when to add salt to a cycling tank - Aquarium Advice

tommyroo · 04-05-2004, 01:56 PM

Hello everyone,

I am on like day 5 of cycling a new 55 gallon. This tank will be the new home for my green spotted puffers so I must make it brackish.

I had planned on adding salt to the tank after it had cycled that way I can try a acclimate some new fish from the [acronym:4998963cfc="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:4998963cfc] to my brackish conditions. The store sells brackish fish but keeps them in fresh water for some reason.

If I add raise the salinity by say .001 a week after the cycling will I kill off my bacteria because of the changing water conditions and thereby cause the tank to re-cycle or will I be safe?

deli_conker · 04-05-2004, 03:36 PM

Quote:

I am on like day 5 of cycling a new 55 gallon.

What method are you using to cycle your tank?

Quote:

If I add raise the salinity by say .001 a week after the cycling will I kill off my bacteria because of the changing water conditions and thereby cause the tank to re-cycle or will I be safe?

I don't think that the salt will have any negative effect on the bacteria., it's the same bacteria that inhabit sw aquariums...

tommyroo · 04-05-2004, 04:23 PM

I threw a dozen rosey barbs. Yes, I am evil but I never knew about fishless cycling before I started looking stuff up online. Plus, they were just Oscar food that my buddy Sean gave me.

The reason I was worried about adding the salt is there is a big difference between fresh (1.00) and the level my puffers are in now (1.006).

Menagerie · 04-05-2004, 07:25 PM

Personally, I would not worry about the salt causing harm to the tank.

deli_conker · 04-06-2004, 09:26 AM

I don't know if the salt will hurt the barbs or not. Are you planning on keeping them after you get your puffers in there?

You could just add some bio-spira and be done with it...

tommyroo · 04-06-2004, 10:27 AM

Well to tell you the truth, Im not worried about the salt hurting the barbs. They are going back into the Oscar tank after the cycle.

I was worried about developing all my bacteria the adding salt and killing them off.

jsoong · 04-06-2004, 04:51 PM

I don't know about going all the way to 1.006. But when I was treating ich with salt, I raised the salt to 1.003 0r 1.004 over 3 days with no effect on any of my levels. (Tank was about 4 weeks after cycling completed).

flipz · 04-06-2004, 08:34 PM

don't worry about adding salt, do it whenever. i have had a brackish tank for a year now with anywhere from 1.005 to 1.015. I've never had any problems with the levels being messed up by moving around between the two. and i added it as soon as i started cycling the tank, the same day i set up the tank. don't know if you are supposed to or not but i had no problems.

oh and i just added a spotted green puffer last week at 1.010, and recently moved back to 1.015 with no problems, and he is happy as can be (aside from an unrelated eye problem. heh) Very active tho

tommyroo · 04-07-2004, 11:51 AM

Cool, thanks for the advise!

04-05-2004, 01:56 PM	#1
tommyroo Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: florida Posts: 6	when to add salt to a cycling tank Hello everyone, I am on like day 5 of cycling a new 55 gallon. This tank will be the new home for my green spotted puffers so I must make it brackish. I had planned on adding salt to the tank after it had cycled that way I can try a acclimate some new fish from the [acronym:4998963cfc="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:4998963cfc] to my brackish conditions. The store sells brackish fish but keeps them in fresh water for some reason. If I add raise the salinity by say .001 a week after the cycling will I kill off my bacteria because of the changing water conditions and thereby cause the tank to re-cycle or will I be safe?

04-05-2004, 07:25 PM	#4
Menagerie Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 11,266 Images: 77	Personally, I would not worry about the salt causing harm to the tank. __________________

04-06-2004, 04:51 PM	#7
jsoong Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Edmonton, Canada Posts: 1,894	I don't know about going all the way to 1.006. But when I was treating ich with salt, I raised the salt to 1.003 0r 1.004 over 3 days with no effect on any of my levels. (Tank was about 4 weeks after cycling completed). __________________ 75 gal FW with 30 gal DIY wet/dry/sump. 9 fancy golds, 1 hillstream loaches, 1 rubber-lip pleco (C. thomasi), 3 SAEs, planted.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Should I add some Aquarium Salt to my tank?	amskater	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	30	04-04-2006 04:06 PM
How often should you add salt to your freshwater tank???	Tiger_Oscar	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	11	07-30-2005 12:24 PM
How Much Salt to Add to a Brackish Tank	megos1	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	6	04-03-2005 08:18 PM
Do you add salt to your freshwater tank?	lilcam	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	5	09-03-2004 08:24 PM
How soon could I add shrimp or crabs to salt tank that is 1	zippy	Saltwater & Reef - Getting Started	3	11-19-2003 02:40 PM

04-05-2004, 04:23 PM	#3
tommyroo Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: florida Posts: 6	I threw a dozen rosey barbs. Yes, I am evil but I never knew about fishless cycling before I started looking stuff up online. Plus, they were just Oscar food that my buddy Sean gave me. The reason I was worried about adding the salt is there is a big difference between fresh (1.00) and the level my puffers are in now (1.006).

04-06-2004, 09:26 AM	#5
deli_conker Banned Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 1,284 Images: 7	I don't know if the salt will hurt the barbs or not. Are you planning on keeping them after you get your puffers in there? You could just add some bio-spira and be done with it...

04-06-2004, 10:27 AM	#6
tommyroo Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: florida Posts: 6	Well to tell you the truth, Im not worried about the salt hurting the barbs. They are going back into the Oscar tank after the cycle. I was worried about developing all my bacteria the adding salt and killing them off.

04-06-2004, 08:34 PM	#8
flipz Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Raleigh NC Posts: 719 Images: 1	don't worry about adding salt, do it whenever. i have had a brackish tank for a year now with anywhere from 1.005 to 1.015. I've never had any problems with the levels being messed up by moving around between the two. and i added it as soon as i started cycling the tank, the same day i set up the tank. don't know if you are supposed to or not but i had no problems. oh and i just added a spotted green puffer last week at 1.010, and recently moved back to 1.015 with no problems, and he is happy as can be (aside from an unrelated eye problem. heh) Very active tho

04-07-2004, 11:51 AM	#9
tommyroo Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: florida Posts: 6	Cool, thanks for the advise!