Film in Water

[TranZ]

Just a quick question for all the experts out there. i recently use DI water. the filter is made by aquarium pharm. ... when i mixed the water and salt together i have this film covering the side of the bucket and on the surface of water.... what do u think causing this? it's like when u take a bath and u have that soapy film on the edge of ur bathtub ...its like that. Is it my salt or the combination of the 2? i have coralife salt by the way. thanks in advance

[Doctor_Reef]

Hi TranZ...I have had that happen with certain salt mixes...also how new is your ro/di filter....or did you just purchase the water somewhere else??? With new filters you need to run about 10 gallons of water through the system before you use it for make up water or replacement water...
When you get film just clean it off with a paper towel or wait until you have used the water out of the bucket and rinse it with a hose...really nothing to worry about...as long as the water looks clear…

[TranZ]

thanks Doc
whew...i thought it may be bad for the tank...i was going to do some water change last nite and i saw that the water has film. the filter is fairly new so that mite be it also i let it sit for at least 24 hours with PH before i do my water change. thanks again

[Doctor_Reef]

No problem...I guess that if I ever have doubts about make up water I run a couple basic tests...Nitrate, Ph, Alk, and if they look good and my Salinity is fine...water clear...then there is no problems...but getting film happens with some salts...I always got that film when I used Red Sea Salt...I use Oceanic and alternate with Kent now and get very little film and only occasionally!!! :)

[TranZ]

i mite have to switch to IO coz of what i read here....coralife salt, as one of the member told me, its very high in calcium. the balancing act will be a little harder than having the IO. Oceanic is fairly new right? and i read its high in calcium also .....so what do u do to balance things out? the alk and the calcium?

[Doctor_Reef]

I have some buffers that I use...You can use baking soda as a buffer for ALK...but I also use Kent salt as my primary salt and if the calcium becomes a problem I do my next water change with the oceanic...it pops the calcium right back up there...I of course dose with Kalk...so I have a very stable system that way...

[TranZ]

I'll keep Kalk in mind....i still have so many projects in my head that i need to do.....this is a never endeng project which i like...i get to used my hands on skill....by the way how much baking soda do u use as a buffer?
baking soda is much cheaper than other buffer that is sold in LFS.

[Doctor_Reef]

When I use baking soda I will use a tablespoon full mixed with one gallon of ro/di water and add a quart at a time and then test the alk....

I never try and bring it up to fast...although now that I am dosing kalk the ph and alk seem to be very stable....and I don't have to adjust as often...