Salt levels and plants

[Will_Fox]

I am just looking for opinions here, how much salt do you keep in your planted tank?

 

[Watcher74]

May I ask why you would want to put any salt in a freshwater tank (other than treating for ICH)?

 

[daveedka]

zero, zilch, none, I haven't yet found a reason to add salt to a freshwater tank outside of specified short term treatment of certain diseases. Plants from what I understand do not like salt long term, and Freshwater fish are definately better off without it.
dave

 

[Roan Art]

I don't use salt in any freshwater tank unless I am treating for a parasite or a stress-related problem. Why would you want to put salt in your tank?

Roan

 

[Will_Fox]

i had been told that low levels of salt in the tank was beneficial to the fish

 

[RTR]

http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/salt.html

HTH

 

[daveedka]

had been told that low levels of salt in the tank was beneficial to the fish

that unfortunately is one of the biggest myths in he hobby.
Dave

 

[Will_Fox]

http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/salt.html

HTH

That is a good, eye opening article. I have been using aquarium salt, not table, and keep the levels really low (right around 1 ppm) and the fish seem ok. I think that I will not add the salt with the next water change and slowly get the salt out. Sorry that this is getting off topic. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Watcher74]

That's a rumor that I have read before. I think it comes from the practice of using salt to reduce the toxicity of Nitrite...if even that is true.

So in that case, it may only help during part of the cycling of a tank, and being useless or maybe even detrimental afterwards.

 

[daveedka]

That's a rumor that I have read before. I think it comes from the practice of using salt to reduce the toxicity of Nitrite...if even that is true.

The Salt Myth has many Facets, and unfortunately many ill informed supporters. Salt has it's purpose as a medications for specific issues as mentioned by a few folks here.
As far as nitrites, The chloride ion will help block the harmful effects of nitrite. It does not have to be salt that provides the Chloride, but Salt is an easy thing to add for this purpose. Nitrites of course should only be an issue in an uncycled tank (temporary and avoidable) or if we make bonehead mistake (temporary we hope) But Salt will definately help in those cases.
Dave