New sand smells like rotting eggs

[jer291113]

I am just setting up my new 40 gal. tank and refugium.
I purchased 4 bags of Figi Pink, 2 in the tank and the third for the refugium.
The third bag when opened had a strong odor of rotting eggs, I contacted DrsFosterSmith where I purchased it and they couldn't answer any questions.
Is it safe to use or should I remove it and try the fourth bag?
Thank you for your advice?

Edit: After 1/2 hour in open air smell isn't there, is it safe to use? I did find a large mass possibly a dead crab and tossed it.

[Salty150]

If three of the 4 bags didn't have that smell - but the 1 bag did - I wouldn't use it...

[jer291113]

Originally Posted by Salty150

If three of the 4 bags didn't have that smell - but the 1 bag did - I wouldn't use it...

I haven't opened the fourth bag, but the odor is gone after removing a large mass possibly a dead crab.

[Kobashi]

Any "live sand" has organic material in it. It is common that some of the organic material die and breakdown. Therefore, I wouldn't use any (all 3) of it until I RODI rinsed it first... like washing rice, I would rinse it in a bucket repeating until the water was pretty clear, just about 2" of water covering the bottom of the pot each time quickly (I would do it all within 3-5 minutes... fresh water may cause some "good bacteria" to die if you let it stand in freshwater). The water can be "milky" and does not need to be clear. I'd say 2-3x would do it. I would do the 2 bags together and the 3rd "smelly" one last.

As for the 3rd "smelly" bag... the good news is that you can always put sand in the fuge at a later time. If you get a refund or they send you another, you can do it at a later date.

If its not looking like you're going to get a refund... and you are going to use it... I would rinse this one quite a bit and make sure the water is closer to "clear" than the "quick rinse" (mentioned above).

[Salty150]

You don't rinse live sand - at least not the kind you get in bags from F&S.

I am sure they will give you a refund if you just ask.

Why take the chance on a bag of sand?

[Reef Frog]

Originally Posted by Salty150

You don't rinse live sand - at least not the kind you get in bags from F&S.

I am sure they will give you a refund if you just ask.

Why take the chance on a bag of sand?

Good points. Enough hydrogen sulfide can kill. But if the sand is rinsed, left to dry & rinsed again in RO water - and put in a new tank to be cycled, I can't see it doing any harm.

But I'm not sure the OP said he bought the live sand. If he did rinsing would logically reduce the bacteria & other things he paid for. The company probably would ship him new live sand but probably won't want to pay shipping to take the stinky stuff back. So now he has 4 bags of sand sitting around. I would just ask for a store credit for the hassles and advertised value I didn't get. Or just ask for a refund if you're still leery about using it.

I would think it's at least sifted through by the collectors in some kind of sieves to remove large animals like crabs & shellfish that would die & rot.

[LuizW13]

are smelly bags of live sand common?

[jer291113]

Well after 30 minutes and removing the mass the smell is totally gone.
DrsFosterSmith are sending me a new bag but they want the other bag returned.
By the time it gets back to them it won't smell at all.

[Reef Frog]

Ha make sure they understand this! I'm surprised they want to pay freight on a bag of sand. It will probably be more expensive than the cost they paid for it.

[Salty150]

Originally Posted by jer291113

Well after 30 minutes and removing the mass the smell is totally gone.
DrsFosterSmith are sending me a new bag but they want the other bag returned.
By the time it gets back to them it won't smell at all.

Originally Posted by Reef Frog

Ha make sure they understand this! I'm surprised they want to pay freight on a bag of sand. It will probably be more expensive than the cost they paid for it.

LMAO - welcome to the new brain-trust of Drs. Foster and Smith brought to you by PetCo!

[Reef Frog]

Ah that's right....Petco. How on earth do you tape up a bag of sand properly without making an enemy out of your UPS driver? I wonder if this is a corporate policy designed to make the buyer just forget about it or if it's just due to some poor protoplastic robot in a cubicle on auto pilot and not thinking.

[jer291113]

Maybe I'll put that dead smelly crab/mass back in the bag before I return it! LOL!

[anthonys51]

i bought a case of salt from petco, one bag was missing and they credited me the whole case. so petco was ok with me on that

[ScienceRulez]

Originally Posted by jer291113

Maybe I'll put that dead smelly crab/mass back in the bag before I return it! LOL!

If it was me, I would put the mass in a separate bag but include it in the box with the sand with a note that you found it in the sand.

Can you put the bag of sand in a contractor trash bag, and put that whole thing in a box for shipping?