Dead Phyto doesn't always smell bad. There are a bunch of products on the market that are bottled "dead" Phytoplankton, they don't smell to bad. When Live Phyto dies and breaks down it smells similar to sulfur, low tide, or rotten eggs. Good Phyto wheather live or dead should smell a little funky. Kind of like a two day old salad or a can of vegetable/ministrone soup, but just a bit funkier. Sorry that is my best description based on my olefactory senses