residue in barrel

[AngelPete]

Ive noticed there is a tan like residue in my rubber maid barrel where i make my saltwater. what is this and can it harm my fish and inverts? how can you clean it out ?

 

[panmanmatt]

I get it too. It is just some calcium that precipitates out of the salt as it is dissolving. I clean my barrel out usually after 2-3 batches of water. Little bit of warm water and vinegar takes it right out.

 

[pgordemer]

Its normal, some salt mixes are better than other as far as residual. The problem is worse if you are the type that puts the salt in first, instead of the water.

 

[Phyl]

Personally, I think it is diatoms caused by silicates and see it far worse with some brands than others.

 

[tgee]

I switched from Instant Ocean to Reef Crystals a couple of months ago. I never had the brown stuff with IO, but get it all the time with RC. I always add salt to the water, and I always clean the brute using bleach after each use, and let it completely dry before starting a new batch. I find the brown stuff starts to get heavier if the mixed water is in the brute for more than 2 days.

Seems like it's not harmful. Just annoying. (Like me, sometimes)

Tom

 

[Candi]

Same experiences as Tom noted here. Never had it with Tropic Marin or IO but since switching to reef crystals if I let my water sit more then 24 hours after adding salt I get it also. If I make up my water, add my salt, mix overnight and do a water change the next day its not there, if I wait an extra day or two there it is.

 

[duijver]

I leave my IO water for about a week at a time and I have never seen a slime coat / tan residue. However, I get a thick coat of white powder on the bottom and the thermo. Pump is fine.

 

[reeferwanabe]

I noticed this also when I used R.C. I switched to seachem reef and don't see it anymore
however I'm thinking of switching to tropic marin pro-reef my mag. levels are way low with this salt and had to dose way too much to get it back up.

 

[ricwilli]

I'm getting it with IO. I have two more buckets to use before I swith to another brand. Its ashame cause I really like the salt. All I have to do is adjust the calcium. It takes two days for the brown slime to appear.

 

[Jenn]

Dose the Tropic marin pro-reef salt have extra magnesium in the mix?

I've noticed that mag is hard to keep up using reef crystal salt.


I always used the reef crytal salt and I have to clean buckets after each batch of salt
cause of that brown slim stuff.

Nice to know it's just that brand of salt.

Wonder if it's something good in the reef crystals that the others dont have.

Slim is a pain but wonder why other brands don't do that. Hummm

Tropic Marin or Instant ocean don't make slim ?