For those who do use salt ...

[trennamw]

Especially with loaches and snails ...

How much? And can you possibly tell me in measurements everyone has? Like, is it about what is printed on the back of the API freshwater salt carton? (Heaping tablespoon per five gallons, very coarse grains)?

Absolutely not looking to open another salt vs no salt debate. I've tried with and without and like "with", and I see a fair number of salt proponents who use it with loaches, catfish, and snails. Just curious about dosing.

I have Otos, tetras, danios, snails, shrimp, and will have Pygmy striped loaches soon.

 

[Delapool]

Over two weeks I've done something like below for treatment for a bacterial infection. The treatment was for a 4 inch bn catfish. The meds was mainly tri sulpha with salt.

Day 1 - dose in QT of 1 teaspoon per 5 gal. In theory that was to "test the waters".
Day 2 - dose to 1 tablespoon per 5 gal. Left at this for rest of week roughly.
Second week - dose to 2 tablespoons per 5 gal. Went back in main tank at end of week. Just trying to remember why he went back so quick and I think it was the QT temp was too high and I couldn't get it down (small room). Seemed to handle salt fine. Still got him.

 

[trennamw]

Thanks! Have you ever used salt in small amounts normally, or only for sick fish?

 

[Delapool]

Erk, I really need to get my maths sorted on this as interested in salt dosing.

I've never used it in a DT. I've had high nitrites and we think that as my tap water goes about 0.02% this provided some protection. From memory.

I've just tried converting that to teaspoons per gallon and get 1 teaspoon per 5 gals which seems to high. I can't taste any salt in tap.

I have that 0.3% is about 3 teaspoons per gallon and was using that but think my maths has gone bung somewhere. I might just have to give up using teaspoons and think in proper weights

 

[anteatergoanna]

I'm actually very interested to know this as well. I have clown loaches and snails, I currently don't put salt in the tank (I used to until told that CL's don't tolerate salt well.), but if they have say Ich for example, what dosage of salt would be acceptable?

 

[BBradbury]

Using Aquarium Salt

Especially with loaches and snails ...

How much? And can you possibly tell me in measurements everyone has? Like, is it about what is printed on the back of the API freshwater salt carton? (Heaping tablespoon per five gallons, very coarse grains)?

Absolutely not looking to open another salt vs no salt debate. I've tried with and without and like "with", and I see a fair number of salt proponents who use it with loaches, catfish, and snails. Just curious about dosing.

I have Otos, tetras, danios, snails, shrimp, and will have Pygmy striped loaches soon.

Hello tren...

You can use standard aquarium salt, Kosher or canning salt. These don't have any added ingredients. I use a rounded teaspoon of the API salt in every 5 gallons of new, treated tap water in all my tanks. My Livebearers appreciate a little and surprisingly, so do my Corydoras. This amount won't bother your plants, either.

Most of the aquarium fish available in the pet stores could use a little to boost their immune system. Most aren't kept in the best of conditions. but with large, frequent water changes, a little salt and good food, they'll typically regain good health and color.

Just a comment from a salt user.

B

 

[Wy Renegade]

I don't usually heap it when I use it, but yes, one tablespoon per five gallons.

 

[Delapool]

I don't usually heap it when I use it, but yes, one tablespoon per five gallons.

Just out of interest, is that 1 tablespoon/5 gal in a planted tank or ?

 

[Delapool]

Hello tren...

You can use standard aquarium salt, Kosher or canning salt. These don't have any added ingredients. I use a rounded teaspoon of the API salt in every 5 gallons of new, treated tap water in all my tanks. My Livebearers appreciate a little and surprisingly, so do my Corydoras. This amount won't bother your plants, either.

Most of the aquarium fish available in the pet stores could use a little to boost their immune system. Most aren't kept in the best of conditions. but with large, frequent water changes, a little salt and good food, they'll typically regain good health and color.

Just a comment from a salt user.

B

Hi, have you worked out how much this is in % at all? I'm getting a very low amount.

It looks like a teaspoon is 3 to 6 grams of salt on references I found. So I've calculated as

1 teaspoon (4.6g) per 5 gal
(3.8 * 5 = 19litres).

Then

4.6/19 and divide by 10 = 0.024%.

The divide by 10 is to convert from ppt to %.

For reference I have goldfish ich treatment at 0.3% and sea water at 3.5% (or 35 parts per thousand).

Sooo, 0.02% that I'm getting seems so low I'm wondering if that is correct and if it is doing anything? Help!

 

[anteatergoanna]

So 1 TEASPOON, per 5 gal, won't hurt loaches or snails ?

 

[Delapool]

So 1 TEASPOON, per 5 gal, won't hurt loaches or snails ?

I've not tested long term. I know the bn catfish I treated had no apparent problems with the higher salt dosing short term. Same with neons. Bloating and loss of equilibrium would be two I can think of that would need to be watched for I suspect.

I'm wondering if the tap water TDS/salts has also to be considered. I know our tap water has no salt taste but when we were on bore water over summer, you could just taste it and dog bowls would dry with a white ring around them so I assume that was a bit more higher in TDS or salts or something. Some thoughts anyways.

 

[BBradbury]

Using Aquarium Salt

So 1 TEASPOON, per 5 gal, won't hurt loaches or snails ?

Hello ant...

A teaspoon or even a bit more for every 5 gallons of new, treated tap water is minimal, but effective for keeping healthy fish. I've used this much in my planted tanks for several years with no problems. Livebearing fish will especially benefit, but others will too.

Your choice of course.

B

 

[trennamw]

Thanks for all the input. When I get a chance I'll see if my kitchen scale will estimate the weight of a rounded tablespoon of salt. It's smallest measure is a whole gram.

I've been using the rounded half teaspoon per gal or rounded tablespoon per 5gal in my betta tank for awhile and it definitely makes a difference. There are snails in there at present and they seem fine.

A tsp is 5 ml and a tablespoon is 15ml, if that helps.

These directions are on coarse grained API Freshwater Aquarium salt. It's far more coarse than kosher salt.

 

[anteatergoanna]

Thanks BB, i was putting in a rounded tablespoon, but was told because of the Loaches i shouldn't put salt in at all, so i stopped. I had 2 tanks, snails in the other and plants, I think that was why my snails and plants kept dying.
I will start putting a teaspoon in and see how that goes. I know it is beneficial, especially to livebearers, i only have a couple of those.,
I do have Angelfish, 6, and a shark, will the salt be okay for them? I have googled the subject but get conflicting information. Thanks

 

[pip walters]

Thanks for all the input. When I get a chance I'll see if my kitchen scale will estimate the weight of a rounded tablespoon of salt. It's smallest measure is a whole gram.

I've been using the rounded half teaspoon per gal or rounded tablespoon per 5gal in my betta tank for awhile and it definitely makes a difference. There are snails in there at present and they seem fine.

A tsp is 5 ml and a tablespoon is 15ml, if that helps.

These directions are on coarse grained API Freshwater Aquarium salt. It's far more coarse than kosher salt.

If you have kitchen scales, then just weigh the salt, lol. It is far more accurate. 3g per litre (or 11.5g per US gallon) is the generally accepted dosage (0.3%).

Teaspoons and tablespoons are just not accurate enough when measuring different grain sizes etc.

 

[Delapool]

Hi Pip,

Have you ever weighed a teaspoon of salt? I know, I know - weighing sounds far more accurate but teaspoons and tablespoons are still quoted out there. I really want to work out how much a teaspoon of salt per 5 gals is adding as a % (or at least see if my sums above are correct).

 

[trennamw]

Ack I forgot to weigh the salt like I said ... I promise I will, and will ad a pic of the grain size.

Fwiw my betta tank that gets the rounded tablespoon of API aquarium Salt for freshwater fish, per 5 gallons of water, has snails and plants. Pond snails have been in there for months, and I added a nerite a week or so ago. Java ferns have been in for 2 months, and a moss ball for longer.

 

[Autumnsky]

I have used kosher and pickling salt and sea salt with no additives, plain salt an no other things in it. The other one I used and liked a lot was from the health food store.

Real brand Orsa salt in bulk, has a zillion minerals in it. For a year now I am trying no salt and I think I like salt better.

I used this for tropical fish and Goldies and Koi, 1/4 tsp per gallon.

1/4 tsp per gallon is the low side to 1/2 tsp per gallon is still kinda low. I even did a tsp per gallon and it was fine with all the mystery snails and Ramshorns too.

I did a heat treatment for the fish a couple years ago with a slow incremental increase in salt and temp up to a Tablespoon per gallon. (and 88F) Snails did NOT like that combo.

Salt needs to be dissolved and mixed into water before adding. I added some dissolved salt one day in a cup to the filter flow for quick mixing...because I forgot to do it in the 5G bucket and the salt concentrate hit a couple big mystery snails and one died the other recovered.

Just a heads up.

I won't be any help here in the calculations department, lol.

 

[Delapool]

Measured a teaspoon (exhausted now ) and got 5 grams. The plastic container has been mostly sealed so I don't think much moisture has gotten in. Will have to jump back on desktop to look at calcs again.

I was going to do a taste test last weekend but no family volunteers found so hoping for this weekend. I figure it should be a blind test so I can't do it but not getting much agreement on furthering science.

 

[trennamw]

Got it!

A rounded tablespoon of the API aquarium salt is 25 grams. They recommend this much for 5 gallons of water in a freshwater tank, so about 5 grams per gallon. That's for normal everyday use not medicinal.