Does salt mix go bad?

[hawk1]

I had to get out of the hobby because i moved about 2 years ago. I kept all my stuff, and im about to start back up my 40 breeder. I have an unopened bag of salt, and Im wondering if its ok to use? It feels like its in hard chunks in the bag, but the bag is sealed and was never open.

 

[kcinnick]

Moisture probably made it clump. I wouldn't hesitate using it, but if you have any doubts a bag of sand is a whole lot cheaper than dead fish.

 

[bertoni]

If it clumps, part of the calcium and alkalinity might have combined to form calcium carbonate, which won't redissolve. The same might happen with some trace elements. You could try mixing it up, and seeing how the calcium and alkalinity levels are, and how much (if any) remains as a precipitate.

 

[ThRoewer]

For a fish only system or fish quarantine it should be fine. For corals it may not be ideal.

 

[Oldreeferman]

Id take a soft rubber mallet & see if it will easily go back into powder form by gently tapping the bag while its laying on a smooth surface like a counter top if it doesn't id toss it. If it does re powder easily then open it & do a through mixing of the product & then do as bertoni said & test a batch. If its regular salt doubt its an issue but if its Reef salt blend then yea you want the extra elements so a test is in order. Worth checking regardless.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

I would cycle the tank without blinking an eye.
I would check to see if it was good enough long term.

 

[hawk1]

Its Coralife brand, but after reading the replys I might just toss it. Its hard as a brick. If I plan to have corals in my tank can I start up the tank with just regular IO or should I just use Reef Crystals from the start?

 

[bertoni]

Regular IO is fine. Lots of very nice tanks run on it.