dirty w/c water?

[stickx911]

I prep my water changes in an old RC bucket. Sometimes fresh saltwater will sit w/ or w/o a heater for a week at a time (I only put the heater in the day before I plan the change). It has a powerhead in it for constant circulation and the only light it may see is I drilled about a 1" hole in the top center for the cords to come out of (heater and powerhead).

Well today I noticed that there was a light, brown maybe dark green coat on the bucket and some floaties (looked like algae) in the bucket.

Should I just clean it out and I'm ok? is this normal? am I retarded (ok, slow</em> to be PC)?

 

[drnecropolis]

If in doubt, throw it out

 

[johnr2604]

I would just clean it out and I'm sure your fine. The brown is probably precipitate from mixing salt.

stickx911;280795 wrote: I prep my water changes in an old RC bucket. Sometimes fresh saltwater will sit w/ or w/o a heater for a week at a time (I only put the heater in the day before I plan the change). It has a powerhead in it for constant circulation and the only light it may see is I drilled about a 1" hole in the top center for the cords to come out of (heater and powerhead).

Well today I noticed that there was a light, brown maybe dark green coat on the bucket and some floaties (looked like algae) in the bucket.

Should I just clean it out and I'm ok? is this normal? am I retarded (ok, slow</em> to be PC)?

 

[skriz]

Sounds like algae. Clean the bucket out; should be just fine.

To be safe, dump it. It's only 5g, so no big loss. Btw, you're better off not premixing for too long before you use the sw.

 

[ericmcj31]

why not pre-mixing for long time, raj?

 

[skriz]

The calcium will precipitate out of the water. This is the reason that Seachem adds borate to their salt mix.

I can go into more detail if you'd like?

 

[budsreef]

Skriz;281300 wrote: The calcium will precipitate out of the water. This is the reason that Seachem adds borate to their salt mix.

I can go into more detail if you'd like?

Please do! I usually make about 30G at a time and it stays in the container for a couple of weeks before it is all gone and I start over.

 

[fish1344]

tagging along! I keep water for nano changes about a week at a time.

 

[stickx911]

I usually prep a day or two in advance, but sometimes things come up, so it gets pushed back. but I may be more picky now. thanks for the info.

 

[darren24]

Check your power heads that you are using to mix the salt with. Mine sometimes spit out some nasty after I have used them on and off to mix up new water. I clean them every few water changes. Since I use them and then store them wet the get some funk in them.