Sea salt and cichlids

[gilpi]

Just curious... Anyone using marine salt mix for their African cichlids? I've read where some people use it for the buffering benefits but what about the salt, wouldn't that be harmful to the fish?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

The salt isn't needed

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[Fishdude3233]

Salt is not needed

Edit sniped


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[gilpi]

Thanks guys but notice I'm talking about marine salt used in salt water aquariums, not table salt.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Yep I know either way it's not needed

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[Freakgecko91]

Yeah, I don't know why you would add salt to an aquarium containing fish from a completely freshwater lake, not brackish, not saltwater. Not many fish can process the salt from a marine environment


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[gilpi]

I would lean towards the no marine salt mix but if I was sure I wouldn't be asking.
I was asking because some rift lake fish keepers use it as a means to buffer their tap water and to add trace elements, so I'm told. Few guys I have spoken with make a mix of baking soda and a very small amount of marine salt mix, like Instant Ocean, something like a tablespoon per ten to fifteen gallons.
I recently started adding baking soda in very small amounts to bring the pH up a little since the tap water here has taken a dive on the pH scale.
Just wondered what the consensus was.
Thanks for the answers.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Marine salt at low level would not be harmful, but really isn't needed. you could use quite a few other things.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I did when I first started and stopped after time to see and it didn't make a difference. That recipe is making what api and other brands make as a rift lake buffer. Its not needed at all and imo is a waste of money. The bad thing about it is it can fluctuate in the water which is why I recommended the crushed coral.

This is my Malawi tank


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[African Lover]

I use aquarium salt (plain Epsom salt) if any of my fish have bloated bellies to help them poop before it turns into Malawi Bloat/general bloat...whatever name you know it by. I use table salt occasionally because some Africans need iodine. Hope that helps.

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[Sleeves]

I use aquarium salt for my Malawi tank


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[gilpi]

African lover, I didn't know Epsom salt was the same thing that is sold as Aquarium salt.

Sleeves, when you mean aquarium salt, you don't mean a marine salt mix for saltwater aquariums do you? And I'm curious as to how much salt and why you feel you should use it.

Guys, I welcome your opinions, I know this could turn into a hot topic but I wish not to derail from it. I'm just looking for comments based on your own results.

I have only been into African cichlids for around 3 years and I never did much research but knew they need alkaline and hard water which was coming out of my tap untill recently there was a change and I'm forced to use buffer (baking soda) for now.

Thanks again and look forward reading many of your comments.


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[Freakgecko91]

Most commonly kept mbuna species (judging by your use of "africans", a pretty unspecific term, which is most commonly used for mbuna) are so far removed from their wild caught counterparts that the pH and hardness are pretty insignificant. And even then, not all areas of the rift lakes are extremely hard or high in pH. Malawi varies quite greatly from 7.7 to 8.6 anyway. I would worry less about getting the pH higher as I would keeping it stable. I have tangankyikans (including wild caught goby cichlids) in pH 7.6ish and they're doing just fine. Adding crushed coral and limestone like holey rock will help quite a bit given you use enough of it

 

[Sleeves]

No I don't use marine salt. API makes aquarium salt for freshwater aquariums




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[jetajockey]

Epsom salt is not aquarium salt. Aquarium salt is sodium chloride.

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[Mebbid]

I use aquarium salt (plain Epsom salt) if any of my fish have bloated bellies to help them poop before it turns into Malawi Bloat/general bloat...whatever name you know it by. I use table salt occasionally because some Africans need iodine. Hope that helps.

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Epsom salt is actually nothing more than magnesium sulfate. There's no sodium in it. It's a completely different thing from aquarium salt.

Marine salt wouldn't really be much different from aquarium salt, however neither are necessary for fish. It's buffering capabilities would be minimal since you would be adding such a small amount of salt to the tank in comparison to what is added into a marine tank.

 

[gilpi]

Most commonly kept mbuna species (judging by your use of "africans", a pretty unspecific term, which is most commonly used for mbuna) are so far removed from their wild caught counterparts that the pH and hardness are pretty insignificant. And even then, not all areas of the rift lakes are extremely hard or high in pH. Malawi varies quite greatly from 7.7 to 8.6 anyway. I would worry less about getting the pH higher as I would keeping it stable. I have tangankyikans (including wild caught goby cichlids) in pH 7.6ish and they're doing just fine. Adding crushed coral and limestone like holey rock will help quite a bit given you use enough of it

Yes I should have been more specific, they're mbuna I have in the tank. I guess the same goes with most store bought fish, they're pretty far removed from their wild counterparts.
How would you keep the pH stable? As I mentioned, my tap water has been fluctuating a lot, very low pH and KH.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Letting your tap water sit out overnight may help with the fluctuating issue. Try taking a sample each night for a week and letting it sit out overnight and test in the am. See if its more stable that way


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[Mebbid]

What are the measurements and how big are the swings?

 

[alyxandria]

Aquarium salt I find makes a mess of my tanks, and hoods! Especially around where the water level is. I used to use it but I realized it made no difference if I did or didn't. I had just read something somewhere about it.


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