To salt, or not to salt

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Cloverdale

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 31, 2011
Messages
14
Location
NC
Another one of those questions where there seems to be more conflicting opinions that certain answers.

So - a few questions:

1) Should I add aquarium salt for Mollies?
2) Is it harming my plants? (Water Sprite and Red Wendtii)
3) If I am using salt, how do I handle water changes? Do I put salt in each 5 gallons I replace? How do I account for evaporation? Is there any way to test the salt content?

Thanks!!!
 
1) I've read a lot of conflicting arguments also. I have a balloon molly and I don't use any salt. Balloon mollies are hybrids though.

3) Salt doesn't evaporate, so don't add any salt to the water you add to compensate for evaporation. For PWCs, you would add salt for the water you replaced.
 
I have balloon mollie's and I salt...I find it to keep the fish happier and healthier and have less outbreaks when I do
 
1. I can't say whether it's actually better for them or not, I'm no fish doctor. But if any kind of salt, shouldn't it be marine salt? Freshwater salts are for treatment, while marine actually gives the weak seawater you're trying to simulate because it also contains the nutrients found in seawater...

2. It can, but usually not in the quantity you will be using.

3. I get far less evaporation on my brackish tank than the freshwater tanks. No idea why. I run my 29g brackish tank at 1.005 salinity but I doubt you'd need that much. To get 1.005 it is about 1 flat (not heaped) TEAspoon per gallon. If I do a 50% water change on the 29 gallon then I put in 14 teaspoons to replace the salt I took out. A little deviation is fine. I test before the water change with a hydrometer to see if I need to put in more or less than 14. I actually went for weeks doing my water changes and estimating the salt, got it right every time. You end up knowing how much salt is right versus how much water you took out (or I did).

If you want 1.002 salinity, put 1 flat teaspoon every 2 gallons. It's simpler than it looks. ;)
 
Also, just to note, don't add salt directly to the tank. Get a bucket and put your tank water in it, put the salt in that, stir until you can't feel granules then pour back in.
 
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