To salt or not to salt?

equinom

equinom

Large Fish
#1
Oct 22, 2002
386
0
0
The Blue Planet
#1
I have seen many post regarding adding salt to a freshwater tank.  Some people swear by it, others say there really is no need for it.  Then there are a few folks on the fence that say to use salt only at certain times, for certain fish, ...

So please state your opinion: Are you for or against salt?Maybe this could be a debate?  Provide info supporting your opinion (for or against) and educate the rest of us.

Mr Webmaster - what do you think?  Is this an acceptable use of the board?  If not - just remove post.  But please don't ban me...   ;)
 

Avalon

Avalon

Superstar Fish
#4
Oct 22, 2002
2,846
10
0
Ft. Worth, TX
www.davidressel.com
#4
Absolutely not.

1) Consider the fact that salt is a very poor substitute for more specific drugs, medications or preventatives.

2) Salt can be highly irritating to freshwater fishes, especially cyprinids (goldfish & koi), catfishes, and characins (tetras).

3) If salt is indicated (such as for nitrite poisoning) one can use either iodized or non-iodized with equal safety.

4) If salt is used to ease osmotic stress, use it only once, and then get rid of it by doing regular, partial water changes on the aquarium.

5.) For simple osmoregulatory stress protection, on an indefinite basis, one can use 1 to 3 mg/L of salt. This would be equivalent to one teaspoon of salt added to 484 to 1,453 gallons of water!

6) Do not use salt in place of proper water conditioners such as AmQuel, NovAqua or PolyAqua.

7) Salt is not a disinfectant.

8.) I have not found any empirical evidence that salt really works to do what it says it does. Marketing just doesn't win me over.

;D
 

R

ronrca

Guest
#5
#5

I have a book called Tropical Fish Health or something like that. It is very informative and I do remember seeing it mention something about salt. Depending on its use of course, depends on whether it will work. I will post what it says once I read it. One reason I like this book is because it is non biased meaning that it is not trying to sell me something.
 

R

ronrca

Guest
#7
#7

According to "The Manual of Fish Health" by Tetra Press, here is what it says about salt.

"Salt has a number of important uses in freshwater aquariums and ponds, but it is not a universal panacea. At relatively low levels (0.1-0.3 percent), it can be used as general additive for fish such as livebearers, and to help reduce stress associated with physical damage and/or high nitrite levels. Exposure to 0.3-0.5 % salt for three to five days can control Hydra, and a continous bath in a 1% salt solution is a useful supportive treatment for coldwater fish suffering from ulcer disease. In this latter context, the addition of salt to the water reduces some of the osmotic stress experienced by a fish with open lesions or ulcers. A short 15 to 30 minute bath in a 2-3% salt solution will remove leeches from pond fish, or at least cause them to loosen their hold so that you can remove them easily with forceps."

"Plants may be affected by prolonged exposure to levels of salt in excess of 0.5%"
 

C

colesea

Superstar Fish
#8
Oct 22, 2002
1,612
0
0
NY USA
#8
"Salt can be highly irritating to freshwater fishes, especially cyprinids (goldfish & koi)" -Avalon

I've heard exactly the opposite of that (although I will agree with it on tetras and catfish). None of the goldfish in my experience have ever seemed to suffer from a little extra dose of aquarium salt in their systems.

Ronc already quoted my bible, so I'll leave it at that.
~~Colesea
 

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