got ethical husbandry?

Old Salt - Yay or Nay?

yellojello

yellojello

Guest
BARcard
I got a bucket of Instant Ocean Sea Salt with screw cap (if that matters)... got it as extra stuff from a tank buy.

It has solidified to one solid clump (the entire bucket). The receipt on the bucket says February 2008.

Should I break it up and use? or toss it? I have fresh RODI water 120 gallons with 55 gallons sump ready to get salted. I could drop the whole clump in and let it dissolve?

I do have new salt too, just wanted to save some money if could use this old stuff. Thanks.
 
Generally, it's not good to use clumped up salt.

Moisture has gotten in, and various salt components have reacted so you won't have optimal water chemistry after you mix it up.

Typically, your Ca and alk can be off due to those ingredients combining and precipitating in the highly concentrated mix that results when the salt absorbs moisture from the air.
 
Meh, my salt is a solid block, I still use it. It's better than not doing water changes!

What I'm going to do in the future with my unopend bucket is immediately upon opening, fill ziplock bags with exactly 3 cups of salt each, then put that back into the bucket. That way it can help keep moisture from them and each baggy has the exact amount of salt to match the mark on my mixing bucket to get the salinity I want. Also if it "blocks up" it'll be in premeasured units anyway.

V
 
Zip lock bags still allow moisture as the plastic used is pretty porous on the micro level.

Just because you do it definitely does not make it OK to do ;) Anyone reading Vince's post please take it with a grain, er, in his case, block or salt :lol:
 
himalayan-salt-lick.jpg
 
170645523_eacbb1ad37_m.jpg


Anyways, I tried to be cheapo and used the old salt, the top 1/2 of bucket was clumped, but the bottom half was still granular (good sign?). I don't have anything living in the tank yet so I figured it should be okay. Salinity is at 1.0215.

After this batch, I saw the Aquavitro everyone was talking about at the LFS... looks nice! Also got one week old Warner Marine K2 skimmer for the same price I would have paid for a Super Reef Octo XP-2000 =) Should I start breaking it in or wait for my tank to finish cycling?
 
GreshamH said:
Zip lock bags still allow moisture as the plastic used is pretty porous on the micro level.

Just because you do it definitely does not make it OK to do ;) Anyone reading Vince's post please take it with a grain, er, in his case, block or salt :lol:
Click to expand...


True, I'm just stating that I am willing to use my block salt!

V
 
Aside from using the salt immediately, how can we keep our salt from turning into a rock? I know that little salt shakers often have rice in them and putting a piece of bread with brown sugar seems to help it from clumping.

Someone should (gasp!) make and sell some kind of salt anti-clumper.

V
 
Hmmmm ...


http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=799452&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=10615

Some kind of desiccant. Funny, I googled fro desiccants and when I saw this sit pop up, I remember I used to buy a ton of reload/handloading supplies from Midway USA, back when I was more of a redneck than I am now.

For 5 bucks, this might be worth a try. After sealing the salt in ziplocks (porous though they may be, but for portion division) tossing one of these things into the bucket might work. Also when it stops working, you can use it as a "magic silver cleaner!"

NOTE: Many eons ago, my parents were at a home show and bought a "magic silver cleaning plate" which you used by putting the plate in water with washing soda (or baking soda? We lost the instructions immediately) This was awesome since my Mom would otherwise make her kids clean the silverware with a cloth and silver polish. They paid like $20 for it. Turns out it was an aluminum plate. Turns out you can use aluminum foil or an aluminum pie plate exactly the same way for 10000 times less money.

Anyway...I might "invest" in something like this, or a mesh bag full of rice, for my next bucket of salt. Might by some shooting stuff too.

V
 
More about this aluminum plate. You just toss it in? No other agent needed like vinegar?

Desiccants will def. keep the moisture down.
 
From some random website:
=============================
Aluminum Foil, Baking Soda, and Salt: Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a pan, add 2-3 inches of water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Add silver pieces, boil 2-3 minutes, making sure the water covers the silver pieces. Remove silver, rinse, dry, and buff with a soft cloth. This method cleans the design and crevices of silver pieces.

Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/silver#ixzz0gad0OlrE
=============================

NOTE: I just cut and pasted that, somehow the website tacked on the URL at the bottom, pretty clever!

As the article mentions, sometimes you don't want to actually clean your silver so it has a nice patina and so that the Antiques Roadshow guys don't yell at you.

V
 
NICE! thank you. No road show for me so I will clean away :) Oh and no pawn shops either :lol:
 
Oh apparently, some kitty litter is made with "silica gel" so you can put a bag (or sock) full of it in your salt bucket. Proabably don't let them touch, just incase.

V
 
You could also use diapers as some now come with p2 crystals.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top