Can you use table salt as a substitute to aquarium salt?

[CCXGT]

Just trying to speed up getting rid of algae by cutting corners

No decorations in the tank are real and it's beard algae that I'm trying to get rid of.

 

[jennamckay]

I would use a salt without iodine in it. Although many say the amount of iodine in table salt isn't going to harm your fish, I just like to play it safe. Most sea salts are iodine free and I put some of that in my tank once in a while and my fish have been fine

 

[jennamckay]

And by sea salt I mean the kind you can get right out of the grocery store that is used for food

 

[CCXGT]

And by sea salt I mean the kind you can get right out of the grocery store that is used for food

Okay, thanks

 

[BBradbury]

Hello CC...

I would use salt that's specifically for use in your aquarium. The table salt can contain chemicals that may not be good for your fish. You can however, use Kosher salt or salt used for canning.

You can slow the growth of algae my limiting the food you feed the fish. Floating plants like Anacharis and Hornwort are faster nutrient users than most kinds of algae. Anacharis also gives off a mild chemical that algae doesn't tolerate well. The chemical slows algae growth, with no affect on other tank inhabitants.

B

 

[CCXGT]

Hello CC...

I would use salt that's specifically for use in your aquarium. The table salt can contain chemicals that may not be good for your fish. You can however, use Kosher salt or salt used for canning.

You can slow the growth of algae my limiting the food you feed the fish. Floating plants like Anacharis and Hornwort are faster nutrient users than most kinds of algae. Anacharis also gives off a mild chemical that algae doesn't tolerate well. The chemical slows algae growth, with no affect on other tank inhabitants.

B

Well I managed to find this stuff in the cupboard, I don't know if it's Kosher or not but it does claim to be from the Red Sea..

Can you tell anything from this?

 

[Kushgodrex]

It says kosher on the back, but I still wouldn't use it, u can get a big thing of aquarium salt at walmart for 5$

 

[CCXGT]

It says kosher on the back, but I still wouldn't use it, u can get a big thing of aquarium salt at walmart for 5$

Yeah... And I can get a plane ticket to the States for £200...

 

[Kushgodrex]

Ok I didn't know where you lived, try a lfs and buy some for 10$

 

[jennamckay]

Honestly, it's probably fine. Like I said I've been adding it to my tank for years because the cost of aquarium salt at my LFS is $15.99. I only use a little and it's never harmed my fish

 

[Grumble69]

As long as it's food grade salt, there's not a significant difference between any of the salts. Technically, ordinary table salt will have trace amounts of anti-caking compounds. Likewise, the iodine that's added to iodized salt is very minimal. Kosher salt generally does not have additives, although there might be some anti-caking. The problem with kosher is that the salinity is not consistent when measuring by volume. i.e. a tablespoon of kosher is not necessarily the same as a tablespoon of table salt; and a tablespoon of kosher from manufacturer A will not always be the same in salinity as from manufacturer B. ...so you have to weigh it. Sea salt is mostly the same as table salt (sodium chloride). It will contain trace elements & minerals, but the emphasis is on "trace".

Now where it could make a difference is if you were using non-food grade salt. e.g. road salt

 

[philipraposo198]

hydrogen peroxide, put in a small spray bottle. turn off filter and spot treat. bye bye BBA

 

[pip walters]

It always used to be advised not to use table salt, but it has since been suggested that the anti-caking agents used are added in such minute quantities, they are unlikely to cause any problems in such high dilution as used for general aquarium use.

I always used pure dried vacuum salt for hatching brine shrimp and that has anticaking additives! It is sold in garden centres here for use in ponds, so If its good enough for koi......... I have used it for dip treatments and prophylactic 'anti-stress' long term bath use too.

 

[Coyne]

hydrogen peroxide, put in a small spray bottle. turn off filter and spot treat. bye bye BBA

+1 to this. I turn my filter off and spot treat using a little plastic syringe (3ml/gallon). I usually do this on PWC days so that I can change some of the water after about 30 mins and then turn my filter back on. Within 24 hours the BBA is red, which indicates that it is dead or dying. Another 48 hours and its gone.
Ive never heard of adding salt to treat BBA (or any algae), but I have salt sensitive fish, so its never been an option.

Keep in mind that if you don't figure out why you have algae in the first place, that it will just keep coming back.