Confused about salt in FW

LMOUTHBASS

LMOUTHBASS

My hypocrisy goes only so far
Jun 17, 2003
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Mark
I've always heard a lot about adding salt to a FW tank for various reasons. I guess I don't fully understand how FW fish tolerate this physically, or why it would be beneficial to them?

Also - what affect the salt has on the water parameters? Does it impact nitrite/nitrates? I read it lowers nitrates? What about water hardness?

Most importantly to my tank, what about scaleless fish such as clown and khuli loaches? Can they handle salt?

Finally, I bought a carton of API "Aquarium Salt." Is this the correct type of salt that is used? It says it improves gill function...

I have not used it, just bought it to have on hand. Last week I bought a few new fish for an older tank for the 1st time in years, I didn't have the option to quarantine.

I'm trying to educate myself further on its uses and stay a step ahead, in case ich breaks out. I'd prefer to go the high temp and salt method in case it does, but the idea of salt in FW makes me nervous and I've never used it before and don't have a firm grasp on the whole concept of it.

Thanks
 
One argument is that it "irritates" the skin and improves slime coat production. In terms of chemistry Na+ and Cl- (that's really all it is) will not affect hardness per se, but adding it will increase TDS. So it does have an osmotic effect on fish. And it can be used as in emergency situations to deal with NO2- poisoning as Cl- more or less blocking its uptake into the blood via fish's gills.

All this being said I'm of the opinion that my source water (tap) has plenty of sodium chloride already. No sense in wasting money on something I don't need...if I do need it, for instance when treating for ich, I'll use regular table salt anyways.
 
Scaleless fish and tetras can easily be harmed by using salt. The less additives you put into the water, the better off you and the fish are. The only thing you are safe to use in your water are the chlorine/chloramine inhibitors such as Prime. The less additives you use, the more stable your tank should be.
 
No salt used here. Never have, never will. Good luck.
 
jpappy789 said:
One argument is that it "irritates" the skin and improves slime coat production. In terms of chemistry Na+ and Cl- (that's really all it is) will not affect hardness per se, but adding it will increase TDS. So it does have an osmotic effect on fish. And it can be used as in emergency situations to deal with NO2- poisoning as Cl- more or less blocking its uptake into the blood via fish's gills.

All this being said I'm of the opinion that my source water (tap) has plenty of sodium chloride already. No sense in wasting money on something I don't need...if I do need it, for instance when treating for ich, I'll use regular table salt anyways.
Click to expand...
Pappy you've been around here long enough to know that's 100% wrong! API Aquarium Salt is made by evaporating sea water. It contains considerable levels of plenty of other ions such as Ca+, Mg+, CO3-, and HCO3- and will most DEFINITELY raise the GH and KH of any FW you add it too.
 
As all have said before, I don't use salt in FW. Table salt works fine for treating Ich. Prime is the only additive I use in FW.
 
There are many products in the aquarium industry that are created simply as a means to increase profits. For the treatment of Ich table salt is fine. To create a brackish environment I will stick with instant ocean. but to use salt in a fresh water environment, which is what the OP was questioning, as there are many "experts" out there that say you should, I would say leave the salt on the shelf at the store.
 
I make no assertions regarding the use of API aquarium salt, but misinformation about its composition is a different matter entirely. The only place where I currently use API aquarium salt is in a salt grinder in my kitchen. I have a good friend who works for API and has been to the facility in Bonaire that supplies them. The product is manufactured from the same raw material by the same process. The ONLY difference between it and the stuff sold for insane prices at Williams-Sonoma is the bureaucratic red tape that is required to label it for human consumption. Which btw, is why if you read the package it says it's 100% NaCl. The % of other stuff in evaporated seawater is low enough to allow it to be labeled as NaCl for the intended use. If API were to put an accurate assay on it, they would be required to constantly test batches to assure that it met the labeling claims. Testing simply to make certain that a minimum % of NaCl is present is much less costly as opposed to verifying the specific content. No magic here.
 
SubRosa said:
Pappy you've been around here long enough to know that's 100% wrong! API Aquarium Salt is made by evaporating sea water. It contains considerable levels of plenty of other ions such as Ca+, Mg+, CO3-, and HCO3- and will most DEFINITELY raise the GH and KH of any FW you add it too.
Click to expand...

John, I think most salt is collected from evaporated seawater. With that said, It's a completely unnecessary prophylactic additive. As pointed out, it has its uses as an ich treatment and short term dip. Since there is nothing particularly esoteric inside that API box, I maintain the belief that it resides on the lfs shelves for the primary purpose of separating hobbyists from their cash.

Mark
 
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