any marine salt.
If 25 gallons is required, get the 25 gallon size. If 50 gallons is needed, get the 50 gallon size.
Traditionally those that purchase the 150 gal. size and use small portions at a time ultimately end up with a wet, damp or caked block of salts about 50% into the carton.
Wet, damp or caked salts will hydrate into a cloudy solution. The pH changes as a portion of the buffering system is activated when wet.
These expected events negate any savings in purchasing large size salts vs. using the proper size that allows fresh, uncontaminated for aquarists exacting needs.
6) There should be no need to add any supplements to freshly mixed BIO-SEA.
What "buffer" was added? Was this the cause of cloudy water, chemical imbalance, etc?
7) What is the code number on the top of the carton?
__________________
Michael Del Prete
CEO Aqua Craft Products www.AquaCraft.net
The SG of the new water was 1.023, the tank 1.025 and the tank is now a little over 1.024. I did add some buffer as the Alk was low, but only a tsp to 30 gals. the makeup water did have an odd smell and I suspect the Coralia pumps although these are less than a year old. One odd thing, when scooping up the water I received a shock so I shut off the GFIC. Is it possible the pumps could be leaching something into the water? I will check them over. Thanks for your help.
There should be no need to add a buffer. Alkalinity readings on Aquacraft salts done with aquarium grade test kits tend to read low. The best thing to do is nothing.
Since you got a shock, I suspect you have a damaged pump or heater. You have power problem someplace. Water is getting to the power someplace. This could also be the source of your problem.
I would discard the remaining new water, check everything for electrical problems, and mix a new batch.
OK, I dumped the make-up water, washed out the barrel and let it dry. I have started making new RO water and will probably do a large water change once I have enough and it is all mixed.
I checked over the equipment and it was the heater. The glass was broken near the top and leached whatever metals that reacted with the salt water.
I hated to lose a new 200 watt heater, but I will recover as I hope the corals do. The fish, snails and crabs are all moving about. The zoanthids remain mostly closed but haven't turned to mush or anything else. I hope the water change will help.
Thanks for all of your help. BTW, I buy salt in 50 gal bags and seal tightly between uses. I have not seen any caking this way and they dissolve very rapidly. Two Coralia #3 pumps are in the barrel and really keep the water moving.
Water Change Problem
Linear Mode
