Photos/video of precipitation

[josephxsxn]

Hi everyone,

I was cleaning out and shutting down an old holding tray. It's ugly looking been left with water for a few weeks without fish, coral, water movement or heat lol... It bubbles on its own and smells horrible.

Anyway, while shutting it down I poured the alkalinity supplement that remained in the container right into the tray and it exploded into a white cloud. I wish I had gotten it on video pouring in. I filled pouring the calcium in after, and another photo of it all settling in the corners

Enjoy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The cloudiness that instantly forms when a high pH additive is added to seawater is a transient precipitate of magnesium hydroxide that dissolves as it mixes in and the local pH lowers. This is normal.

Slower to form, but more of a concern, is the precipitation of calcium carbonate. normally, that forms on exposed calcium carbonate surfaces, such as on live rock or sand, unless there is a massive overdose that causes precipitation throughout the water column, which can make the tank look like milk.

This has more:

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com