Salt water issue

[karnivor]

As some know i just got my saltwater tank and am still learning about this, but i made a batch of saltwater and used it and all went well but my last batch had issues, it almost killed my long spine urchin he is very sick but holding on, and did a number on my mushrooms, my zoo's and clown fish and other creatures are doing well as far as i can tell. I later read that water should be left for more then 24 hrs before adding

that i was never told, you live and learn.
My question is how are you making your saltwater? and how long in advance can i do this? Is there a time frame that the water should be used? Is there anything more i should know?
I am using RO water and instant ocean mix, i have a special jug used just for making the water.

 

[meowzer]

I mix it in a trashcan...put in a powerhead (heater if it's cold) and after 24 hours I use it.....I never go over 48 hours

 

[t316]

There could be other issues here. Was the temperature of the new water about the same as the tank? How much water did you change out exactly?

 

[karnivor]

temp was the same i heated it up with a extra heater, and it was only 4 gallons in a 77gallon tank

 

[florida joe]

I do not think it was the salt proper

 

[srfisher17]

Me either; or the fact that it was newly mixed---I don't think that cause such a serious problem.

 

[karnivor]

This is the quote i read about the time limit
"Freshly mixed saltwater should not be added to a tank unless it is a relatively small amount. Larger amounts (perhaps more than about 5% of the tank volume) should be mixed for about 24 hours or so before adding to the tank. The reason is that freshly mixed saltwater seems to be somewhat caustic for reasons that no one really understands. "
I know you have to take all internet babble with a grain of salt hence the post here.
I am on my way to get a good testing kit tomorrow, i looked today but the lfs around me deal in mostly fresh, and didn't carry what i needed. I'll post my findings when i get the chance.

 

[florida joe]

only 4 gallons in a 77gallon tank
IMO it was not your salt, as far as the caustic aspect I believe that comes in to play when people just dump salt into their tank with out it being premixed and the raw salt lands on their fish

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3267307
IMO it was not your salt, as far as the caustic aspect I believe that comes in to play when people just dump salt into their tank with out it being premixed and the raw salt lands on their fish
Yeah, I've never heard of newly mixed water being caustic. Aerating water before use drives off chlorine and has something to do with oxygen & CO2 equilibrium. (I'm not sure what). I used newly mixed water instantly for years, before I knew better and never noticed any problem. I know of no reason you can't keep mixed and aerating water indefinitely. When I'm on schedule, my new water is a month old; older when I'm behind.

 

[rlablan]

I am interested to know how you are measuring your salinity. Are you using a swing arm hydrometer? Glass or plastic? Are you using a refractometer?
My thought it maybe your salinity is really off and you did a number on your tank that way. It would Certainly effect your inverts. Normally fish are a bit tougher to that kind of thing but depending on how off, it can certainly hurt them as well.
Also, some people have complained about ammo issues with IO salt. They say that they have made new batches and it is high in AMMO, even before it has hit their tank. I suggest making another small batch, same as you didi before and running some tests to see whats up.
Just my 0.2
Good luck.

 

[acrylic51]

Not sure of the caustic possibilities of new salt mix, but the new mix by no means was thoroughly mixed. You might have gotten a decent salinity reading, but I bet the salt was totally dissolved. It is highly recommended to mix an aerate for at least 24hrs.

 

[karnivor]

Well what ever happened its all back to normal with no loss, after testing all levels were good and my next batch of water went well, so i may have to put it up to we'll never know...I use a plastic hydrometer band new from the store and i always check for bubbles on the arm.

 

[acrylic51]

A good investment would be to ditch the hydrometer and get yourself a refractometer. Hydrometers aren't accurate and you'd be highly surprised if you checked 2-3 brand new ones at the LFS and saw the readings would probably differ between them. Another thing the hydrometer should be soaked and seasoned before use as well.