Adding water to salt

chemically_balanced

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Ive been told you should never add water to salt but always add salt to water...

If that makes since to someone that know why let me know.
 
certain chemicals like calcium will reach to high a concentration and start to precipitate out(much like dosing WAAAY to much calc to your tank) before you add enough water for it to have fully disolved.

By adding the salt to the water you dont have that problem.
 
+1 on the Calcium! I had one of those red picnic plastic cups, put dry caclium in the bottom and then added water. The water coming out of the kitchen faucet was a little warm (my son had just washed his hands). As I started to stir it, it began to boil. The cup was melted in half! Good news I was still standing by the sink, instead of my norm, walking through the house stirring.
 
Chymos45;473112 wrote: Never add water to chemicals. Recipe for disaster.

Smart man :up:

What was already said is correct.
The salt will dissolve with only a little bit of the water when it first starts touching together and you will have superconcentrated saline forming. The minerals will not be able to stay in the solution and will precipitate (form a solid) and fall out of the water. All of the important ingredients will end up resting in a mess on the bottom of the container and not dissolved into the water column.
:doh:

Always add salt or other chemicals to water slowly with lots of water movement to "mix" it for you. :thumbs:
 
ga_daisy;473107 wrote: +1 on the Calcium! I had one of those red picnic plastic cups, put dry caclium in the bottom and then added water. The water coming out of the kitchen faucet was a little warm (my son had just washed his hands). As I started to stir it, it began to boil. The cup was melted in half! Good news I was still standing by the sink, instead of my norm, walking through the house stirring.


Unless you used elementary calcium I don't think this can happen.
Calciumhydroxide is not mixing with water in an exothermal reaction...
 
the calcium we use to dose our tanks is basically a cleaner version of stuff used to melt ice on driveways and roads.

if you add small amounts of water to alot of calcium suppliment(like the BRS or kent stuff) it absolutly will heat up enough to burn you!
 
This is exaclty why I add the vodka to the olive juice and not the olive juice to the vodka!:confused2:
 
Okay,
Consulted my old chemistry notes - mixing hydroxides w water IS an exothermal reaction.

My apologies

Robb
 
Chemically_Balanced;473082 wrote: Ive been told you should never add water to salt but always add salt to water...

If that makes since to someone that know why let me know.

Here is what the folks that make Instant Ocean have to say about it.

FAQ.aspx
 
Calcium Chloride is exothermic with water and will get the water hot. It will burn you if it splashes on your skin.

Tim
 
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