When I had some Mbuna skin problems about 3 motnhs ago I added some salt to my tank, going with advice I'd gotten from some members of Cichlid Haven.

Once the problems regressed (after a pass with Melafix & Pimafix plus the salt) I stopped adding salt, so through my water changes the salt level has gradually decreased. I don't actually have any way to measure it, but after 10 water changes I imagine it's pretty low.

Should I be adding salt proportionate to the water change each time I do one? What ratio do you recommend?

If you want to maintain salt in your tank, you only need to add as much salt as applies to the amount of water you remove. For instance if you initially used a cup to a 100G tank, and you did a 25% water change, you would only need to replace that 1/4 cup of salt.

I don't run salt in my tanks all the time. My water is good so I don't really need it, and I'm kind of thinking that we might get better results from it medicinally speaking if the fish aren't used to it being in the tank all of the time??? Not sure if that makes any sense or not, it's just my nurse brain talking! idunno

HTH

Kim

Don, the only time I use salt is when I have a health problem and when I introduce wild fish from Lake Tanganyika. I use only sea salt and nothing else.

Myself as well I only use it during health issues!Klaus what are the benifits of using sea salt compared to regular aquaruim salt?

Derek

Sea salt has all the minerals in it that regular salt is missing. Next time you are at your LFS, pick up a bag of sea salt and read the ingredients. You will be surprised. Good Job

I think you can also get sea salt at many groceries!

And if you use table salt, aren't you supposed to use "non iodized"???

Kim

I believe Iodine is harmful to fish, but its ion cousin Iodide is fine. I have used iodized table salt before with no problems. But make sure it doesn't have other chemicals in it or sugar.

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, iodine is used to treat thyroid problems in fish!

I've read some articles on it in the past, but I don't know the exact recommendations. I just remember wondering why we were supposed to use non iodized salt!

Kim

Kim, I actually go to the bulk store and get my sea salt there. It's the lowest price I could find and I am just cheap old bas.......... :D

Because people are insane purists... roll eyes

I don't know if you would call them "purist" or just anal! :D

Klaus, I always forget about the bulk store...But then I can't take Pete in there...All that candy, you know... Hi!

It would defeat the purpose of being cheap!

Kim

Iodine can be toxic to fish, but the small amount in table salt is not a problem, as long as you only replace what you removed. If you add a little extra each water change then it will be a problem. Its just safer to use uniodinized. You are right Kim iodine is used to treat thyroid conditions in fish and I remember reading an article on a fish that is prone to that, but can't remember what fish it was (must have been one of the ones I read while under the influence of pain killers). Most fish...freshwater...just don't need it.

They really don't need any salt added all the time either. I do add epsom salt to my Tanganyikans...I used to only add it to the tropheus tank, but I noticed that the trophs were breeding and noone else was so I decided to try it since my water is very soft and it worked, my buescheri started breeding.

I don't mean to take this off track, but all this iodine talk is causing it!

You'd be surprised how many people find that their fish have obstructions in their throats because of thyroid problems. But, IME, I've heard of it more in the larger haps and predator fish.

Also, I've heard of people using iodine as a last resort to treat Lymphocystis, some report back and say it helped, some say it did nothing.

Kim

Again...let me reiterate...IODINE is DIFFERENT than IODIDE. IODIDE is NOT toxic to fish, IODINE is. Okay say it with me "I hereby announce that I will not stress myself out if I have to use iodized table salt to help treat my fish for health problems!"

Not to contradict anything Klaus says, but I do use salt regularily in my system. I use Kosher salt(from the bulk store) in combination with Baking soda for a buffer to bring the ph and Kh up. Even though the water out of the well is about 8.0ph I like it a little higher and usually try for about 9.0. I will alternate the Kosher salt for epsom salts whenever I suspect a problem with digestion etc., and it usually keeps everything O.K.
Just my 2 cents.
markw

Why do you use Kosher salt? Medicinal purposes?

Kosher salt is as close to sea salt as I can find, and its real cheap at the bulk store. I was advised that its very pure and obviously no Iodine.
markw

Yes, but are you using it for medicinal purposes??? :D

I think he's using it as a buffer, Joel! Alot of people use salt, baking soda and epsom salt just to get their ph up!

Kim

Maybe it's just me, but Na+ doesn't exactly buffer the water. Magnesium and Calcium does...This is why I was asking. I may need to brush up on my chemistry, but I'm just not used to people using pure NaCl for buffer, I do understand marine salt, because that contains many important ions to buffer water.

-Joel

I have always used a tablespoon per ten gallons of Instant Ocean for almost twenty years. All water changes work on the same ratio. With that said, when I am trying to cure an injured fish, I double the dosage of salt...sometimes tripple it in severe cases. Never have used meds to bring fish back to better health. Always salt.

Funny thing, this just came up on my club's website a few minutes ago. :D

An edit here. If you are trying to buffer your water more naturally, I suggest you add a hang-on filter filled with sea shells. I have a AC 500 on my Malawi tank that is loaded only with sea shells. It helps too. :D

I never really even thought of using the Instant Ocean...That's a great idea, since we have it sitting around all the time for our SW tank.

A bag of crushed coral in your filter system also works great to buffer your water!

Kim

Hi Joel, I use the salt in conjunction with baking soda as a buffer and a binder to help retain a high constant ph. Because water hardness is a measurement of disolved salts amd minerals in the water, and since this also raise ph conditions this helps remove any acidits and organics that would have an opposite affect. In my experience, with normally hard water and high ph naturally, I have seen the levels maintained at a constant level with the use of salt, calcium from coral etc., and the addition of limestone. As salt occurs naturally in many bodies of water, it certainly can't hurt adding it to a tank. In my case now, I am dealing with well water and a central system running 23 tanks and about 1700gals. The water out of the well is about 8.0 ph, and naturally hard. If I buffer it with salt etc., it holds a constant ph, but I have left the salt out as I experimented with the initial setups, and I observed significant drops over several days in the ph.
I'm no chemist(Iflunked it in high school), but with so much money invested in fish, the motivation to learn it all over sure is obvious!

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-...14697.Ch.r.html

One might think that all Kosher/Canning Salts are created equal but beware read the label. Morton Kosher salt contains a compound called Yellow Prussate of Soda it is an anti caking agent. Google it for more info .According to info that I have read it releases a cyanide compound into the water over time. I was stunned to say the least.
I've been using this in my tank at work. That stuff goes to the trash.

That is one scary revelation!!! Faint

Thanks for sharing this.

All I can add is that bulk store "kosher salt" is not brand name, and I sure wouldn't think has any additives. I've been using it from various bulk stores for probably 20 years, and I don't think I've killed any fish with cyanide poisoning yet.

You just can't be too careful. I just assumed "Kosher Salt" was pure salt. So I stupidly grabbed the first one I came across in the market. Live and learn.
I guess I gotta bring my glasses to the market now to read ingredient labels :blink:

Forget the glasses, for most labels you need a magnifying glass!

my 2cents :)

As stated by others, salt should only be used when treating, tho about every 6-10months I dose my tanks once ...to clean things up.

I personally use 'water softner salt' found @ your local hardware store for aprox 7$/40lb bag. this is 99.9% pure non iodinized salt. Its just a lil chunky but is easly dissolved with a power head in a bucket.

I have found that the salt help buffers my PH up, and performed a lil experiment of my own. Tho I dont remember the exact #s I got, it went down something like this...

Bucket of tap water, checked PH - 7.2 is my tap
added salt and started up the powerhead, checked PH again while salt was aprox 1/2 dissolved - PH was higher
checked PH again when salt was fully dissolved - PH was higher again
checked PH again few hours later - PH was higher than straight out of the tap but lower than the last reading. For this experiment I did not measure the amount of salt...just dumped a couple of handfulls in.

Salt like any additive/chemical should only be added when needed. Think of salt as a fishy penecillian Good Job

A bit from me:

I aggree with everyones comments :)

My old salt regime:

I always use salt for first tank set ups and replace w/e salt was removed during water changes.

Before I used salt in my african cichlid tanks I was having aggression issue's and fish werent as bright in colouration as I'd expected. After I used the salt the aggression stoped, and the fish colours were brighter! Now thats not to say that the lack of salt in a tank is what causes aggression or colouring down, just helps.

The salt also Restore's the natural Electrolytes fish produce from there gills and improves slim coating.

But to Quote Andrew: " Fish Penecillin" I aggree the salt is good as a once in a while extra clean up, and to heal up and dings or stratches fish endurred through scurrying about in the tank.

My New Salt Regime:

Similar to old I use with brand new tank set ups to reduce stress of first introduction into a strange tank.

and now only after a few months for an extra cleaning like how andrew does, or when needed to treat a small illness. My fish are still displaying beautiful colours, and aggression is where it should be.

C.H.I.P.S