Aquavitro salinity users

[jgraz]

I've recently switched to this salt. Was using RC before. I had a bit of the RC left and mixed the two together to help with the changeover. I have noticed that there has been a pretty heavy coating of precipitate on my heater and pump after mixing. I usually mix 5 gal at a time and am mixing at Aquavitros recommendations. Is this normal? If not do you have any tips in reducing the amount of precip. Also I have recently started to make smaller daily changes instead of larger weekly ones. Is there any issue with letting this sit for long periods after initial mixing. As always thanks in advance for the help.
John

 

[redfishbluefish]

It’s precipitated calcium carbonate. To minimize carbonate precipitation, two recommendations:

1. Always have the full volume of water when mixing salt. That is, don’t make a salt concentrate that is later diluted out to the correct salinity. The higher alc/calc concentrations will cause precipitation.

2. Add the salt slowly to the water (with high aggitation.) If you simply dump salt into the water, microenvironments of high alk/calc are created causing precipitation. When I say add slowly, I mean like your sprinkling salt on a bunch of French fries.

 

[mnat]

Yeah there are pages and pages of comments over on RC talking about the precipitate that you get with aqua vitro. I have been using it for a while and just consider it part of the salt. All the suggestions redfishbluefish made are spot on, it mixes in a pretty quick time so I am now doing water changes right after it is mixed instead of waiting overnight.

 

[jgraz]

I always mix in full volume. I'll try to mix slower. I hoping to be able to mix 20 gal at a time and slowly use it over a 2 week period. With RC I usually just mixed and let it sit closed up until ready for use, sometimes a week later. I should be ok doing the same with this mix too, right?

 

[jgraz]

Mike I was typing when you were posting. I just got finished reading all those posts definitely gonna mix slower.

 

[TanksNStuff]

I agree with both of Paul's suggestions too.

Also, mixing the two salt brands in once container may cause a reaction and the precipitation. When changing over salt brands, I think it's better to mix separately and then use up the old first... then introduce the new slowly over time via the water changes. As most things in this hobby, slow change is usually better.

 

[Lostinthedark]

I've used this salt for a year or so now and am happy with it. If you go
Here: http://www.aquavitro.com/support.html they have a support page for it. Is does say
Mixing it for long periods of time reduces the ph and alk.

 

[fatoldsun]

I have the same precipitate. I mix in a 30 gallon drum and keep 20-25 gallons made up at all times. I use 15g for a WC then I make and add 15g of new RO/Di and after I'm back to 25g I add the 7 cups of salinity. I have 2 old powerheads a heater and an air-stone in there at all times. Mixing slowly helps but I make new FW overnight after a WC and add the salinity in before I leave for work the next morning. Mixing slowly is never a luxury I have in the morning.

 

[jgraz]

I have the same precipitate. I mix in a 30 gallon drum and keep 20-25 gallons made up at all times. I use 15g for a WC then I make and add 15g of new RO/Di and after I'm back to 25g I add the 7 cups of salinity. I have 2 old powerheads a heater and an air-stone in there at all times. Mixing slowly helps but I make new FW overnight after a WC and add the salinity in before I leave for work the next morning. Mixing slowly is never a luxury I have in the morning.

Your dead on about the slow mixing, just don't have the time. I have been reading lots of stuff about this today. Some people are taking many hrs just to make up a batch of this to avoid the precip.
I also have recently change my water change regiment mainly for my nano. I have been doing daily 1 gal changes instead of one 5 gal each week. Now I reading that the Alkalinity drops considerably after mixing/sitting longer periods of time. Have you noticed anything like that.

 

[mnat]

I always mixed overnight and it was always crystal clear then. The times when it was not, it was time to clean the pumps and bucket. I have been using it more probably 1.5 years and have been really happy with it, my 45g runs exclusively off of 5g weekly water changes and no dosing. I did a wc for the first time this week with mixing it that morning and changing it in the afternoon (indstead of overnight mixing) and was happy with the results.

 

[Nickjr000]

I m deep into buckets of the aquavitro. It does mix a little dirty, i agree adding it slower to the rodi water does help. Then again the "dirt" isnt harmful either so its not that big of a deal, except a little cleaning of buckets and heaters between batches

 

[fatoldsun]

Your dead on about the slow mixing, just don't have the time. I have been reading lots of stuff about this today. Some people are taking many hrs just to make up a batch of this to avoid the precip.
I also have recently change my water change regiment mainly for my nano. I have been doing daily 1 gal changes instead of one 5 gal each week. Now I reading that the Alkalinity drops considerably after mixing/sitting longer periods of time. Have you noticed anything like that.

My Alk is on the low end. Not sure if the pre-mixing is why. Last nights test was 7.5 dkh

 

[jgraz]

My Alk is on the low end. Not sure if the pre-mixing is why. Last nights test was 7.5 dkh

Thanks for the reply. I tested mine this morning it was 8 dkh.