Salt mix

[Klbertin]

Hello, I have watched the video on BRS investigates, salt expiration, but I have a question concerning a little more information. My question is this, I am using old salt mix that I had from a few years ago, unopened in the original packaging, it was semi hard, but I was able to get it back to a desirable mix, I have it at 1.025 SG or 35 PPT, and now after about a week the water is giving off an odor, both in my tank, and in the fresh mix in my mixing container. I'm using Instant Ocean, and have always used this, but never had this smell in the past.
the smell is sort of a urine odor, I'm in the process of cycling the tank, it's been 8 days as of now, and the nitrogen cycle has not started yet (ammonia is at 0, nitrite 0, ph is 7.8) I have a damsel in the tank, and as I stated, the fresh mix has the same odor.
My water is ro/di produced with a 6 stage unit from BRS.
Any ideas on this odor, and if it's ok, or if it will go away.
Or what else I can test for.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Do you have a dog or cat that might have 'salted' the salt mix and made it a hard lump?

 

[Klbertin]

No, this was just in my basement for a few years, it was still in the unopened package sealed in the heavy plastic bags. It is the 50# box of instant ocean that makes 200 gallons.
I made the mix and it was good until about a week, that's when I noticed that there was an odor comming from it now.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

I got nothing at this point. Salt mix should not 'spoil' unless some organic material is present in the mix. It is just mineral in nature. The fact the the salt was a hard lump seems to indicate moisture getting into the package. Is the bag heat sealed or just twist tied like a lot of salts? Without a heat seal it would absorb moisture from the air and over time some organics might migrate to the moisture. You could try a protein skimmer with some ozone injection to oxydize the organics. Just a thought.

 

[Klbertin]

Thanks for the feedback, I thought of the same thing, so I started the skimmer just today, I wasent using it as of yet, due to just starting the cycle. it is running now. I also thought that maybe carbon and gfo mite help, but like I said, the cycle is just under way, and I didn't want to introduce the surface area for beneficial bacteria to attach to, just to be removed in early stages of the tank.

 

[wkscott]

You can run carbon right from the beginning. It will remove odors and possible pollution more effectively than skimming. Skimmer doesn’t hurt though.
Change the carbon weekly.

 

[jsker]

For $50 I would suggest to start a new. Just think about the time and money spent trying to make this box of salt work Salt absorbs and sitting there in moisture, funk and whatever else would not be a good thing to start cycling a system

 

[Sm51498]

Most salts contain ammonia to some degree, that could be the smell.

 

[Klbertin]

Thanks all, I have a new reactor comming, it should be here on Tuesday, I'll start running carbon then. on another note, I cured the rock for 4 weeks in a separate container, now have it placed in the tank with sand, and two damsels, it's been 9 days and the ammonia, and nitrite are still at 0.0 ppm, the rock was dry and it did cure well with spikes of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. I also have a new box of salt comming, should be here on the same day, I already drained my new mix out, and decided not to use it.
Do you think it's normal to take this long for the cycle to start, I did use bio-Spira to start with 80lbs of rock, 40lbs of live sand, and is in a 75 gal. Tank, with a 10 gal. Sump.