Salt recommendations?

E

Eaallred

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May 17, 2004
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Hi all,

I've got a 30 gallon tank, for the most part, just mollies and platys in it.

A couple of the platy's are experiencing some fin rot, so I was told to put some salt in the tank. I got some salt and it says to add one rounded tablespoonful for every 5 gallons with a water temp of 80F during treatment.

I take it this is a "just add it once" and call it final (not counting water changes), and how do you recommend I add it? I've been told one way is to put the salt in a cup, and set it at the bottom of the tank. I've done that right now, but I have one mollie just laying in it (looks like he's enjoying it). Any ill effects doing it this way?

I also picked up some MelaFix for the fin rot, but am hesitant to use it. I think I read somewhere that it can kill the bacteria that took me forever to establish. If I add this stuff (1 tsp per 10 gal. every day), am I going to end up killing my fish by having too many in there with no biological filter due to the medicine?

I'm such a rookie, any help you guys can offer me on this, i'd appreciate.

Thanks

Eric
 
I can't comment much about salt... I've never used it in FW systems. However, if it were me, I would personally dissolve the stuff then add it to the tank. Not sure if what you're doing is wrong... I've seen petstores use that method, but then again, these pet stores were less than reputable.

As for MelaFix... from what I've heard and tried, it seems to do miracles for external wounds. I had a zebra cichlid that got into a fight, and had some ripped up fins... after I treated it with melafix in my Q-tank, it healed up very quickly.

However, that said... I personally think the best medicine would be water changes. Diseases tend to come from fish that already have it, bad water conditions, etc. Giving the fish a good source of clean water should help greatly. As long as the tank's water is simliar to that of your tap water, frequent water changes is always a welcomed thing.

HTH
-Richer
 
Been doing 1/3 waterchanges 2-3 times a week while my tank finishes cycling. No ammonia for a while now, but still showing some nitrite. Been trying to keep that down to a minimum.

I guess i'll give the salt a week(?) and see if there are any differences. If not, does anyone know if the MelaFix will kill the bacteria i've built up so far in my 30 gallon tank?
 
You are extending your cycle by changing too much water, too often.
The salt would be a one dose job.
I don't think Melafix will kill your good bacteria, not positive.

I use Prime to keep the nitrites from harming my fish. Haven't lost one in a cycle yet. :D

Kim
 
The water changes are NOT extending your cycle, so keep doing them, they are helping your fish immensely. The beneficial bacteria colonies that you are establishing are not free floating but are attached to surfaces, so water changes don't have an effect on them. Hope that clears things up.
 
Agreed with MissMeow, water changes should not slow down a cycle. As long as there is some ammonia/nitrite in excess, there will be food for growing bacterial colonies. Not sure about you, but up here, water is cheaper than Prime. I would go with the water changes, rather than rely on chemicals to keep your ammonia/nitrite levels low.

HTH
-Richer
 
Melafix is an antiseptic, so it will kill bacteria. However, I don't think that it has too much effect on an established biofilter probably just culls the herd, so to speak. It sounds like you're still building yours up, so I really can't say.

Perhaps water changes are the best medicine for now.
 
Well obviously I hope we aren't talking table salt.

You don't need, however, it is somewhat beneficial to have aquarium salt even in a fresh water tank. I believe most instructions require at least 1 Tablespoon scattered evenly throughout the tank for every 10 gallons.

Over time the salt will disolve in the water, and/or be removed as you do water changes and siphon/vacuuming. So, if you figure that you change water/vacuum gravel at 20-25% each time, theoretically by your 5th times you shoudl replace the salt. I think this is somehwat innacurate due to natural evaperation, and the fact each time you replace some water, you are also taking out some of the water you just repalced the last time.

I'd wait every 7-8 water changes before adding more salt back in...and it's better to be somewhat conservative than liberal if you're not sure how much salt has been removed with time.

Salt itself aids in reducing stress, and has a reaction with certain pathogens that aid in the first-aid of fish. I also believe I read it can aid in slime-coat protection as well.

I had a fish that was a little lethargic at first....after I introduced some salt into my aquarium...and nothing else, I swear he did much better with 24 hours. Am I saying it was the salt? I'm not sure, but it definetly doesn't hurt.
 
Table salt and aquarium salt, as far as fw tanks are concerned are the exact same thing, NaCl. Aquarium salt, if it's made for marine tanks will have more KCl, Carbonates and so on and so forth, but for the therapeutic effect of salt during cycling, you're looking for Cl-, reducing the NO2- toxicity. It's not a reaction thing.

I'm not sure what you mean by salt dissolving in water over time. Salt dissolves almost instantly, depending on the size of the crystal, granted. Evaporation does not remove salt. Technically, it concentrates it. Only water changes remove salt.
 
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