Aquarium Salt
- Thread starter Ashlea
- Start date
I remember reading that it is best to add salt to a non-stocked tank. I believe that is what the directions say on the box/bag of salt.
I know Mollies thrive in brackish waters. Do you have a second tank that you can salt while your fish are waiting? Thats what I'd recommend.
So do you NEED to add salt? I don't think it is necessary but I've read that salt minimizes disease/stress. So it depends on you.
I know Mollies thrive in brackish waters. Do you have a second tank that you can salt while your fish are waiting? Thats what I'd recommend.
So do you NEED to add salt? I don't think it is necessary but I've read that salt minimizes disease/stress. So it depends on you.
No, you don't need to add aquarium salt. Freshwater is freshwater... no salt needed. Salt does not reduce stress or prevent disease. The only things it's good for is as an ich cure or to reduce nitrite poisoning. Other than that, there's no need for it. 
I hope the original poster has read the replies because I know for a fact that one shouldn't add salt to a stocked tank unless your going for the ich cure.
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Thanks all. I have read the replies. Interesting how the LFS try to push unneccesary things onto you.
My tank is cycled, I have two submersible bio-filters running. I have 2 mollies and 2 guppies in at the moment. I wanted to check how they would fare in the tank before I stock some more. Next week I will add 3 more mollies and 3 more guppies and take it from there.
Thanks again for the info. Good to know.
My tank is cycled, I have two submersible bio-filters running. I have 2 mollies and 2 guppies in at the moment. I wanted to check how they would fare in the tank before I stock some more. Next week I will add 3 more mollies and 3 more guppies and take it from there.
Thanks again for the info. Good to know.
to salt or not too salt?
A good friend (20+ years experience in fishkeeping) seems to think it does reduce illness and he made it sound to me like freshwater is the anti christ lol
He also said that the salt makes his fishes' colors more vibrant.
His brackish tanks are beautiful (I've had the pleasure of seeing them in person) and hes had them for years.
A good friend (20+ years experience in fishkeeping) seems to think it does reduce illness and he made it sound to me like freshwater is the anti christ lol
He also said that the salt makes his fishes' colors more vibrant.
His brackish tanks are beautiful (I've had the pleasure of seeing them in person) and hes had them for years.
*crazysmil you should never listen to the advice of any local fish store worker without having researched it yourself. 99.9% of the time they want your money. Take care of how many more mollies and guppies you add to the tank. You have a small tank and may exceed stocking limits, along with the fact that they are livebearers. I'm sure you already know the consequences of overstocking
Hopefully this doesn't come out too long winded. The op was probably posting about adding aquarium salt, not sea water salt or reef crystals. The aquarium salt you buy at all LFS's is just pure granulated sodium. JUST SALT, no additives like iodine or caching agents. They charge you 6$ for one pound of the stuff and swear by it. Morton's pickling salt is ALSO JUST SALT nothing added, check the website. Only difference here is that it's in the salt aisle at wal mart and not the fish cemetery they have there. The pickling salt is 1.60 for 4 LBS, unless your in the habit of throwing away money I recommend this product over the other. I have used it a few diffent times with freshwater sting rays and also my cichlid tanks and I've never had any issues. F.Y.I. Kosher salt is also JUST SALT.
Sea or Reef Salt is a whole different product. It has minerals and trace elements to help mimic the ocean or reef chemistry, not to be used in fresh water unless you are aiming for a brackish tank, or prepping for a full salt tank.
With that said, I know many people that say a few tablespoons of PURE SODIUM does help relieve stress in FW fish as well as fight many protozoan infections or bacterial issues. We all know that fish with less stress do show much better coloration. It has also been said to stimulate slime coat.
I think it's up to you to decide if you want to use salt or not. I dont use it if my tanks are healthy but if I have an issue with health I do a water change and add a few tablespoons of it before I choose a plan of action for medication etc. I dont see the point in salting an unstocked tank but that could just be me.
Hope this helps.
Sea or Reef Salt is a whole different product. It has minerals and trace elements to help mimic the ocean or reef chemistry, not to be used in fresh water unless you are aiming for a brackish tank, or prepping for a full salt tank.
With that said, I know many people that say a few tablespoons of PURE SODIUM does help relieve stress in FW fish as well as fight many protozoan infections or bacterial issues. We all know that fish with less stress do show much better coloration. It has also been said to stimulate slime coat.
I think it's up to you to decide if you want to use salt or not. I dont use it if my tanks are healthy but if I have an issue with health I do a water change and add a few tablespoons of it before I choose a plan of action for medication etc. I dont see the point in salting an unstocked tank but that could just be me.
Hope this helps.
hmmm This is an eye opener for ME and something to think about.
The last time I attempted brackish was after reading the benefits of it on this site a few years ago. So I am out of practice.
It stated on the reef salt "do not add to established aquariums containing livestock". This I swear on my life. lol. I didn't follow that advice, however, and had no problems.
But when you say "I dont see the point in salting an unstocked tank but that could just be me. " .....I think its done when establishing a new SW/brackish tank? and of course while cycling, theres no fish/animals.
You definately know your salt. Good point about the overpriced salt in Walmart!
The last time I attempted brackish was after reading the benefits of it on this site a few years ago. So I am out of practice.
It stated on the reef salt "do not add to established aquariums containing livestock". This I swear on my life. lol. I didn't follow that advice, however, and had no problems.
But when you say "I dont see the point in salting an unstocked tank but that could just be me. " .....I think its done when establishing a new SW/brackish tank? and of course while cycling, theres no fish/animals.
You definately know your salt. Good point about the overpriced salt in Walmart!
Funny you should mention adding the salt to a new SW or brackish tank as I currently have a 10 gallon nano cycling that's only been up about a week (how addictive the sw thing is surprises me to no end). When cycling a sw tank the idea is to maintain the water to the same Specific Gravity it will be when stocked with corals inverts etc. Even though I am new to the sw end of the hobby I have done much research and found that cycling a sw tank cant be done without the salt being present. So when I said I didn't see the point, I honestly was thinking from a FW perspective. Salting an unstocked SW tank is a necessity, in FW it is not!
Thanks for bringing that up Blue, wouldnt want anyone to be mislead or misinterpret and make a mistake on my advice
Thanks for bringing that up Blue, wouldnt want anyone to be mislead or misinterpret and make a mistake on my advice
BS: You've unintentionally confused the issue.
Just to clarify:
In a freshwater tank, there's no need to add aquarium salt, or any kind of salt, unless you are treating ich. If this is the case, you add the dose of salt gradually, mixing with some tank water. Avoid dropping large amounts of salt directly into your tank, as you may 'burn' any fish that swim through it, and adding it in portions -- perhaps a third at a time -- will allow the fish to get used to it gradually.
In a brackish tank, you don't use aquarium salt, you use reef salt mix. Aquarium salt cannot make brackish water or saltwater as in seawater. The two are very different. In this case you mix water to a predetermined salinity using a hygrometer to measure salinity, then add to your tank. Were you to add salt mix directly to your tank, you would abruptly change the salinity and stress your fish.
Just to clarify:
In a freshwater tank, there's no need to add aquarium salt, or any kind of salt, unless you are treating ich. If this is the case, you add the dose of salt gradually, mixing with some tank water. Avoid dropping large amounts of salt directly into your tank, as you may 'burn' any fish that swim through it, and adding it in portions -- perhaps a third at a time -- will allow the fish to get used to it gradually.
In a brackish tank, you don't use aquarium salt, you use reef salt mix. Aquarium salt cannot make brackish water or saltwater as in seawater. The two are very different. In this case you mix water to a predetermined salinity using a hygrometer to measure salinity, then add to your tank. Were you to add salt mix directly to your tank, you would abruptly change the salinity and stress your fish.