Anyone seen this with newly mixed water

[fishy7]

I mixed my water last night as usual and now the water is all white. I thought it was microbubbles but there is a white film on the PH. The only thing different---I did not place a heater in the water this time. The PH usually heats the water just fine.
Thanks for the help.

I buy RO/DI water from a local vendor.
I use my regualr jugs
I add ph buffer to the mix

 

[fedukeford]

i had that stuff when i added salt for the first time to my water before the cycle, still have no clue what it was

 

[michelle l]

Did you dissolve the Ph buffer in fresh water before adding it? I can't speak for all kinds, but some require that it be dissolved in FW first. If you don't, it will cause precipitation (white residue) on everything, exactly as your pic shows.

 

[ophiura]

Yeah, that is not good, not good at all.
Do not use it.
Do you have an alkalinity reading and calcium reading? You had a precipitation event. Was that instant ocean? There are some bad batches of salt out there. Was this a new bag or one you've used?
Why do you add pH buffer, by the way?

 

[fishy7]

Originally Posted by ophiura
Yeah, that is not good, not good at all.
Do not use it.
Do you have an alkalinity reading and calcium reading? You had a precipitation event. Was that instant ocean? There are some bad batches of salt out there. Was this a new bag or one you've used?
Why do you add pH buffer, by the way?
Alk 8.2 CA450
I use Marine Environment salt. I have never had any issues. The buffer says dissolve in one gallon of RO water and i dissolve in 5 gallons before mixing the the SW. This was a new bag. Each bag makes 50 gallons and it was new.
I add buffer since the ph and alk are low when I mix.
I did not change my normal procedure so I am guessing it is the salt.
Thanks for the help.

 

[fishy7]

Originally Posted by Michelle L
Did you dissolve the Ph buffer in fresh water before adding it? I can't speak for all kinds, but some require that it be dissolved in FW first. If you don't, it will cause precipitation (white residue) on everything, exactly as your pic shows.
I dissolved the buffer in 5 gallons of ro water before mixing.

 

[murph145]

y do u use a buffer??
i use tropic marin salt and just add the salt to the RO/DI water and mix away...
ph comes in around 8.2... with a Ca of 400 and alk of 9 dkh....
if u have a good salt and let it mix for 24 hours u dont need a Ph buffer just more chemicals added to ur tank that could mess stuff up in the future IMO

 

[bang guy]

Never add a buffer to new saltwater.
Another thing that can cause this type of precipitation event is moist salt. Make sure salt containers are sealed or the humidity in the air will collect in the salt. If the salt gets wet enough it will begin to precipitate in the container before you even try to use it.
A third is caused by using warm water instead of cold water.
And a 4th way is to add the water to the salt instead of adding salt to the water.