Cichlid salt?

[Convict2161]

I'll admit it, after listening to the LFS guy talk for about a half hour, nice guy, really helpful with other things. He gave me some to try. Said 1 tea spoon treats 5 gallons so I dosed it and let it dissolve in a cup of tank water then added it to my tank.

Is there really gonna be a difference? Color wise? Health wise? I was gonna buy a bottle but he gave me some so I'm gonna hold off and wait for your opinions.

 

[joel618]

All the ppl at the lfs say yes. Most ppl on here that I have read say no, they only add prime. Do you have buffering rocks already?

 

[Convict2161]

All the ppl at the lfs say yes. Most ppl on here that I have read say no, they only add prime. Do you have buffering rocks already?

Yes I have buffering rocks. Wasn't sure the reason for the "Cichlid salt" that's why I'm here asking. He did give me some to try and yes I used it. But I'm not gonna buy it if not needed. He said I'll see a huge difference if I use it. I've learned my lesson so I come here and ask first.

 

[steez]

This topic has been brought up in about every forum I've ever seen.

No one has ever really seen a difference with salt being added to a tank unless they have a single celled parasite like ich. Many long-time fish keepers have dosed salt for a long time, and decided to stop and have not seen a decline in their aquarium.

It won't hurt... but it probably won't help much with a well established cycled tank. If you're in the middle of a cycle then it would probably help with nitrite poisoning though.

 

[Convict2161]

This topic has been brought up in about every forum I've ever seen.

No one has ever really seen a difference with salt being added to a tank unless they have a single celled parasite like ich. Many long-time fish keepers have dosed salt for a long time, and decided to stop and have not seen a decline in their aquarium.

It won't hurt... but it probably won't help much with a well established cycled tank. If you're in the middle of a cycle then it would probably help with nitrite poisoning though.

Gotcha. I'm cycled so no salt for me. It's tough ya know? You hear a million things out there. Do this or that, don't do this or that. Makes your head spin!!

 

[steez]

Oh yeah. So many reasons to bite your head off but as long as you are willing to watch your tank and take care of what is in it, IMO mistakes are a part of this hobby. Everyone has their ways of doing things, problem is most think theirs is the only way and they are right

 

[Convict2161]

Oh yeah. So many reasons to bite your head off but as long as you are willing to watch your tank and take care of what is in it, IMO mistakes are a part of this hobby. Everyone has their ways of doing things, problem is most think theirs is the only way and they are right

Very true! Like someone once said to me.. Book, down, do your thing and enjoy

 

[Dreamingdragon]

I do it too. Put salt to my cichild tank. Difference your water is more clear and your fish likes it. a littelbit salty water. So yes it's Treu

 

[mfdrookie516]

Cichlid salt and aquarium salt are two different things. Cichlid salt is not used to treat diseases like aquarium salt. Cichlid salt is certainly not necessary, but its purpose it to attempt to replicate the conditions of the rift lakes. That said, unless you're keeping wild caught fish, or even maybe fish that were bred in water made to replicate such conditions, the fish probably came from a fish farm using regular old tap water. I never used it, my mbuna were always very healthy and were always trying to breed (though I never attempted to keep any fry). IMHO, it's a waste of money.

 

[Jmedic25]

I use a little salt as well. When I mean a little like a teaspoon for 20 gallons, and not every water change. Salt does help oxygen make the transition into the gill tissue. Malawi is a hard alkaline lake. Being that hard there is higher levels of minerals like magnesium, calcium dissolved in the water. With these minerals you will also see the presance of salt. You are looking for general hardness which means these minerals africans like a GH of 12-20. Ph and hardness are not the same. Cichlids do benifit from some salt, so you might see an increase in color and activity level. If you really want to see them get rowdy and grow fast, increase your temp to about 80F. Get there metabolic rate up.

 

[Dreamingdragon]

I agree because I saw in the petstore cichild Malawi salt used as a buffer salt. And than you have the aqwa salt that is cheaper. But the Malawi buffersalt cost me 40 box stil some day I gone try it out

 

[Convict2161]

Let's not get confused. I'm talking about African Cichlid salt as opposed to the buffer salt. I saw both at a LFS and the guy was saying I should use the African salt.

Seachem makes it, at least the one I saw at the LFS and then there was a buffer salt. Just wanted to be clear what I was talking about. NOT buffer salt. But I'm new and that's why I ask so many questions. I don't even know if there really is a difference between the 2 other then price. Just something he brought up, I had questions so here I am I respect all your opinions and I see people are doing things there way which is good. I gather the opinions of others then make a sound decision

 

[Dreamingdragon]

At least you got some answer in the right way or the rong way lol

 

[Convict2161]

At least you got some answer in the right way or the rong way lol

Haha true.

 

[jetajockey]

African cichlid salt is buffer salt (Ca/Mg raises hardness aka buffers the water). Aquarium salt is not.

 

[Jmedic25]

Let's not get confused. I'm talking about African Cichlid salt as opposed to the buffer salt. I saw both at a LFS and the guy was saying I should use the African salt.

Seachem makes it, at least the one I saw at the LFS and then there was a buffer salt. Just wanted to be clear what I was talking about. NOT buffer salt. But I'm new and that's why I ask so many questions. I don't even know if there really is a difference between the 2 other then price. Just something he brought up, I had questions so here I am I respect all your opinions and I see people are doing things there way which is good. I gather the opinions of others then make a sound decision

You dont need buy the expensive stuff, you can make your own. Its just salt, epsom salts, and baking soda. Let me find the hyperlink to it..standby
boom- http://www.malawimayhem.com/articles_chemistry_water_chemistry.shtml

 

[Convict2161]

African cichlid salt is buffer salt (Ca/Mg raises hardness aka buffers the water). Aquarium salt is not.

Oh ok. See now that clears things up for me ALOT. I don't need to buffer my water my pH is fine so then there is no need for the salt right? People tell me it coats there skin and helps bring colors out. You hear soooo many things.

 

[Jmedic25]

Oh ok. See now that clears things up for me ALOT. I don't need to buffer my water my pH is fine so then there is no need for the salt right? People tell me it coats there skin and helps bring colors out. You hear soooo many things.

Right...You dont need the salt, but you do need the hardness. Let me put it this way. If you want the best color, behavior, and health, you need to mimic the natural lake where they come from. Malawi is not salty, but it does have lots of dissolved minerals in it. Some of thoes minerals are salt. So I do add a little. PH isnt a measure of hardness or minerals its a measure of acid or lack of acid. GH is the measure of minerals. The expensive cichlid salt is salt and other minerals. Look at the link i posted, that article explains it better. Salt helps with the oxygen transfer into the fishes bloodstream. If the oxygen transfer is optimized then the fish will be healthier, more active, more colorful, more likely to breed, and less likely to get sick. I just dont pay for the premixed stuff when i can go to any drugstore and get the additives I need for way cheaper.

 

[Convict2161]

Right...You dont need the salt, but you do need the hardness. Let me put it this way. If you want the best color, behavior, and health, you need to mimic the natural lake where they come from. Malawi is not salty, but it does have lots of dissolved minerals in it. Some of thoes minerals are salt. So I do add a little. PH isnt a measure of hardness or minerals its a measure of acid or lack of acid. GH is the measure of minerals. The expensive cichlid salt is salt and other minerals. Look at the link i posted, that article explains it better. Salt helps with the oxygen transfer into the fishes bloodstream. If the oxygen transfer is optimized then the fish will be healthier, more active, more colorful, more likely to breed, and less likely to get sick. I just dont pay for the premixed stuff when i can go to any drugstore and get the additives I need for way cheaper.

Ok thanks for all your help. I understand now.

 

[got-to-love-Chiclids]

I use it to buff up my ph and it works for me brings the ph right up to 8.8 then will lower just a tad