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Offline Sunny

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Aeration
« on: November 17, 2011, 13:07:40 »
Does everyone aerate their saltwater mix?  If so, do you do it while you're adding salt or do you keep air in the water all the time? 

Offline Boonjob

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2011, 13:22:50 »
I didn't put any form of aerating unit in my salt mixing barrel, just the pump which pulled water from the bottom and pushed it out at the top of the barrel(surface of the water)
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Offline Sunny

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2011, 14:07:02 »
I have a power head in it.  I opened it today to add the new salt and noticed a lot of stuff floating on top.  I've also have stuff floating around in my tank water.  It's annoying ...

Offline Boonjob

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2011, 14:33:09 »
Well stop putting stuff in your water...

What does the stuff floating around look like? is it brownish/green flakes kinda like fish food?
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Offline Sunny

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2011, 14:44:44 »
It looks like salt.  Undissolved particles.   I took the fish net and put batting in it to skim the top.  Looks like it (or most) of it is gone.  I have used Oceanic since I got into this hobby.  When I ran a little low, I bought a small box of Instant Ocean to make a new barrel full till I got the other salt.  I looked at the box of RC and it said to aerate the water after adding the salt, that's why I was wondering if anyone else does this.   

As for the tank, it looks like fine particles just blowing about everywhere. 

Offline Boonjob

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2011, 15:21:34 »
Yeah I personally felt that RC didnt mix aswell as it should or other brands... I would get alot of undisolved salt in my barrel when i made huge batches compared to other salts. maybe try mixing up the small box it might just be seperated... i am not sure aeration would even remedy this problem...
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Life is a beach, I'm just playing in the sand.


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Offline Todd W.

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2011, 15:28:59 »
I get undisolved particles when mixing RC.  I also clean out my barrel after each batch.  I go outside, and hose it out.

There is a fine coating on the inside of the barrel... Was it Brian that had the horrible buildup in his that caused a Phos problem??

Offline buk

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2011, 15:36:13 »
i use IO and get the white dirty looking flakes that kind of resemble fish food. i saw someone had mentioned this. any idea what this is or what is causing it? i also get a brown powdery film that settles in my mixing barrel during every batch of water. i've got a 6 stage ro/di unit with good filters. anyone else had this?

Offline Sunny

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2011, 15:36:45 »
I just put the RC in today.  The particles were there from either the Oceanic or Instant Ocean. 

Offline Sunny

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2011, 15:38:52 »
i use IO and get the white dirty looking flakes that kind of resemble fish food. i saw someone had mentioned this. any idea what this is or what is causing it? i also get a brown powdery film that settles in my mixing barrel during every batch of water. i've got a 6 stage ro/di unit with good filters. anyone else had this?

I had the brown film around the tote before, but I think it was a bad batch of Kent.   I haven't had that problem since we started using these 55 gal. drums with a power head.

Offline Boonjob

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2011, 15:59:16 »
The brown film is pretty standard and will come from any salt mix really, I have heard of it from all the major ones atleast... It is just what happens to mixing barrels after prolonged use without cleaning inbetween.... alot of members have noticed this and it can be remedied easily with cleanings of the barrel inbetween salt mix batches... When I was making 60gals of RC a day I noticed it would accumilate very quickly... Seachem wasn't as bad as RC but was still present.... I assume because it mixed better it didn't leave as much residual to grow nasties on, but still wasn't pretty... The brown flake is just this, left over spoiled salt from your mixing container...  it can build up on your powerheads and pumps in your mixing containter aswell so mak sure you just give them a bath....

Brian's case was the most recent, and it was the sole reason for "high" phosphates in his tank, we just had a discussion of this the other day at Bethel actually.
God is great, Beer is good, and People are crazy...

Life is a beach, I'm just playing in the sand.


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Offline buk

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2011, 16:04:09 »
CRAZINESS!! i get the flakes after one batch of saltwater. it really isn't the easiest to get my barrell out and clean it all the time. especially working 13+ hrs a day. crap it's hard enough to just get the water mixed.

Offline Boonjob

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2011, 16:07:07 »
May try a better mixing salt mayhaps? I noticed IO products mix like crap... Seachem is a better mixer, but has it's trade offs (like super high calc)...

If you aren't noticing negative from the flakes yet then it migh tbe worth it just to stick to it, and clean it when you can.

I literally had to clean my barrel every batch when I was mixing alot of RC just because it would leave sooo much residual in the basin... Seachem I had to clean every other, it was night and day on how well it mixed over RC.

The flakes wont be from the batch your making, but rather the last that didnt get cleaned out... I would assume it is just dried salt creep that has begun to grow a form of algae or bacteria on it once it hits the air.
God is great, Beer is good, and People are crazy...

Life is a beach, I'm just playing in the sand.


http://www.ustream.tv/channel/boonjob-s-reef-tank

Offline Sunny

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2011, 16:29:11 »
So far, no brown film  .... yet.   It would be a PITA to takes our out and wash them also.   Don't think that is an option for us with these big barrels. 

So why does it say to aerate the salt after mixing?

Offline Boonjob

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2011, 16:45:13 »
I would assume to help keep the PH stabilized
God is great, Beer is good, and People are crazy...

Life is a beach, I'm just playing in the sand.


http://www.ustream.tv/channel/boonjob-s-reef-tank

Offline Sunny

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2011, 17:00:28 »
How long are you suppose to keep air in it?

Offline Boonjob

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #16 on: November 17, 2011, 17:07:17 »
I believe the mfg suggest over night as well as the "standard rule of thumb" for the PH to stabilize... however it would greatly depend on the amount of water your making I noticed most my batches were good to go after only 2-3 hours and I never aerated.
God is great, Beer is good, and People are crazy...

Life is a beach, I'm just playing in the sand.


http://www.ustream.tv/channel/boonjob-s-reef-tank

Offline Sunny

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #17 on: November 17, 2011, 18:09:28 »
OK ... thanks :)

Offline HUNGER

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #18 on: November 17, 2011, 18:24:54 »
i just use a mag drive  try not to put a lot of salt at once u wont get that flim
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Offline Ashlar

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Re: Aeration
« Reply #19 on: November 23, 2011, 13:59:09 »
My 55g mixing barrel has a large pond 'powerhead' at the bottom that I use for stirring, but I also have an old MJ 1200 with a bit of tubing connected to it that I use to filter the water and aerate it. I rubber band a paper towel over the hose and change it as I mix up a new batch- that catches any film / sand / ca precipitate that accumulates, too.

 

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