Saltwater had odor

[Hilltopreef90]

I’ve been using reef crystals for quite awhile and never noticed an odor before but I was using smaller 5 gallon buckets
Recently I mixed up a little over 16 gallons in a brute trash can and let it sit with a power head mixing it for several days before using. It had an odor I’ve never noticed before, anyone have the same experience?

 

[homer1475]

Typical with salts that sit in a brute. Smell your RO/DI if you have that in a brute. Almost gives off a cat pee smell.

Many threads around here just like this one(typically in the chem forum) about the smell of stored salt water. No one has ever figured it out if it's the plastic leeching something, or just the smell of stored water.

Perfectly fine to use.

 

[Hilltopreef90]

Typical with salts that sit in a brute. Smell your RO/DI if you have that in a brute. Almost gives off a cat pee smell.

Many threads around here just like this one(typically in the chem forum) about the smell of stored salt water. No one has ever figured it out if it's the plastic leeching something, or just the smell of stored water.

Perfectly fine to use.

thanks

 

[Joe31415]

You can (and probably should) turn off the power head after a day or so. Also, I got rid of the smell by leaving the lid off the trash can. I don't know if something about having it on created the smell or just contained and concentrated it in that area instead of letting it dissipate. In either case, once stopped letting the power head run continously and left the top off the trash can, I haven't noticed the smell anymore.

 

[homer1475]

You can (and probably should) turn off the power head after a day or so. Also, I got rid of the smell by leaving the lid off the trash can. I don't know if something about having it on created the smell or just contained and concentrated it in that area instead of letting it dissipate. In either case, once stopped letting the power head run continously and left the top off the trash can, I haven't noticed the smell anymore.

Yup didn't think of that. I don't leave my top off, but after mixing I just leave it be and the smell dissipates. Heck I don't even heat my water, just leave it at room temp(65). The small 10% even 30% WC I do weekly does not effect the temp enough to warrent the extra electricity it takes to heat it.

 

[Joe31415]

Yup didn't think of that. I don't leave my top off, but after mixing I just leave it be and the smell dissipates. Heck I don't even heat my water, just leave it at room temp(65). The small 10% even 30% WC I do weekly does not effect the temp enough to warrent the extra electricity it takes to heat it.

I was going to mention the heater part (or lack thereof) as well, but I wasn't sure if it contributed to the smell or not. I stopped using it because, while it seemed like something you should do, I didn't see any real advantage to it. Even with my water in a cold basement, pumping a gallon or two up into the tank doesn't seem to make the temp fluctuate at all.
For bigger water changes (say, 25%-50% in a QT), I will put it in a 5 gallon bucket (or buckets) and throw a heater in it for a few hours.