Is it safe to store Aquaforest reef salt mix for a few weeks at a time?

[radicaltour]

I'd mixed 30 gallons of RO/DI water and Aquaforest reef salt in a Brute trash can.
After about a week, the mix has a strong smell of calcium precipitation/citric/rusty metal/medicine.
This happens with every mix (ie. not a one-time event).
Is this normal? Is the salt capable of being stored for a few weeks or should I find another salt?

Thanks everyone.
-Dave

 

[Mike_J]

If you need to mix and store saltwater in advance you really should find another salt brand to use. AF salts mix quickly and is meant for immediate use.

 

[radicaltour]

I'm thinking of trying Brightwell's NeoMarine Precision Salt.
Has anyone have experience storing this salt mix for over a week?

 

[Lowstorm]

If you need to mix and store saltwater in advance you really should find another salt brand to use. AF salts mix quickly and is meant for immediate use.

That sounds crazy to me. Why wouldn't you be able to store it? I mean, it's being 'stored' in our tanks even being used right away. And if you start up a new tank with dry rock or a hospital tank using it...

 

[Mike_J]

That sounds crazy to me. Why wouldn't you be able to store it? I mean, it's being 'stored' in our tanks even being used right away. And if you start up a new tank with dry rock or a hospital tank using it...

According to the AF product guide, the probiotic reef salt is recommended for use within 48 hours and the reef salt and sea salt no more than 5 days. I have also used all of the AF salt products. Dave, the original poster, is inquiring about weeks of storage time, so the AF salts do not meet his needs.

To delve even further, an AF representative in another thread stated, "We do not recommend to store dissolved saltwater." Also stated in that same said thread, "I do not recommend because after a few days can begin normal biological maturation cycle (this applies to each salt) That's why we recommend to dissolve salt 15 minutes before water change."

 

[Lowstorm]

But that would just cycle the mixing container, not cause the smells he's described.

If it was me I'd check the power head you're using to mix the water and make sure it's not breaking. Or try a different container, it might be breaking down too.

 

[radicaltour]

But that would just cycle the mixing container, not cause the smells he's described.
If it was me I'd check the power head you're using to mix the water and make sure it's not breaking. Or try a different container, it might be breaking down too.

Thanks for the suggestions. The MJ-1200 pump and Brute container is only a month old and they seem fine to me.
What's interesting is that I had this similar smell when I was storing Coralife mix as well.
But Aquaforest smells a lot stronger after a week in the container. I'm surprised no one has had similar experience.

 

[GoVols]

I'm thinking of trying Brightwell's NeoMarine Precision Salt.
Has anyone have experience storing this salt mix for over a week?

I've used Brightwells,

It's a top grade (NSW) parameter salt mix.

Their labeling has crazy statements. lol

But... It is a very nice salt mix

When I was using it BRS always had the best pricing.

I don't see storing it as an issue. They don't put any carbons, vitamins or amino acids in it.

 

[Rob Lion]

That sounds crazy to me. Why wouldn't you be able to store it? I mean, it's being 'stored' in our tanks even being used right away. And if you start up a new tank with dry rock or a hospital tank using it...

After about a week, the mix has a strong smell of calcium precipitation/citric/rusty metal/medicine.

The negative side to storing freshly made saltwater is that without water agitation from a wave maker or protein skimmer, the pH will drop.... that drop in pH will cause the water to become slightly more acidic, in turn causing the calcium and alkalinity to join up, precipitating in the bottom of the bucket. So you end up with lower pH and lower Ca and dkH parameters. The other elements like Iodine etc that don't precipitate are more noticeable due to the slightly higher Iodine to Calcium ratio so you can now smell it.
Water evaporation also makes these things worse too.

 

[GoVols]

The negative side to storing freshly made saltwater is that without water agitation from a wave maker or protein skimmer, the pH will drop.... that drop in pH will cause the water to become slightly more acidic, in turn causing the calcium and alkalinity to join up, precipitating in the bottom of the bucket. So you end up with lower pH and lower Ca and dkH parameters. The other elements like Iodine etc that don't precipitate are more noticeable due to the slightly higher Iodine to Calcium ratio so you can now smell it.
Water evaporation also makes these things worse too.

+1
If you pre-mix and store, it's needs to be stored properly to hold it's parameters.

 

[Waterjockey]

I mix I.O. and it sits unstirred, unheated, tightly covered for a couple of months at a time (awc resevoir) No smell, no apparent ill effects.

 

[GoVols]

I mix I.O. and it sits unstirred, unheated, tightly covered for a couple of months at a time (awc resevoir) No smell, no apparent ill effects.

Good ole IO

 

[GoVols]

@Waterjockey
How often and at what % do you water change?

 

[Waterjockey]

I change a little over 1% daily. I estimate it works out to somewhere between 40% to 50% a month.
Small tank...about 30 gallons so it costs next to nothing to do that volume for me

 

[GoVols]

I change a little over 1% daily. I estimate it works out to somewhere between 40% to 50% a month.
Small tank...about 30 gallons so it costs next to nothing to do that volume for me

Thank You

I had been changing 18% weekly for years. (old school reefer stuck in his old ways)

Not too long ago, I switched to that 18% amount bi-weekly. (Happy Corals so I'm staying with it)
Phos staying at .04ppm / Nitrate at 3-4ppm. Good enough my mixed reef

 

[radicaltour]

to @GoVols

Which salt are you using now?

 

[radicaltour]

The negative side to storing freshly made saltwater is that without water agitation from a wave maker or protein skimmer, the pH will drop.... that drop in pH will cause the water to become slightly more acidic, in turn causing the calcium and alkalinity to join up, precipitating in the bottom of the bucket. So you end up with lower pH and lower Ca and dkH parameters. The other elements like Iodine etc that don't precipitate are more noticeable due to the slightly higher Iodine to Calcium ratio so you can now smell it.
Water evaporation also makes these things worse too.

That makes sense. What if I turn on a wave maker inside the container a few times throughout day? I've read that stirring the mix will also lead to quicker precipitation, right?

 

[GoVols]

to @GoVols

Which salt are you using now?

LOL
We're on a AF thread. I used I.O. like WJ for years. Used Reef Crystals too for along time.

Got into Aquaforest "Reef Salt" when it first hit the US. Went through 6 buckets over 9 months.
The second and sixth bucket mixed up to about 350 cal and 6 alk dkh at 1.025 SG. Crossed checked the #'s between 3 different test kit brands and ran samples 30 miles to my lfs to check my SG and the big 3. Came to the same results.
Contacted Salty Supply and Deep Water Aquatics. DW said there's nothing they could do. They felt like AF put sea salt into reef salt buckets. Never asked for a sample or bucket replacement. Stopped using it in June.

Finally someone started a thread about parameter and other problems on an AF forum on another site.
It got very heated on that thread.

After along period AF Poland finally responded with this statement on 12/9/16
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
To respond to some of the issues that have been discussed here on this thread, Aquaforest would like to apologize for any concerns regarding our salt.

With Quality Control the salts are tested using our ICP machine, but it is possible for them to vary from batch to batch. Please realize we are working with our Quality team to make sure that these statistics found in each of our buckets or boxes is better represented by the stat sheet.

Thank you to all US customers, we are trying to add more support people to our team and hope to improve the customer experience. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Team Aquaforest
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So I have just finished up the last of the remaining Red Sea (Blue Bucket) that had been in my garage.

Just ordered my first box of Fritz RPM yesterday from Premium Aquatics. I have a friend in Cali that swears by it and he was part of the AF posters with myself. It's been getting great reviews and mixes to what my reef likes.
1.025
Cal = 440 - 450
Alk = 8.5 - 9 dkh
Mag = 1400 - 1425

Sorry for the long read.

 

[radicaltour]

thank you so much for sharing the info.
Please let me and the others know how well the Fritz salt mix holds up in a container for a couple of weeks.

 

[GoVols]

thank you so much for sharing the info.
Please let me and the others know how well the Fritz salt mix holds up in a container for a couple of weeks.

I'll share my findings with you about Fritz RPM parameters from batch to batch.

But I plan using it within 24 hours after I start mixing. I may pre-mix it and store it for a week and recheck the parameters but I'm not looking to store for over a week.

If I went back to a long pre-mix storing time, I'd go back to regular Instant Ocean like Waterjockey.