Has my salt gone bad?

[jsb]

This may sound like a stupid question, but I'd like to make sure, because I've never had this happen before. I was preparing a water change, and I forgot to seem my salt. Well about half of it is as hard as a rock now. I started crushing it up, but I was wondering if it's okay, or has it gone bad now that it has harden like this. Sorry if it sounds stupid. I just like to take every precaution.
Thanks,
Jeremy

 

[lion_crazz]

Jeremy, it's always good to take precaution. Remember, the only stupid question in the fish hobby is the question not asked!
To help you with your question now, the simple answer is no, the salt is not bad. It probably just got hard and a little crusty because you exposed it to the air in the room. As a hydrometer will show you, it will still make your salt as it did before (and it still has the trace elements in it). Now however, you definitely want to make sure you break up all the salt before you put it in the water you make to go into the aquarium because hard, larger pieces of salt is the easiest way to raise the salinity in your water without realizing it. When mixing it for a water change, it is best to mix your water with salt at least 24 hours before you dump it into an aquarium (regardless if it is hard or not). This is done so you can be sure that the salt dissolves fully, because if not, this too can raise your salinity to undesirable levels as well.

 

[thomas712]

My 2 cents is that I truly don't know, but I have had a horrible salt experience. I spoke with the head of the testing department at Aquarium Systems, and they asked me several times if the salt got wet or clumpy, they seemed to make a rather large deal about finding out if it had, which it had not.
I would recommend getting in contact with the company that made your salt and then see if they say anything about it.
Be on the safe side and do it, don't risk your investment.
Thomas

 

[lion_crazz]

I've never heard of anyone make a big deal about it, but you never know. Thomas712 makes a good point. You might as well call the company to see if it does make a difference in the salt. In my experiece it has not, but everyone's experiences are different. All types of salt are different as well.

 

[zap800]

the only thing i can think of is that when a large chunk falls in its like adding too much salt to the water. this will inturn cause the calcium to persipitate and lower the ph of the water. then by adding it to the tank it will then change the chemistry of the saltwater. if i am wrong someone tell me, or does that make sense?
but thats my $ .02

 

[jsb]

Sorry, I haven't responded back until now. What I did was crush it up like lion crazz mentioned and added to my water. In my water changing container of course. Ran the power head like usual. I went to a swim/cook out, and checked it when I came back. It appeared to be working as normal. I adjusted where I wanted the water at, and changed the water this morning. Thanks for the input guys. I think I need to change over to the buckets, so this wont happen again. Do those keep sealed better?
Thanks!
JSB

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by JSB
I think I need to change over to the buckets, so this wont happen again. Do those keep sealed better?
Thanks!
JSB
Much better

 

[lion_crazz]

Yeah, I like putting my salt into a bucket a lot better too. I just bought one bucket and I just continue to put my salt into that bucket. You can buy the cheaper boxes after you buy the first bucket because you can just reuse the same old bucket that you got before.

 

[broomer5]

Jeremy
Leaving saltmix exposed to the air is not bad if the air is dry. But no air is totally dry in our homes.
Depending on the time of the year, where are home is located, heating or cooling season, etc .... most household air is somewhat humid.
Humidity ( water vapor ) not only makes the dry saltmix turn into hard chunks, it actually can change the chemistry of the saltmix itself.
When we mix the dry saltmix with freshwater - we "hydrate" some of the dry chemicals found in the saltmix.
When we do this in our mixing buckets prior to our water change - all is normally good.
If we allow air humidity ( water ) to reach the dry saltmix - then these same chemicals ( carbonates, bicarbonates, magnesium and calcium ) become hydrated. They can then combine and change form as the saltmix sits in the bag or bucket.
Depending on how "humid" your room air, and how long the bag of salts been open, you can actually get the carbonate and calcium to form rock hard calcium carbonate chunks sitting in the bag.
You may find that using hard crusted saltmix works fine - or you may find that it does not mix up the same as dry saltmix normally does.
The only way to know would be to test a batch of the good dry vs. the hard crusty.
I would imagine your calcium, alkalinity and pH would be slightly different between the two batches.
In a fish only tank - this may not be as large a concern.
In a reef tank - depending on the size of the water change - it could be of greater concern.

 

[belothsurf]

Hmmmm......Just as I thought I was getting a handle on things about this hobby. :notsure: I buy the the IO salt that comes in the bags, and notice after I leave them open for awhile, they do clump up. I just figured it was humidity just dissolving the salt enough to make it stick together. But it usually breaks up and quickly dissolves after I put it in my mixing bucket. I wait at least 48 hours anyway, before adding it to my tank, because I understand freshly mixed sw can be "rough" on fish anyway. Am I ok doing this, or should the salt be kept in something airtight?:happyfish

 

[thomas712]

salt will pull moister from the air, you really need to find a way to keep it air tight. Ziplock bags, plastic container with lid, somthing.
Thomas

 

[jsb]

Great feed back guys...Thanks alot.
I actually have a bucket I was keeping some dried LR in, I guess I need to clean it out and make the switch.