Reef crystals smells like rotten eggs

[Rbaker1325]

Hi all. I had probably fifteen gallons of clean salt water sitting in a garbage can, and then filled it up with 25 more gallons of r/o water. Anyway it sat for about 2 weeks, and I went to go mix some salt and heat the water in preparation for the water change in 3 days. Well when I took the lid off it smelled almost like rotten eggs. It was faint, but still noticeable. This can had only ever had r/o water, and reef crystals salt. Should I be concerned? I noticed there was some stuff floating in the water, but reef crystals has been like that for roughly two years now. Anyway thanks in advanced for assistance. Anyone who has experienced this please chime in.

Edit***
The water has been testing 0 phos, and 0 nitrates.

 

[tdtreefer]

i dont remember but i think reef crystals has organics in it and its not meant to be mixed and sitting, test ph amonia and nitrate to see if its usable, and alk, dont want alk swings. but i dont know why it would smell
\

edit, didnt see you said 0 nitrates, what about amn?

 

[Rbaker1325]

Unfortunately I don't have an ammonia test. I'll take it to lfs later today. Is there a salt mix that doesn't contain organics?

 

[gone fishin]

Rotten egg smell makes me think of hydrogen sulfide. If that is the case a nasty bit of business it is.

I have used reef crystals for quite awhile and have not come across that smell.

 

[Rbaker1325]

I'll dump this water and wipe the container. Is it possible that is from the water sitting out. Is dumping the container and wiping it down enough?

 

[gone fishin]

I would give it a good rinsing just to be on the safe side.

I still find it odd that you got that smell. You do not have your mix barrel in the basement do you. That smell is often associated with sewer/septic lines.

 

[Rbaker1325]

It is in the basement, but I can very clearly smell is coming from the can when I get close to it.

 

[scooter31707]

I would fill the container up and use a bottle of vinegar and mix with the same powerhead that you mix the water with for a few hours. Then give it a good rinse and let it air dry and see if that helps.

 

[Rbaker1325]

So drying with a towel won't do it?

 

[pmcarbrey]

Judging by how you said there was stuff floating in the water my assumption would by that some sort of organic material felling the water and the smell is due to bacterial growth. I would wash the backed with vinegar and wipe it down well

 

[Rbaker1325]

Ok. Will do. Thanks for the help guys. Is there any sort of test I can run to verify its free?

Also if the smell is gone by time I get home (because I started to agitate the water) does that mean that the bacteria had eventually left on its own in the cycle. Thanks again guys

 

[Rbaker1325]

For other folks who need reference here is another thread where a guy was having the same issue. It does appear to be specific to certain brands.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2097691

 

[ericarenee]

Judging by how you said there was stuff floating in the water my assumption would by that some sort of organic material felling the water and the smell is due to bacterial growth. I would wash the backed with vinegar and wipe it down well

Instant ocean and Reed Crystals salt always leaves Dirty and Foamy stuff floating . I ran out of my Brand of salt(will not mention as it starts a WAR). So I Picked up a 160 gal bucket from LFS (Cost me two fingers and a thump GRRR) Because i needed that day.. my 50 Gallon mixing tank after running the pump for 20 minutes had the whole top of the water covered with this off white Foam with Black streaks in it... So now i have a 1/2 bucket of salt left im kinda not sure i wanna use or not.
ohh I use
Kent Marine Reef Salt . Its more of a powder mixes perfectly every time and NONE OF That crap on my mixing tanks.

 

[pmcarbrey]

Instant ocean and Reed Crystals salt always leaves Dirty and Foamy stuff floating . I ran out of my Brand of salt(will not mention as it starts a WAR). So I Picked up a 160 gal bucket from LFS (Cost me two fingers and a thump GRRR) Because i needed that day.. my 50 Gallon mixing tank after running the pump for 20 minutes had the whole top of the water covered with this off white Foam with Black streaks in it... So now i have a 1/2 bucket of salt left im kinda not sure i wanna use or not.
ohh I use
Kent Marine Reef Salt . Its more of a powder mixes perfectly every time and NONE OF That crap on my mixing tanks.

I personally use Salinity because i have a stockpile of it, good to know though, i'll make sure to stay away from reef crystals once i run out

 

[ericarenee]

I personally use Salinity because i have a stockpile of it, good to know though, i'll make sure to stay away from reef crystals once i run out

It used to not be this way. I Was told by someone a few days ago when i posted a image on google plus about this . They make bigger batches now and store it longer so they add some kind of anti-Clumping agent. In the Defense of The manufacturer i was also told this does not effect the product.

I just Do not like climbing a ladder and reaching down into the tanks to scrub them out...

 

[ichthyogeek]

Odd, I've been using Reef Crystals since I started the hobby (cheap and easy to find in many stores) 8 years ago. Never really had that problem, but that might be because I don't premake saltwater a month before I need the water.

Maybe it was a bad batch? I only test for specific gravity and not anything else...and I've had it fine. Galaxea, kenya tree, GSP, and mushroom corals seem fine. Is the garbage can new and clean? Or was it old and not exactly clean? I only use a Lowes 5 gallon bucket (the blue kind) for mixing salt since I'm quite paranoid about tapwater residue in all the other buckets. It's only ever used for mixing saltwater, never for holding changed water.

 

[ericarenee]

Odd, I've been using Reef Crystals since I started the hobby (cheap and easy to find in many stores) 8 years ago. Never really had that problem, but that might be because I don't premake saltwater a month before I need the water.

Maybe it was a bad batch? I only test for specific gravity and not anything else...and I've had it fine. Galaxea, kenya tree, GSP, and mushroom corals seem fine. Is the garbage can new and clean? Or was it old and not exactly clean? I only use a Lowes 5 gallon bucket (the blue kind) for mixing salt since I'm quite paranoid about tapwater residue in all the other buckets. It's only ever used for mixing saltwater, never for holding changed water.

I used it for years as well. Put the bucket about 1/2 full and a high volume pump in it.. MY Mixing station has a 2400 gph mag 24 pump. (Got on amazon as open box for 45.00) I think the smell is related to what i found in my tank.Thou i really never checked for a smell but i know the foam was slimy . Will look for the picture

 

[pmcarbrey]

It used to not be this way. I Was told by someone a few days ago when i posted a image on google plus about this . They make bigger batches now and store it longer so they add some kind of anti-Clumping agent. In the Defense of The manufacturer i was also told this does not effect the product.

I just Do not like climbing a ladder and reaching down into the tanks to scrub them out...

Yep, that may be a bit of a reach. I think when I run out of salinity (since I can't find it for sale anywhere now) I may switch to Kent or Red Sea. I may grab a bag of reef crystals just to test this out myself.

 

[ericarenee]

Yep, that may be a bit of a reach. I think when I run out of salinity (since I can't find it for sale anywhere now) I may switch to Kent or Red Sea. I may grab a bag of reef crystals just to test this out myself.

depending on where you are i get kent salt from petsolutions.com for 43.00 i think 200 gal box and it comes next day. as we are one day with free ground shipping from there ohio facility .
have got it from Dr Fosters as well. but never ever seen it locally. one place had red sea locally but its like 140 for 5 gal bucket..

 

[pmcarbrey]

depending on where you are i get kent salt from petsolutions.com for 43.00 i think 200 gal box and it comes next day. as we are one day with free ground shipping from there ohio facility .
have got it from Dr Fosters as well. but never ever seen it locally. one place had red sea locally but its like 140 for 5 gal bucket..

$140????? :fun5::fun5::fun5:
that's just under twice what my local store sells it for. That's insane. Highway robbery.