White powdery crud in water mix

[sen5241b]

After a couple days I noticed some white powdery crud in the salt water mix I prepared. I had a pump and heater in there to keep it going but it settled on the bottom. I dumped it out and started over ensuring the container was clean. (No soap was used). After a couple days the white crud settles in again on the bottom --what is that stuff? Unmixed salt? Anyone else seen this? I use Oceanic.

 

[dustin_P74]

it could be unmixed salt but if it happens after i few days then i doubt thats the cause, it could also be calcium

 

[yote]

I never had that problem when I used oceanic salt.
But like Dustin said,It could be calcium.Could be something else.
You probably got hold of a bad batch there.Dont know that I would trust it with running a bunch of tests on a fresh mix.

 

[dustin_P74]

Dont know that I would trust it with running a bunch of tests on a fresh mix.

do you mean without?

 

[Piggy]

I would test the water before use.

 

[sen5241b]

I found some other people who have the same problem with a "white residue" settling in their salt water mix after a couple days but know seems to know what it is.

 

[daugherty]

mine did that after a week of sitting even with pumps in the water.

 

[Smitty]

Take a sample to your lfs to have them test it for you...like mentioned earlier, could be calcium build-up or a bad batch of salt. also, are you using tap water or ro/di, sometimes tap water is kinda cloudy.

 

[daugherty]

the water tests out fine. i think it is just alk or cal

 

[yote]

do you mean without?

Yeah,I left off half the word.:mrgreen:

 

[dustin_P74]

it could also be caused by low mag causing calcium to precipitate

 

[montoya]

I use I/O Reef Crystals. I mix my water in a clean container with a powerhead to circulate it - a minimum of 24 hours - sometimes several days. I almost always have a little white precipitate left in the bottom of the container. Not much though - a fraction of a teaspoon at best for 10 gallons of water and about 6 cups of salt. I just write it off as contaminate in the salt or somehting precipitating out of solution.

Are you seeing a lot of precipitation or just a trace?

 

[Bifferwine]

I make up 35 gallons of saltwater at a time, and sometimes it will sit for weeks with a powerhead moving it before I get around to using it. I always have a layer of white residue at the bottom of the trash can. I noticed the longer I leave the water out, the more residue builds up. This has happened with every type of salt I've used. It hasn't hurt anything yet.

 

[sen5241b]

I opened and used a new jug of Oceanic salt mix and the water was clear in 10 minutes with no residue the next day. I think there is some settling of contents at the bottom of a drum or jug of salt.

 

[DaveDiveMaster]

I would guess calcium coming out out of suspension because the levels are too high. A quick check with your test kit would confirm that~

 

[bobby]

I mix my water for a few days usually and my pump get a hard layer of white stuff on them along with the buckets. Been that way since I started over two years ago and haven't had any problems yet.

 

[daugherty]

my water is fine cal is usually 400+ and stays that way all other prams are fine. it only does this if my water sits for over a week.