Adding Salt

[threejjj]

I have some questions about salt.
1.) I have balloon mollies in my 55 gallon tank and read that they need some salt in their water. So can I add salt without harming other fish? The other fish are guppies,blood parrots,cories,platies,pleco and octinlinus.
And how many tablespoons per gallon?

 

[daveedka]

Ahh the myth has risen yet again. Mollies prefer harder water, salt is not the answer. Long term salt use has any downsides and really no up side that cannot be duplicated with proper maintenance, and care. The salt myth is ever present and has a particularly strong following as it pertains to livebearers. Below are two articles that you really should read. skip the salt idea, and if you want to breed your mollies, and you water isn't hard enough use compounds that are actually found in freshwater, it will benifit you fish much more if you don't use salt beyond the need for treatment of specific illnesses.
http://tcoletti.tripod.com/molly_salt_debate.html
http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modul...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=54&page=1

I have done extensive research on Salt (NaCl) for freshwater tanks, largely to see if there is any basis for it's use at all. beyond treatment of ich, nitrite poisoning, and help with treatment of oodinium, I have found no reason to add it to a tank.
Dave