The majority of bags used for marine salts are poly type bags. To my knowledge this poly type material does not approach food grade standards.
Other types of bags can be made from specially produced medical type material. This type of material is infinately superior for packaging/containing/shipping/selling mixed marine salt chemistry for use in producing synthetic sea water for bio assay, aquaculture, research, education, science, public aquariums to home marine aquarium keepers.
I do not wish to use this thread in a commercial manner. I have not indicated in any way that a brand of salt sold in a bucket is good or bad. I offered information about the bucket. Not the contents. When I was pushed about the salts, I offered an industry insiders view about the cost of a bucket vs. the overall wholesale selling cost of the item.
When someone asks about bags and/or the material utilized, additional information should be offered/provided so no future questions arise regarding this point.
This type of bag material is specially manufactured for our brands of marine salts. They have a different "feel" vs.that of a poly type bag.
Prior to ordering bags manufactured with this material, it is essential to provide the bag manufacturer with the chemical contents and intended use. Bags made with special material are inert to the mixture that will be placed inside.
When we get new shipments of these bags that are specifically made to keep our chemistry, there is no odor.
For those interesed in how different bag material effects marine salts, a simple test can be performed. Take a sealed package of brand A, brand B, brand C and any ACP marine salt. Submerge these sealed packages into a bucket of water.
Check these packages in 4-6 weeks. Advise which sealed bags now contain a slush mixture of wet salts. Which brands are still bone dry?
Packages with poor mositure and vapor barrier properties can allow unwanted contaminants into a sealed package.
Consider, if a marine salt manufacturer goes to great lengths to procure and use specially select grade ingredients, extends the effort to compound/mix their chemistry in the most advanced method to date, it would stand to reason that this manufacturer would want to preserve their chemistry for the benefit of their end users/customers.
In all fairness there are a few brands of marine salts produced outside the USA that use a multiple wall package material and/or use foil in their package composit. These brands should stay dry in the submerged test. However it is up to the ultimate user to evaluate how the contents perform in either independent lab. evaluation or with actual aquatic bio results vs. other brands.
What is of ultimate importance is mixing and storing marine salts in uncured buckets.
There is a great difference with salts that are packaged in the typical poly type bag, vs. exposing hydrated salts in a container that gives off an odor (food grade or not).
E.g. It is estimated that 5% or less of the contents of a bag of marine salts are in contact with the interior of the bag. Vs. significantely more of the contents when exposed to the interior of a bucket (cured or uncured), when mixed (hydrated) with clean fresh water.
Thus the very real possibility of hydrated salts in an uncured bucket can act in chemical reaction that will leach any and all toxins and impurities from the uncured bucket material.
If the bucket was cured initially, any potential problems would totally avoided.
As I posted earlier, I have a factory delivered brand new bucket from M&M Containers made in TN. These are sold as food grade. These are the same buckets used by a at least two marine salt manufacturers that produce several brands.
M&M Containers was kind enough to send me their catalog. There are photos of buckets printed with various designs for their many customers. One photo shows a bucket with the printed design of a well known marine salt.
When I received the new bucket on June 06, 2006 there was an odor. The lid has been kept on the bucket. As of today, July 26, 2006, when the lid is removed it still smells.
During the third week of June 2006, in a telephone conversation with M&M Containers I asked about the odor with the person that sent me the sample bucket.
I asked about food grade. I was told "yes". I asked about the odor. I was told "yeah".
BTW, the cost of printed buckets from M&M, with screw tops is now $6.00+ each, plus shipping to the customer. That is for 40'-45' truck load orders of buckets and tops.
I am not saying buckets are good or bad. I am saying they should be cured prior to storing dry salts and/or mixed salt water.
This thread topic is Curing RubberMaid buckets. Obvisouly RubberMaid trash cans are not food grade and give off an odor. These should be cured prior to use in mixing and storing salt water.
Would anyone mix and store salt water in a bucket that gave off an odor? I hope not.
This thread was created to offer guidance to marine aquarium keepers. It has taken a few turns.
Thanks to Steven Pro and others for asking relivant questions.
Thanks to all the RAG'ers that have shown interest and had the patience for reading all the information I have offered.
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