How do you store your salt?

SRT80

New member
Now I'm gettin' back in to it. I've got some questions.

How do you all store your salt? I got a box of salt awhile back. I opened one of the 50 gal mix bags and I scooped out 5 gal. and 10 gal. measurements and put it in ziplock bags. I checked those bags the other day and they was as hard as bricks. So, I figured the salt is bad now. I didn't bother using it. I opened up another bag, it was fine, but I'm confused how to store it so it doesn't go bad.

Steve
 
Huh I do the samething with ziplock bags. But never had them turn into a brick. Maybe bc you haven't used in 5months.lol.Did get all the air out of the bag. That's how I do it. I know BW salt I have a 300gal box that came in one big bag. Well i didn't tie it up and left a wet cup on top of the salt bag and 2weeks later still good so I'm try something out with this salt I got half a cup of water holecup of salt in a closed rubermade container. So far on clumping on day 4.
 
I buy boxes of IO salt that come in 4 bags (50 gallons each) and I just open 1-2 of them and dump them into a sealing IO bucket I have. Never had any problems, but I have had times that the surface crusted over, once fairly thick (1-2"). I used this salt though and had no problems at all. The salt should still be good. All it means is that some humidity got to it and it absorbed it.

I'm pretty sure that taking on the water will have no/minimal effect on the chemical properties of the salt.
 
The reason I didn't use it was because I once used some IO salt that was hard and after it mixed, I always test PH, Ammonia, and Nitrates. It was showin' some signs of ammonia. I asked someone about it and they said the salt could be bad. I might just dechlorinate some tap water and use one of the 5 gal. mix bags and see how it tests to see if it's ok or not.

Thanks for the info,
Steve
 
I've only really ever stored salt in buckets (mostly oceanic snap on lids). Never really had a problem with hardness. Wonder if your bags weren't really sealed or if the plastic is actually semi-permeable causing this problem to occur slowly over a long period of time.

In any case, the more important question is really if that salt is really bad now or if you would just have to bust it up a little. I don't know the answer to that question, but my guess is that the salt simply crystallized from water exposure and with my somewhat limited chemistry background I wouldn't think it would be a problem, but as long as it isn't a huge amount it is probably better safe than sorry.
 
I just had the same thing happen to my 5 gallon bucket of IO. I had to turn it upside down and bang it on the floor to bust it up. I did not have any adverse affects when I added it to my tank. Levels seem to be fine. I had it stored in my garage, where it is freezing right now, but I am not sure if that had anything to do with it. I have never had a problem when it is warm there though.
 
I broke the salt up and got it mixing in a bucket right now. I'll run some test tomorrow afternoon and see what I come up with.

Steve
 
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