Salt Residue
- Thread starter Mturner615
- Start date
2 tablespoons per 10g tanks with EVERY water change is too much, and salt will build up over time. Salt does not evaporate out, it must be removed in the water. If you use salt, (I do also in my FW tanks for health and gill function, I like it).
Recommendation, if you want to use FW salt, and want to reduce the buildup that you have currently....
#1) Do not add it for about 3 - 4 water changes.
#2) To reduce any salt creep you have, if you have a lot of "bubbles" (ie.. from a decoration or airstone), move it to the center of the tank, reduce the bubbles, etc. Usually salt creep happens with a lot of spray, esp from tiny bubbles. I have a SW tank, and when I increased the flow, and got rid of my airstone that elliminated the salt creep all together.
For my FW tanks, when the salt is dosed correctly, and not allowed to build up in concentration in the water, you should have scant to no salt creep at all. You could also be getting a scale buildup from minerals in the water(hard to remove whitish dry stuff).. also.. vinegar is good to clean it with. For salt creep, I always use just tap water, comes off easily, unless there is mineral scale buildup along with it. The two get confused to some.
#3) When you begin adding salt again, only dose it for the 10g amount, once a month. Basing this on a 25% Water change weekly.
These things should help you solve your problem.
Have a great day!
nrstype
Recommendation, if you want to use FW salt, and want to reduce the buildup that you have currently....
#1) Do not add it for about 3 - 4 water changes.
#2) To reduce any salt creep you have, if you have a lot of "bubbles" (ie.. from a decoration or airstone), move it to the center of the tank, reduce the bubbles, etc. Usually salt creep happens with a lot of spray, esp from tiny bubbles. I have a SW tank, and when I increased the flow, and got rid of my airstone that elliminated the salt creep all together.
For my FW tanks, when the salt is dosed correctly, and not allowed to build up in concentration in the water, you should have scant to no salt creep at all. You could also be getting a scale buildup from minerals in the water(hard to remove whitish dry stuff).. also.. vinegar is good to clean it with. For salt creep, I always use just tap water, comes off easily, unless there is mineral scale buildup along with it. The two get confused to some.
#3) When you begin adding salt again, only dose it for the 10g amount, once a month. Basing this on a 25% Water change weekly.
These things should help you solve your problem.
Have a great day!
nrstype
Last edited:
If Mturner615 keeps dosing like he is, with every partial water change, then yes, that could happen in the long run. The most common misconception, is that people tend to dose say, a 10g amount for a 10g tank. When in reality, there may be only 8.5 -9 gallons of actual water in the tank do to displacement of the gravel, decor and other items. Couple that with some beginners not knowing that the salt never leaves, it has to be manually removed (ie.. taken out with water changes), and if they redose the salt, it is common for people to put yet another "10g worth" of the Salt dose, instead of the say only the 2 -3 gallons they removed.
BUT...No... you WON'T turn a FW tank into a SW tank by using FW salt, dosed properly, and following proper water changes and aquarium maintenance. I use FW Salt for YEARS in my FW, non~planted tanks. I buy the salt made for FW use, not marine or sea/reef salt. I also maintain a reef aquarium, so I do understand the difference, and the potential for disaster.
Personally, I use salt for several reasons..
*Some Disease prevention.
*It assists in healing.
*Promotes formation of slime coating.
*Improves gill function
*Reduces the uptake of nitrite, If nitrite levels are an issue.
*It can be effective against some parasites.
Mollies, for instance, do better with some salt added to their environment.
When DON'T I use FW salt. I do not use it in my PLANTED TANKS, Tanks with scaleless fish (loaches etc.)
The addition of some FW salt can be beneficial, when used properly (Stress stress stressing this).
FW Salt is also one of the best remedies to use as a treatment option for several disease and parasite issues, but it must be done outside the main tank, in a separate or "hospital" tank.
I understand the rationale for using FW salt, it is the subject of controversy, because there are pros and cons for and against. There are as many people who use it, and those who think it is all bunk. However, sodium is an important element living things use for cellular & fluid activity. I, as you can see, am in the "FOR" catagory, but with close monitoring and dosing that it requires.
Here is a nice site that simply explains some of them.
HERE
BUT...No... you WON'T turn a FW tank into a SW tank by using FW salt, dosed properly, and following proper water changes and aquarium maintenance. I use FW Salt for YEARS in my FW, non~planted tanks. I buy the salt made for FW use, not marine or sea/reef salt. I also maintain a reef aquarium, so I do understand the difference, and the potential for disaster.
Personally, I use salt for several reasons..
*Some Disease prevention.
*It assists in healing.
*Promotes formation of slime coating.
*Improves gill function
*Reduces the uptake of nitrite, If nitrite levels are an issue.
*It can be effective against some parasites.
Mollies, for instance, do better with some salt added to their environment.
When DON'T I use FW salt. I do not use it in my PLANTED TANKS, Tanks with scaleless fish (loaches etc.)
The addition of some FW salt can be beneficial, when used properly (Stress stress stressing this).
FW Salt is also one of the best remedies to use as a treatment option for several disease and parasite issues, but it must be done outside the main tank, in a separate or "hospital" tank.
I understand the rationale for using FW salt, it is the subject of controversy, because there are pros and cons for and against. There are as many people who use it, and those who think it is all bunk. However, sodium is an important element living things use for cellular & fluid activity. I, as you can see, am in the "FOR" catagory, but with close monitoring and dosing that it requires.
Here is a nice site that simply explains some of them.
HERE
OR.. he could have a very high concentration of the FW salt.*PEACE!* However, I'm wondering if it is a mineral deposit? Usually salt creep isn't that hard to get rid of. (at least not for me.. usually wipes off with just water).
I was kinda wondering if he was dosing kitchen salt? Aquarium Salt from the LFS or Kosher/canning salt from the grocery store, has basically no additives like iodine or potassium, sea salt contains some trace minerals, calcium and carbonate buffers, which should not be used in a FW system. Table salt usually contains Iodine as an additive
Hmmmmm What do you use Mturner615????
Either way, I'm betting the concentration is too high for the needs of the tank.
I was kinda wondering if he was dosing kitchen salt? Aquarium Salt from the LFS or Kosher/canning salt from the grocery store, has basically no additives like iodine or potassium, sea salt contains some trace minerals, calcium and carbonate buffers, which should not be used in a FW system. Table salt usually contains Iodine as an additive
Hmmmmm What do you use Mturner615????
Either way, I'm betting the concentration is too high for the needs of the tank.