Gravel vacuum and aquaruim salt

[jpappy789]

Your water is still "100% freshwater"...as mentioned, you aren't changing the chemistry towards brackish/marine by adding that type of salt.

From reading through your other thread, the big issue I see is that you still don't know what your water is like in terms of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate or even other chemistry.

 

[Mcnomnom]

Ive got parameters!!!! Ph: 7.2 ammonia: .25 nitrite: 0 nitrate 10 chlorine/chloramine: 0 temp: 80. The nitrate is a little high but if im not mistaken isnt 0-40 the ideal range?

 

[Nepherael]

.

Also, adding aquarium salt will not simulate a brackish environment anyway. It does not have the other macro and micro minerals etc in the water that are found in marine and brackish waters in the wild.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

Subrosa showed me recently that aquarium salt by API (and most others I think) are dissolved seawater and are sufficient for making a brackish setup. I just wanted to add that because it was something he was adamant about and had test results to show.

On topic though. I used to use aquarium salt and haven't in probably over a month (sufficient time for my water change schedule to get it all out as I do a lot of water changes) so I'm inclined to wonder if there is some other obscure problem at hand. Either way here's what I was told about aquarium salt. The effect it has on FW fish is to slightly irritate them into having a thicker slime coat. It isn't like it's bad stress or anything but it is slight stress to make that happen. I don't see the harm in trying it but if you notice any other issues crop up stop adding it and let it be taken out slowly with you water change schedule

 

[jpappy789]

I'd be very interested in seeing those results since API even states on the MSDS that their aquarium salt is 100% NaCl. Even if that isn't entirely true, that is significantly off from the composition of normal seawater. In contrast, Instant Ocean's synthetic salt also lists calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, and magnesium chloride.

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Ive got parameters!!!! ammonia: .25

This could be part of the problem. There should be no detectable ammonia present in your water.

 

[jm1212]

I'd be very interested in seeing those results since API even states on the MSDS that their aquarium salt is 100% NaCl. Even if that isn't entirely true, that is significantly off from the composition of normal seawater. In contrast, Instant Ocean's synthetic salt also lists calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, and magnesium chloride.

Exactly. There are so many other salts in seawater besides what we think of as "salt".


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Nepherael]

I'd be very interested in seeing those results since API even states on the MSDS that their aquarium salt is 100% NaCl. Even if that isn't entirely true, that is significantly off from the composition of normal seawater. In contrast, Instant Ocean's synthetic salt also lists calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium
sulfate, and magnesium chloride.

Heres a link to the thread I was referring to. In post number 11 he posts a test result link I believe

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?263093-Adding-salt

He did say that it wasn't something to be used to make a marine setup but that it was sufficient for brackish

 

[nerdyrcdriver]

This could be part of the problem. There should be no detectable ammonia present in your water.

What he said.

Also ph may have an influence, but the fish should be able to adapt to it, but it might not be very comfortable for them until they do. Your ph is technically a basic ph (instead of acidic) but it is so close to neutral. If you get your fish from a local area, next time you stop by get some water samples and check their ph. If they are going from something way different it may be very uncomfortable for them until they adapt, thus causing a lot of stress. Generally speaking the ph isnt what kills them.

 

[jpappy789]

Heres a link to the thread I was referring to. In post number 11 he posts a test result link I believe

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?263093-Adding-salt

He did say that it wasn't something to be used to make a marine setup but that it was sufficient for brackish

I remember the original thread he refers to, and this issue still bothers me to this day. If Sub has the actual test results you alluded to then I would be very interested in seeing them myself.

 

[Nepherael]

I thought they were in he link in post 11 of that thread, my bad. He did link a page with some readings from all kinds of aquarium salts. I will try and find.

Ok I found it. It was posted in that thread but wasn't posted by him and honestly I don't know what it proves but I thought it was an interesting subject and worth mentioning =)

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/o....om/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp

Edit: Oh darn now I'm feeling foolish. I went back and looked at the test and it seems it was a comparison of marine salts not freshwater marketed salts. I'm really sorry about that guys =/ looks like I had my story all wrong. Still think it's interesting and I completely forgot you were a part of that discussion J XD