how to ruin a bucket of salt

[lastlight]

That looks like my freshly mixed reef crystals not sure what the problem is?

[lockrookie]

Originally Posted by paddyob

Surface algae.

My 20g gets it due to lack of surface skimmer.

that would be fine if this was a tank i kept running all the time this is a tote i mix fresh salt water for water changes lid covers it while it mixes cleaned after every use

Originally Posted by lastlight

That looks like my freshly mixed reef crystals not sure what the problem is?

lol you should know you mixed a few recently lol not reef crystals just regular IO tho im thinking its a bad batch. when i started up this new batch the salt mixed completely different. the old bucket just dropped to the bottom and disolved. the new bucket clouded the whole container as its mixing.

time will tell il be checkingit through the night to see whats up

[lastlight]

I don't clean my barrel so the surface scum does get worse I guess as a result. When I grab a few drops for the salinity test I can see the brown specs on my refractometer. I figure what the heck I run 100 micron that's not going to stick around for long.

I can't see a foot into my barrel after dumping a bunch of rc in btw.

[lockrookie]

i have never seen any scum before this is a first for me. as well i dont run filter socks so it lasts a bit forme regretfully.. but so far no scumm on this batch. see what the morning brings

[lockrookie]

new bucket of salt new water = no scum this morning. so after i do my much needed water changes. onmy two tanks i will try another batch of the old salt bucket but i will remove the hard chunks if i get scum again it will hit the garbage. or be used on icey sidewalks lol

[lastlight]

in light of recent threads may i suggest you give it away for free instead of smashing your salt to pieces ?

[lockrookie]

Originally Posted by lastlight

in light of recent threads may i suggest you give it away for free instead of smashing your salt to pieces ?

omg i almost peed myself and contaminated my new mixed water lol maybe a good idea. too fricken funny

edit in hind site someone suggetsed to start a cyle i should pee in it

[Realshow]

this is a very interesting theory. i also have started using an old bag of salt i have had for years . i had been using spoonfuls of salt this old salt in my freshwater tanks
however the saltwater tank was using instant ocean before but now i am using the old hard bag of coralife salt and my phosphates have shot off the chart.
coincidence? maybe.
im gonna mix up some of this salt and test it in the bucket.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by Realshow

im gonna mix up some of this salt and test it in the bucket.

If you happen to get a zero reading don't trust it. I've heard that the bucket can actually use the phosphates up before they are detectable by the kit!

[lockrookie]

this is what i have figured out salt is fine. water is fine but if i leave my fresh salt mix sit in container with pump running for longer than 24 hours it accumilates the scum. tehnew salt bucket did the same thing as the old one.