when is freshwater salt helpful?
- Thread starter dereks
- Start date
First, there is no such thing as 'freshwater salt'.
There are salts that are added to freshwater tanks to accomplish certain goals. Salt does not always mean NACl. Many 'salts' are other minerals that raise the hardness of the water to match water conditions for specific habitats--ie, some African lakes. Many of the fish that come from hardwater do better in it, while others seem to just benefit from the higher TDS, which is why table salt is added and has some minor impact.
Table salt is also useful, in combination with a raised temperature, in killing some parasites including ich.
But it is NOT beneficial to all animals, and to all tanks. Fish from soft water won't benefit, and may suffer from it. Keep in mind that water evaporates, leaving the salts behind, so over time the salinity of the water creeps upward--not a good situation. Levels needed to kill of snails would be lethal to fish--most FW snails are pretty durable.
There are salts that are added to freshwater tanks to accomplish certain goals. Salt does not always mean NACl. Many 'salts' are other minerals that raise the hardness of the water to match water conditions for specific habitats--ie, some African lakes. Many of the fish that come from hardwater do better in it, while others seem to just benefit from the higher TDS, which is why table salt is added and has some minor impact.
Table salt is also useful, in combination with a raised temperature, in killing some parasites including ich.
But it is NOT beneficial to all animals, and to all tanks. Fish from soft water won't benefit, and may suffer from it. Keep in mind that water evaporates, leaving the salts behind, so over time the salinity of the water creeps upward--not a good situation. Levels needed to kill of snails would be lethal to fish--most FW snails are pretty durable.
Tifftastic
"With your powers combined . . ."
Just to echo the above, there are a variety of types of salts and each have very different uses. I would try to be specific when asking the question, as "freshwater salt" isn't really a term that has any meaning. There are very few tanks that I would consistently worry about salinity in and my wild caught Malawi's are one of them. But then, that is a specific rift lake mix and not just "salt."
Again, whether it is harmful to plants depends on the species of plant and the type of salt.
As for fish, this is just one thing that really bothers me as a biologist, there are different species of fish. Not breeds. Breeds are for dogs and cats and horses, fish such as a molly or a neon tetra are different species, not breeds. As mentioned different salts for different species have different uses. But it gets pretty specific.
If you're asking about adding table salt to your tank, which is what "aquarium salt" is, I wouldn't recommend it on a daily basis. Keep it on hand to use in case of an ich break out, to use as a dip to quickly treat new plants or sick fish, but don't use it daily.
It won't effect snails in the normal and safe dosage range.
Again, whether it is harmful to plants depends on the species of plant and the type of salt.
As for fish, this is just one thing that really bothers me as a biologist, there are different species of fish. Not breeds. Breeds are for dogs and cats and horses, fish such as a molly or a neon tetra are different species, not breeds. As mentioned different salts for different species have different uses. But it gets pretty specific.
If you're asking about adding table salt to your tank, which is what "aquarium salt" is, I wouldn't recommend it on a daily basis. Keep it on hand to use in case of an ich break out, to use as a dip to quickly treat new plants or sick fish, but don't use it daily.
It won't effect snails in the normal and safe dosage range.
tanker
Josh Holloway--Be mine!!!
Your answers are all above, Tiff knows her stuff and OrionGirl is correct. There is really no "Need" for salt unless your fishes are sick, and even then........
Yea, I know what you mean, the longer I partake in the hobby the more I'm finding I can't trust terminology I hear online, shopping, the articles I read & pet stores. I've made some embarrassing mistakes that have made the fish community laugh at me before like "yooouuu don't know what you're talking about, do you?" lol
This is the original article I read on Foster & Smith that called it that: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4982
I was first thrown off by the article I read then when I looked into it, wouldn't ya know this is what I found in the description under the picture of the aquarium salt....
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Tifftastic
"With your powers combined . . ."
I believe the point was made by OrionGirl in your other thread that you'll be lucky to ever find the composition of the salt listed on the package. Without this listed you'll never know if its beneficial, but chances are it is just table salt. While API might be one composition, another brand might have another composition.
Please don't think I'm laughing at you. I do know about those products, but think it's important to differentiate between 'aquarium salt' and marine mix, versus table salt. It's a bogus name, and one that I've discussed with a Mars/API employee. It's basically a case of 'we cannot change the name because consumers would be too confused'. Either way, it's not something that's required or beneficial for the average setup. There are a lot of products marketed as cure-alls, but I've yet to find anything that works as well as diligent water changes.
I actually usually keep API aquarium salt on hand but I never noticed "freshwater salt" wordong before.
I have a box of API "aquarium salt" and I do not know why I have it but it fixed my snail problem. I had to add a decent amount of it, i was essentially trying to add enough to raise the sg a little. It took a couple of days but it totally killed all the snails, didn't harm my fish but took out a couple of the plants. I wasn't testing my water but I don't think it took out my bacteria, I didn't notice any distress in my fish that would have indicated spikes. Sg can be raised slightly without impact on the filter.
I have a box of API "aquarium salt" and I do not know why I have it but it fixed my snail problem. I had to add a decent amount of it, i was essentially trying to add enough to raise the sg a little. It took a couple of days but it totally killed all the snails, didn't harm my fish but took out a couple of the plants. I wasn't testing my water but I don't think it took out my bacteria, I didn't notice any distress in my fish that would have indicated spikes. Sg can be raised slightly without impact on the filter.