I have high PH from the tap 8.2, I've added 10 TBSP of salt in a 180 and have never seen the PH change. My cichlids will eat some of the salt; if I dump it directly into the tank.
I feel compelled to mention that there are over 2,000 estimated cichlid species worldwide...saying "cichlids like salt" is an overgeneralization, to say the least.
Not to mention "salt" alone can mean a variety of different individual/mixed chemical compounds.