How often do you clean your mixing containers?

[Sharkey18]

I was getting ready to do a water change and noticed a disgusting amount of "crud" floating on the surface of my salt mixing drum. (50 gallon)

 

I hesitated about using the water but did, although I ran it through a filter sock first.

 

Then I decided to clean out the drum... because it was disgusting! I cleaned it out about 6 months ago when we moved back in so I was surprised to see so much crap. I had to scrub the sides with a scrub brush and then gave it a vinegar rinse. It's the same slime that builds up on and in the tubing. i assume some bacteria / algae / dinoflagellate.

 

The inside of the tubing is still slimy, even after pumping vinegar water through it so I am considering new tubing.

 

One more thing to keep up on.

 

[kjamaya]

I now use a powerhead in my containers and don't have a problem with this slime anymore..

[smallreef]

Yep...I use 5g buckets and constantly clean then for this reason

[Sharkey18]

Yeah the water is always circulating, but perhaps not enough.....

[sachabballi reef]

I get it from RC and water is always circulating. I clean it with vinegar once a month.

 

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[Kingumar]

I get the same brown slime on the sides of the trashcan. I normally have to clean it once a month before it gets bad. But then again, I mix my water right next to the tank, so I think the light from the tank helps with the slime buildup.

[Integral9]

Looks like diatoms or a brown algae of sorts. Do you have much light around your salt vat? How about the fresh water vat you use to fill it? If you are using RODI to mix salt, and there is no light sources, I don't think you should be getting much of anything growing in your vat unless it was already there.

 

The only thing that builds up in my salt mixing buckets is the salt crystals around the edge. Which is not longer a problem after I stopped aerating the water as it was causing some pH issues. I keep a power head in each bucket running constantly until I do a water change. Then I refill the bucket and make more salt. It never dries out or see anything but RODI and salt mix.

 

edit: Oh, and I keep a lid on the buckets as best I can and they sit in a dark room most of the time.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Integral9

[flooddc]

I used a 18G rubbermaid container. I cleaned it maybe once or twice in the past 2+ years . Not lazy (okay maybe!), but if it not dirty, I don't have any reason to clean it.

[Sharkey18]

Yeah, I think my problem stems from too much light. I have a 100g drum for my RODI water and a 50g for my salt water. Because both are white, they let in enough light to be a problem, although I do not have crud in the fresh RODI water, only the salt mix. Probably diatoms or algae contamination form the tank, since I use the same pump for water changes. I keep the salt drum in a closet and will be more conscious about keeping the door closed.

 

Jeez, now I need a cleanup crew for my storage containers.....

[Sharkey18]

Oh I agree Chuck. If it wasn't dirty I wouldn't clean it either!

[Der ABT]

what salt you using, i tried Reef crystals out for a while and that crap was DIRTY.....brown film just like..

went back to instant ocean and dont have it, have a little white film but nothign that bad.

 

i probably clean mine out once a month or two.

 

but the longer its sitting wet the more chance it has to have algea etc....ill bet if you let it sit dry for a day or two in between changes it wouldnt be as bad.

[sachabballi reef]

I use reef crystals and get the brown crud. Its not diatoms or algae and my containers have zero access to light

 

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[pizzaguy]

I also use rc and get the Brown stuff.

[Integral9]

I use reef crystals and get the brown crud. Its not diatoms or algae and my containers have zero access to light

 

If that is the case, then it's probably excess minerals being deposited after the salt + rodi reaction. You might be able to clean it with straight muriatic acid. Take the vat outside first. You don't want to stick your head into it and breath the fumes. You may not come out.

 

edit: fwiw: Muriatic acid is what we used to clean mineral stains off of pools.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Integral9

[overklok]

I use RC and get the brown deposits, I clean my container after every water change, once a week.

[sachabballi reef]

If that is the case, then it's probably excess minerals being deposited after the salt + rodi reaction. You might be able to clean it with straight muriatic acid. Take the vat outside first. You don't want to stick your head into it and breath the fumes. You may not come out.

 

edit: fwiw: Muriatic acid is what we used to clean mineral stains off of pools.

 

actually a quick rinse with vinegar and hot water cleans it right up every month..it doesn't crust onto the container or anything...wipes right out...its a PITA but a fast fix and I do like the salt and where it mixes up for my tank parameter wise. So for me its worth it.

Edited April 3, 2013 by sachabballi reef

[sachabballi reef]

i buy my vinegar at costco I get a HUGE jug for about $3....I keep a few on hand and use them constantly....

[Sharkey18]

I'm using Instant Ocean. I am letting it dry out now.

 

Honestly, I only gave it a rudimentary rinse a few months ago. I just need to clean it better and letting it dry out between water changes on occasion is a good idea.

I think I need to quit my job so I can spend all my time on better maintenance

[jaddc]

If your container is contaminated with bacteria and/or algae, then I'd recommend following the CDC's guidelines to sterilize it. These guidelines are designed for cisterns and potable water containers to make water safe to drink. My modification has been to repeat the rinse one more time and to (obviously) not add bleach after it has been rinsed well.

 

Vinegar/muriatic will clean mineral deposits, but it will not sterilize the container.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/safe_water/cisterns/

[Sharkey18]

I don't think there is anything growing in my mix that isn't also growing in my tank. Also judging from how often everyone else rinses out there stuff, ( more than me!) it could totally just be mineral accumulation over the past year....

 

Going to keep a closer eye on it, rinse more often and see what happens.

[sachabballi reef]

i honestly do not think these containers have algae or bacteria...it is a precipitation from the mix...I don't think anything more than vinegar and a wipe down is warranted personally.

[jaddc]

I only provide information -- what you choose to do with it is your call.

 

I will add that precipitation from the salt mix is not slimy and it is not affected by light. It is affected by lack of water movement, the movement prevents it from aggregating and settling.

 

Bacteria and algae can be introduced by the salt mix itself. There is no reason to suspect that the salt mix is completely sterile.

[nbgen12]

Who knows what the crud really is. I keep a mag 9 in my 30g brute raging 24hrs a day, and that stuff still appears on the container in 24 hrs time.

 

Not much you can do other than clean with some vinegar.

 

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[sachabballi reef]

Who knows what the crud really is. I keep a mag 9 in my 30g brute raging 24hrs a day, and that stuff still appears on the container in 24 hrs time.

 

Not much you can do other than clean with some vinegar.

 

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I do exact same thing actually...same pump as well.

 

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[Integral9]

The pools I dealt with that had stains, never shut their pumps off either. The minerals just drop out of solution anyway. Circulation may help reduce the amount of stain build up, but that just means more excess minerals are in solution. We used to treat the pools with a chemical that made the iron molecules clump and then the filter would remove them. I doubt a similar solution is reef safe. There are some sort of "hokey" solutions out there though, like magnets that clamp on to piping that may or may not do anything.