API Aquarium Salt

[CoyoteWildfire]

All right, so I have a box of this stuff... I've heard it's good for curing diseases. What else should I know about it? Should I use it occasionally with my PWCs for any reason? Are there any benefits from regular use of aquarium salt in a FW tank?

If there's any information you guys need regarding my tank, plants, stocking, cycle, etc, please let me know. :]

 

[Homedog98]

All right, so I have a box of this stuff... I've heard it's good for curing diseases. What else should I know about it? Should I use it occasionally with my PWCs for any reason? Are there any benefits from regular use of aquarium salt in a FW tank?

If there's any information you guys need regarding my tank, plants, stocking, cycle, etc, please let me know. :]

You don't really need it for anything other then disease. Just good to have on hand. No reason for it to be used in a water change either... Just good for disease.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

Got'cha. The reason I ask is on the side it says it restores electrolytes to the water, which is obviously good for humans and fish alike. But with regular PWCs and feedings, I figure I wouldn't need to use it?

 

[Homedog98]

Got'cha. The reason I ask is on the side it says it restores electrolytes to the water, which is obviously good for humans and fish alike. But with regular PWCs and feedings, I figure I wouldn't need to use it?

Nope... Not unless you want some very sick fishies and plants.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

Got'cha. Thanks Lauren! I appreciate it.

 

[Homedog98]

Your welcome! (hey, my sig actually saved! Score!!!)

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

Yes it did. I just set up mine today. :]

 

[CaptainMako]

I use it, I add a little bit each PWC to try and keep my water brackish and my mollies seem much healthier with it. Uh oh.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

Ahh, see, my aquarium isn't brackish... just FW. So it's probably good that I didn't use it regularly.

 

[CaptainMako]

In that case, only for diseases just like you've heard. And it works great, from experience. My mollies had a nightmarish fungal infection spring up in a few days, added that along with some Pimafix and they were cured before expected.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

That's excellent! Great to hear, thank you!

 

[CaptainMako]

First time helping someone here, and I'm a newbie
Satisfaction!

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

Haha, I'm pretty new myself... I've been getting a charge out of getting to help people too. :] IT's a great feeling.

 

[Rokuzachi]

I found out that salt can be combined with Melafix and Pimafix for treatment the other day. I started using that combination @50% strength and so far it's working well.

If you're cycling, mini or fish-in, you can use it to help the fish deal with nitrites. Just be wary of what species are salt-sensitive!

 

[mfdrookie516]

I agree with most everything said. Only use it to treat for diseases, but be careful about using with fish who don't appreciate the salt.

It will not, however, create brackish water. Brackish is made using marine salt.

 

[CoyoteWildfire]

Well, I certainly wasn't intending on making a brackish tank, but should I ever need to use it, will I rely on the PWCs to drain the salinity from the water? Or is there some other way that I ought to go about it?

 

[pickled]

Just good for disease my angry eye!

This product is a wonderful stress reducer for times of high stress for the fish.
Due to tap water conditions being unsafe due to high nitrates (but excellent for mineral content GH) i had to have a regular supply of well water from a friend but the well water was far too soft!! (low mineral content, low PH) for now until i have better solution to problem i PWC with 2parts well water with 1 part tap water.
A 20% water change left my fantails immediately bottom sitting and quivering and visibly highly stressed, anyway it was suggested my water i used to replace old water was too low in minerals, electrolytes which were essential for stress reduction on the fish (added changed water chemistry stressed them i spose but the high nitrates were beginning to deform some fish so the 2 to 1 mix was only option to me), The use of API A.salt immediately protected the fish with each water change , they no longer suffered a good few hours after a water change and they actually purposely swam through and around the areas the salt rocks landed when added to tank as if submerging themselves in the delicious electrolytes soup infusion into their water space.
I dont use much only a sprinkle in the areas they feel safest so if water change stressful they quickly revive themselves.
Good for most stressful situations the fish have to face, Fish moving home for example!

So to suggest that its only good for disease is an arrogant uninformed statement.

here is a good page on the importance of electrolytes and minerals which effect GH levels in yr aquarium....
Calcium, KH, GH, pH, Electrolytes & Magnesium in Aquariums; Mineral Ions, Cations