# removing undissolved salt from SW mix



## jrdeitner (Feb 7, 2010)

4 days ago i added water to my 75 G. i decided to mix the salt right in the aquarium since it was empty. now it is mostly dissolved but there is this salt on the bottom that just wont dissolve if i mix it up it'll just settle back within minutes. i found this really odd so i did a google search- "marine salt not dissolving" and found that sometimes there is some that doesnt dissolve. all of it probably ammounts too a tablespoon or two, so id just like to remove it and mix up more to raise the salinity after i remove it.

but how do i remove it? ive though about using a siphon and siphoning it into a bucket and waiting for it to settle then using a smaller bucket to get the good stuff back into the tank without disturbing the bottom. will this work? sorry if this sounds stupid but there always seems to be something wrong with something that sounds perfectly fine to do (like mixing up all the water right in the tank!)

thanks in advance! :fish::fish::fish::fish:


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I'd siphon it through something that would catch it like a sieve, cheesecloth or filter paper, aquarium sponge? filter floss? into a bucket. Of course, if you restrict the flow too much, you get water on the floor. Prob. safer to siphon to a bucket first and then figure out what to do with it.


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

paint mixer, The kind you stick on a drill and put into a 5 gallon bucket. I bought this when i decided to mix the salt in buckets and i tried the mixing the salt in the tank also but i had very little flow at that time so it didnt dissolve correctly So I bought a paint mixer stuck it on the end of a drill and used it in the tank. When or if you do this be very carefully not to let it hit the sides of the tank or you could have a saltwater floor afterwards :O

Also you might want to try to heat up the water to like 86 than try to get that salt to mix cause i heard some of problem could be due to lack of water temperature.


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## jrdeitner (Feb 7, 2010)

Ok thanks. I'll try the paint mixer and if that doesn't work ill just siphon it and seperate in a bucket.


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## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

heat will definately help.


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## jrdeitner (Feb 7, 2010)

I had the temp at 78F. I siphoned it out and got the clean water, then put it back in. I now have the sand in, now I have to wait for that to settle.........


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