Water Change Stress Fish?

[sombunya]

Aquarium salt. I've done some searching and talked to a tech at the company that packaged it. The sites that advised against it were about 2:1 to the sites that advised using it. Some said use it only when treating sick fish. The tech explained that the fish are like little water pumps and electrolytes are slowly depleted. He seemed quite knowledgeable and I didn't feel he was Bs'ing me. He said some fish breeds benefit more than others. Bottom line; it can't hurt any fresh water fish and can only help others.

One tablespoon per 5 gallons of water. When I expressed some alarm at putting that much salt in he said marine tanks use one cup per gallon; about 80 times more.

I do regular water changes and add some every now and then. I probably have a ratio of one tablespoon to 20 gallons. I'll put a small bowl in and they sometimes pick around in it.

Some folks advise strongly against it. I'll use it sparingly in my tanks.

 

[brian1973]

There are some on here that can advise better on the salt issue than I can but I do know that aquarium salt and marine salt are not the same..appearantly aquarium salt is missing alot of trace minerals. According to some aquarium salt can hurt scaleless fish, this is what I have been told but I have no real proof, I believe there is a thread on here though about aquarium salt. I do know that in IME platies bred better when I was adding salt, other than that I have seen know difference with or without it.

I also use test strips to test chlorine levels.

As for Oxygen levels an air pump and bubble wands are more for aesthetics (sp?), the water is oxygenated by the breaking of surface tension of the water so as long as you have a "water fall" effect from your filter you should be good. I dont use air pumps on my tanks and have never had an issue, heck sometimes I dont even leave a gap betwen the filter outlet and water level either. I did use a pump and air stones when I moved my fish just to give them something, probably more of piece of mind for myself. Bottom line is your filter should provide plenty of oxygen, unless you are way overstocked.

Went searching and found this thread which has various links in it about aquarium salt. http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/fre...n-questions/20018-adding-freshwater-salt.html

 

[Striker2807]

There are some on here that can advise better on the salt issue than I can but I do know that aquarium salt and marine salt are not the same..appearantly aquarium salt is missing alot of trace minerals. According to some aquarium salt can hurt scaleless fish, this is what I have been told but I have no real proof, I believe there is a thread on here though about aquarium salt. I do know that in IME platies bred better when I was adding salt, other than that I have seen know difference with or without it.

I also use test strips to test chlorine levels.

As for Oxygen levels an air pump and bubble wands are more for aesthetics (sp?), the water is oxygenated by the breaking of surface tension of the water so as long as you have a "water fall" effect from your filter you should be good. I dont use air pumps on my tanks and have never had an issue, heck sometimes I dont even leave a gap betwen the filter outlet and water level either. I did use a pump and air stones when I moved my fish just to give them something, probably more of piece of mind for myself. Bottom line is your filter should provide plenty of oxygen, unless you are way overstocked.

Went searching and found this thread which has various links in it about aquarium salt. http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/fre...n-questions/20018-adding-freshwater-salt.html

I am getting the impression that salt is more of a personal preference when it comes to adding it to your tank. It seems like it can't hurt them, unless they are scaleless, as for the benefits to it some people think it helps, but some don't. So far no one has come out screaming don't use it so for now I will research in more and make my decision.

On a side note, I work at PetSmart and our head people have recently told us that we no longer can add it to are tanks because API stopped making the test to test the salt content in your water. This is purely an observation, but since we have stopped using it seems like we have had an increase in fish death and ick. Again that is purely an observation, but there is one girl there that has an INSANE amount of knowledge on fish and everything about them I mean really there are times I walk away from talking to her just stunned at all the info she has just given me. She recommends it and I value her opinion very much, but like I said I am going to look into it more and make my decision.

Anymore input on aquarium salt would be gladly welcomed! *thumbsups

 

[Striker2807]

I think I am just going to stop using it all together mainly because I really can't find anything to really convince me that using it does any good for the fish.

I will be sure to keep a small thing on hand if I have an outbreak of ick or my nitrates get out of hand at what time I will add a teaspoon to the water. From what I have read a teaspoon should be more then enough to help combat these issues if they arise.

 

[brian1973]

Thats all you really can do is take the info and sometimes different opinions and make your own informed decision. Atleast you have more than 1 persons opinion or experience to go off of

If you keep up on water changes Nitrates shouldnt be much of an issue.. I will have to look into that though, never heard salt would lower nitrates.

 

[Striker2807]

If you keep up on water changes Nitrates shouldnt be much of an issue.. I will have to look into that though, never heard salt would lower nitrates.

I meant to say Nitrite not Nitrate..sorry.*ALL*

I have read in a few articles that the Chlorine ions protect the fish from nitrate poisoning.

According to on article it prevents methemoglobin ( a soluble brown crystalline basic blood pigment that differs from hemoglobin in containing ferric iron and in being unable to combine reversibly with molecular oxygen) from building up and thus preventing the fish from suffocating to death.

 

[Lotus]

Salt is good to keep around for an ich outbreak or if you have a disaster and have a nitrite spike. Otherwise, it's not really needed, IMO. There are still a lot of fishkeepers that use salt, but it tends to be those from the old school.

To be honest, if you're using good quarantine procedures, you'll rarely have ich in your main tank. It's always better to treat in quarantine, where you can monitor it more closely.

 

[MikeS]

To ensure this doesn't happen again I have a few questions about water changes. The first one being I use a python to do my water changes so you can't really treat the water before it goes in. So when should I put in the water conditioner?

I put the conditioner in just as I start filling it with the python. However, I put in enough to treat the whole tank. You cannot treat just the water coming out seeing that it instantly starts mixing with the tank water.

If you use buckets, then you can treat each bucket before adding and not have to worry about the tank.

 

[sombunya]

I put the conditioner in just as I start filling it with the python. However, I put in enough to treat the whole tank. You cannot treat just the water coming out seeing that it instantly starts mixing with the tank water.

If you use buckets, then you can treat each bucket before adding and not have to worry about the tank.

That's interesting. I know it says you cannot over-treat but if a guy is doing water changes (25%, let's say) and he adds enough to treat the whole tank, won't a build-up eventually occur?

I've thought about switching back to treating buckets and then adding after vacuuming. Right now my largest is a 40 so that's only two buckets. I'm seriously thinking about a 80 or 90 gallon tub. That will only be 4-5 buckets.

So again, will treating for the whole tank cause a build-up when doing 25% changes?

 

[MikeS]

I am also a member of another forum, and this is widely practiced. If you do not feel comfortable, then either do less or go back to buckets. I usually do around 40% a week, and on a 210, that is way too much for buckets.

 

[Striker2807]

So again, will treating for the whole tank cause a build-up when doing 25% changes?

This is an interesting question and I would definitely like to hear more peoples opnions on this. I have always been told you can't add too much so going by that statement I wouldn't think treating the whole tank would be a problem, but I really don't know.

I am also a member of another forum, and this is widely practiced. If you do not feel comfortable, then either do less or go back to buckets. I usually do around 40% a week, and on a 210, that is way too much for buckets.

I usually add more then what I have have taken out or have thought I have taken out. Using a python I can never tell exactly how much I have taken out so I always add more then I need, but never enough for the whole tank. It is interesting and seems to be a good idea I mean if you do it that way at least you know you have added enough.

Oh and I am off to do my weekly 25% water change, after the advice of many on this forum, so wish me luck!

Oh and another question I have that I have not asked is when your filling your tank back up is it best to match the temperature as close to the tank as possible? I do, but do you really have too?

 

[MikeS]

Yes, try to get the temp as close as possible. Same type of thing as when adding a new fish to the tank. Too much of a temp change could /stress kill them.

 

[Striker2807]

Yes, try to get the temp as close as possible. Same type of thing as when adding a new fish to the tank. Too much of a temp change could /stress kill them.

Yea I remember being told that now that you mention it.

Well my water change went fine no problems like last time! So I guess that means you all give good advice!*BOUNCINGS

 

[brian1973]

This is an interesting question and I would definitely like to hear more peoples opnions on this. I have always been told you can't add too much so going by that statement I wouldn't think treating the whole tank would be a problem, but I really don't know.

Heres my thinking on Sombunya's question, there is no evidence to back it up just my opinion. If your using a charcoal media in the filter I think it will remove any excess chemicals preventing any buildup. I have to agree with Mike though once you add that water the whole tank would then become chlorinated just a smaller amount of chlorine per gallon.