Chemicals burns from brightwell salt

[sharkbait69]

I started using brightwells salts from RC I did a 60-40 mix 60 RC-40 brightwells salt.
At first I did not think any of the heat on my fingers, but I go some brightwells on the back of my hand as I was scooping the salt out of the bucket. It started to get really hot. It started to burn to the point that I had to run to the sink and flush the area with fresh water.
Anyone else have this problem? The back of my hand is raised and red. It looks like a chemical burn.
I play with RC all the time and never get burned. If brightwell salt is this bad on skin to the point I need to wear gloves I don?t know if I want to be using this stuff.
Curious if anyone else has dealt with this.

 

[DCG1286]

I use the Brightwells ... and have gotten it on my hands by accident ... never had this problem.

Doesn't sound good in either case.

 

[mr_X]

it was hot to the touch for me too, and the params weren't much different than reef crystals.

 

[cmor1701d]

That could happen if there was a clump of Calcium Chloride that wasn't mixed in completely and your hand was damp/wet. Other than that I can't think of anything that caustic in a slat mix.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

burns

Hey shark- I am NYC firefighter and am medically trained to 1 level beneath an EMT- as a member of an engine company we respond on medical calls as well as fires, manhole fires, car accidents, etc.

The skin is weird man your skin could just be way more sensitive to any one of the ingredients in the salt to where another person may not have any reactions to it but can burn you. Get some latex gloves- not home depot types- hospital type- if you cant get any on your own I have the ability at anytime to get you a couple of boxes- then just use gloves when handling the salt. PM me if you need me to get you those gloves good luck.....Jimmy

 

[greenstreet.1]

no burn but to me the Best in the game is brightwell use with no problems

 

[aaron23]

i was told the same when i put my hand in the water, i get an allergic reaction. my hand turns red and itches a bit. The doc said it could be anything in the water. who knows..

 

[mr_X]

That could happen if there was a clump of Calcium Chloride that wasn't mixed in completely and your hand was damp/wet. Other than that I can't think of anything that caustic in a slat mix.

it's the whole bucket. my hand was not wet. i don't use gloves with any other salt mix, and never feel this with any of them.

 

[Alex]

It is possible, like jimmy said that it was as clump or maybe some bad salt.

I've been using BW salt for a few months and I haven't had the reaction you just explained. It sounds like a chemical reaction, like when you mix Calcium Chloride with water. Have someone test the salt for you or return it to place of purchase.

Gloves are always a good idea when working with the chemical, additives and solutions that we work with in this hobby. Not practical,since very few wear gloves, but a practical solution.

 

[sharkbait69]

Thanks for all the replys.

it was hot to the touch for me too, and the params weren't much different than reef crystals.

yea this was hot. I use brightwells extrax phos and the heat from the salt was more then the extrax phos.
i never thought to use gloves when mixing my salt. I grab a hand full of RC and not even a tingle.
brightwells made me run to the sink

 

[sharkbait69]

That could happen if there was a clump of Calcium Chloride that wasn't mixed in completely and your hand was damp/wet. Other than that I can't think of anything that caustic in a slat mix.

I thought that maybe i got a cluster/clump on my damp hand. After flushing my hand, like a dumb ass i went and touch the salt again
same thing started to feel the heat and dunked my hand in the fresh water bucket.

 

[rafal07013]

same thing happened to me. i was wondering why too.

 

[sharkbait69]

Hey shark- I am NYC firefighter and am medically trained to 1 level beneath an EMT- as a member of an engine company we respond on medical calls as well as fires, manhole fires, car accidents, etc.

The skin is weird man your skin could just be way more sensitive to any one of the ingredients in the salt to where another person may not have any reactions to it but can burn you. Get some latex gloves- not home depot types- hospital type- if you cant get any on your own I have the ability at anytime to get you a couple of boxes- then just use gloves when handling the salt. PM me if you need me to get you those gloves good luck.....Jimmy

Thanks jim, brothers thru fire. I appreciate the offer. I keep a box of rubbers next to my fragging table. When I run out I go to the station and grab a box of rubber off the bus or supply cabinet if need be. I also keep a pouch with a couple of pairs in my bunkers that are usually in my truck.
I would agree with skin sensitivity, but I play with concrete, concrete pipe, asphalt, road salt, high concentrate brine solution and magnesium additives all day at work. Even with the high concentrate brine I never get burns. I just look like I gave a whale a happy ending after the solution dries on me.

 

[sharkbait69]

no burn but to me the Best in the game is brightwell use with no problems

that?s what some are saying but my levels were nothing great???? Yeah they were a tad higher then RC but nothing near what I was expecting with all the rave.

 

[sharkbait69]

i was told the same when i put my hand in the water, i get an allergic reaction. my hand turns red and itches a bit. The doc said it could be anything in the water. who knows..

If the reaction was with anything else from tank water to live rock to sand or even a reaction from touching coral, I would not even think twice. But to always be elbows and a$$hole deep in my tanks to all of a sudden get a reaction not once but twice from salt, it made me a little skeptical and hesitant.
I have read that some users were getting sps tip burns when they started using bright wells.
I have not seen anything negative from the my coral, just me.

 

[sharkbait69]

it's the whole bucket. my hand was not wet. i don't use gloves with any other salt mix, and never feel this with any of them.

Ok so im not the only one who feels this way.

 

[sharkbait69]

It is possible, like jimmy said that it was as clump or maybe some bad salt.

Anything is possible in this hobby. But I looked for clumps or anything that may have been a concentrated to an area. Nothing but pure crystal salt. No clumps.

I've been using BW salt for a few months and I haven't had the reaction you just explained. It sounds like a chemical reaction, like when you mix Calcium Chloride with water.

It very well is a chemical reaction. My concern is, A, chemical burns from salt? To me that?s not good. Two, what other hidden dangers are in the salt that I/me/we don?t know. Could it be as simple as an overdose from improper mixing? More calcium then in the mix then needed?
I don?t know. To me this is a potential problem for me and my tanks.

Have someone test the salt for you or return it to place of purchase.

salt was returned and new bucket was given. The new bucket has no reaction to wet/damp hands.
So it is my feeling that the bucket I got was a bad batch or miss dosed to a higher concentrate.
So I as of today, I don?t think I will be using bright wells salt. To me this is an indication that the stability of the salt making process is not quite on target.

It is possible, like jimmy said that it was as clump or maybe some bad salt.
Gloves are always a good idea when working with the chemical, additives and solutions that we work with in this hobby. Not practical,since very few wear gloves, but a practical solution.

Well when I?m playing with chemicals or coral or concentrated doses of additives, I do wear gloves, this is just the first time I have come across salt that users need to wear protection.

 

[sharkbait69]

same thing happened to me. i was wondering why too.

hmmm, this is the third person on this MB.

 

[SWITCH420]

U should email brightwell and let them know. maybe something happened when they were packing it or bad batch. something they should know dont seem normal.

 

[sharkbait69]

U should email brightwell and let them know. maybe something happened when they were packing it or bad batch. something they should know dont seem normal.

Just got off the phone with my bud in maryland (who has the same problem with chemical burns) He called chris brightwell yesterday about the same problem. Ill give chris brightwell credit, he called my bud back via cell phone. Accordind to chris brightwell, the formula has not changed, and that it is possable that a user can get chemical burns from the CA additive in the salt. Users should were gloves.

So, now knowing this, i really don't like the idea of using brightwells salt.
seems to me, its not a stable salt. I guess its a user beware.