Stirring a Bucket of Salt

[rroselavy]

Hey all.

I just bought another two buckets of salt, and I have read from multiple sources that you always should stir the salt in the buckets to make sure that the ingredients do not separate in the bucket when it is transported.

This all makes sense to me since I have measured differences in Ca and Mg in different parts of a bucket. I realize that settlement may make more of a difference with some salt mixes than others.

What I am wondering is if anyone here has a good method for stirring 5g/23.3kg buckets of salt. I have tried to shuffle the salt into smaller buckets and then recombine them while manually stirring, but it is cumbersome. I am wondering if there is a hand drill auger or stirring paddle attachment that would make this process easier.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

-Scott

[rayme07]

When I mix my salt I put the desired amount in the bucket then fill up with RO or distilled water put a heater and a power head in and plug it in. In 24 hours the salt is all the way dissolved and ready to make water changes. HTH

[rroselavy]

Thanks Rayme, but I am asking about mixing the dry salt crystals in the manufacturer's bucket in order to make sure that the additives (Ca, Mg or other ingredients) are evenly distributed in the salt mix prior to making the SW.

I think I may try one of these auger bits meant for gardening, or something similar:

[ryandlf]

I guess that would be one way to go, I think overall you probably wouldn't have to worry to much about stirring the bucket though. If you want to be extra picky about it, then the tool you chose would be best. Just make sure its clean and never been used on anything else.

[rroselavy]

I've hear of people getting unsatisfactory results when not mixing the salt bucket, and manufacturers recommend using the entire bag/bucket at a time (which I assume is only done if you have a very big tank or a big SW vat). I am just looking for assurance, because I rarely test close to what the manufacturer claims or even what other hobbyists claims is in their salt mix. Something (Ca, Mg, dKH) is always out of whack. And yes, my RODI has zero TDS...

Some people will redistribute and/or roll their buckets around on the floor for a while to stir things up. I was just looking for a less physical way to stir up a 5g bucket of salt.

[rayme07]

Oh ok sorry I misunderstood. lol

That auger bit would work great to mix up the salt. But normally the salt and everything is already mixed. I buy salt from a bucket to and had great results and don't even mix one bit of it. What salt brand are you using? It could just be the salt brand.

[rroselavy]

I've used Reef Crystals, Red Sea Coral Pro, Tunze Reef salt, and D-D H2Ocean, and have tested each bucket at least twice. IIRC, RC was low on Ca (more on one than the other, which was a defect) and Mg, RSCP and the Tunze Reef Salt was low on Alk, and the Tunze was also low on Ca and Mg. D-D H2Ocean was the best I've tried, and what I will continue to use if I can keep getting it local for a good price, but I will remain the sceptic even though I haven't performed methodical testing through the bucket's use.

You can actually see the additive granules in the Tunze salt I just tried. They are larger and whiter in color than the rest of the salt. This is an indicator to me that such a salt would be prone to settling since the additives are a different grain size (and probably different density) than the salt.

Besides, when someone complains about getting odd readings from their salt bucket, the first thing many people ask is "Did you stir up the salt bucket before making the first batch of SW?"

Sure, I understand that most people do not worry about this stuff and they are probably no worse off for the wear, but to me, being to eliminate possible error in this hobby is always a good thing.

[rroselavy]

On the other hand, perhaps the most reliable route is to just use plain IO salt and add my own additives...

[Skurvey Dog]

Hey Scott :waves: To be honest with you, I had never thought about a premixed dry salt needing to be mixed. Thank you for bringing this up. I use NSW myself, but found your post to be very interesting and important for users of sea salts with added ingredients. Yes, I'm tucking that info into my data bank for future use. Kudos to you for doing the tests, as I would not have thought of doing so. Thank you!

I was thinking that if you didn't want to buy one of those augers and spending about 20 minutes "mixing" the bucket, if you're like me, you might have several 5 G buckets, you could maybe just take the bucket of salts and empty alternatively into each bucket, mixing it and then pouring it back into the original bucket. I'm guessing the full bucket weighs about 45 pounds? Sorry, just a simple idea and solution. Necessity and low bugets have always been an incentive for me! Lol

[rayme07]

On the other hand, perhaps the most reliable route is to just use plain IO salt and add my own additives...

That is what I do. Most salts are going to be low on Ca and mag etc. When I use IO everything test is a little lower like Ca is 280 to 340 and I add the rest to get them to the right parameters. If you do decide to add your own additives I would recommend Oceans blend two part from the cultured reef great product.

[lReef lKeeper]

you can also try one of the paint stirrer drill bits ...

Paint Stirrer - Fits Drill for sale - TradeMe.co.nz - New Zealand

or you could make your own ...

How to Make an Electric Paint Stirrer

[rroselavy]

Hey Bobby,

I looked at several paint stirrers as well, but most looked like they would probably break if used in a more viscous medium like salt. The one you linked to has a different design that might just work. Thanks!

[CarmieJo]

I always get my guys to roll my buckets around and then set them upside down until I am ready to open them. I don't notice a major change in parameters but I do notice a change in how much salt I have to use from the top of the bucket to the bottom. I attribute this to the salt absorbing moisture from the air.

I actually think that the question of settling pertains to any salt, not just reef salts. NSW contains 70 elements and synthetic sea salts contain all of these elements. The difference from one salt to another is the proportionality of these elements.

[Amphibious]

On the other hand, perhaps the most reliable route is to just use plain IO salt and add my own additives...

Theory, theory, theory, where would we be in this world without some one's theory. I've been using various salts (mostly IO)for 42 years. I have never re-mixed dry salt. I can't imagine enough settling going on to make a difference. The weight of the product alone pressing down would prevent any mixing lower than the first inch or two, IMHO. This is not a FLUID! So you get a little jiggling movement of the product along the way to your LFS that makes it settle but not mix, again IMHO. This whole re-mixing thing is some one trying to split frog's hair, not necessary, again IMHO.

If you are worried about it, I think Carmie has the simplest answer, roll it around on the floor.

For me, I'll just continue to open and use. I have much more important things to worry about like our Republic being turned into a Socialist state.

Dick

[bbl_nk]

If you are going with something manual, then an auger of sort is probably wha you want. But be careful because the salt is extremely harsh and will flake off paint and the bare metal may react chemically with it.

How much water are you mixing up at a time usually? I'm thinking unless you are making up very small batches, with a good quick manual mixing...you should get more even results. I think taking half out in a clean bucked, giving each bucket a couple of swirls with your hand to mix the stuff off the bottom and into the upper layers and then blending them back in would be the simplest and best route. The won't really resettle since we tend not to move the salt around so much that it separates.

JMHO

[rroselavy]

I usually make 10g at a time, which requires 1500 grams of salt.

Thanks all, I will probably go back to not worrying...

[bbl_nk]

I'd be more worried about Nitrates and Phosphates in the mix. Sometimes the lower grade salt can contain phosphates.