Should I add salt to my freshwater aquarium?

[CoolHand]

After reading and debates on the net I am trying to decide if I should add a little salt to my fresh water aquarium? If so how much is recommended. I have a meter to measure and keep track...

What is the general thoughts on this?

Thanks

CH...

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Salt isn't really needed. IMO I would only use it purely for treating ich, but even that's running a little bit or a risk, as some fish are a little more sensitive to it than others, for example cories.

Also, if you have a planted tank, salt does some damage to plants. I'm not sure why people add salt to their tanks, freshwater fish are meant for freshwater, it should stay that way.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Salt is only needed if treating for certain diseases or for emergency use in the event of high nitrite levels. Otherwise, it's useless... I've even read (can't find links, so consider it heresay) that using salt on a normal basis can lead to salt-resistant strains of ich and other diseases, requiring the use of meds to treat.

 

[librarygirl]

I have a FW tank and don't add salt and wouldn't unless I needed it to treat for an illness.

 

[CoolHand]

No salt it is Thanks everyone.

Cheers,

CH...

 

[Fishguy2727]

You don't need SALT in a FRESHwater tank unless you are trying to turn it in to a SALTwater tank or brackish.

FRESHwater fish evolved in FRESHwater for millions of years. Their organs can't handle excessive salt levels all the time without long term damage. It is great to have on hand, it is amazing on helping to treat stress (along with water changes, those are the best thing to treat problems).

If adding salt produces a positive change in your FRESHwater tank something else is wrong and needs to be addressed.

 

[BBradbury]

Adding Salt to a Freshwater Tank

Good morning Cool...

I'd recommend adding a teaspoon of standard aquarium salt to every five gallons of your water change water. I've used it in my "Livebearer" tanks for several years and never had a disease in any of my tanks. I also keep a large number of Corydoras, fish that are supposedly salt sensative and all my fish are very healthy.

I started researching salt use about six years ago and have found many more advantages than disadvantages in using it. Aquarium salt has been used for decades at a general "tonic" for freshwater fish. Tropical fish are prone to different skin diseases and most of these pathogens can't tolerate even a trace of salt in the water.

Most tap water is very low is disolved salts compared to many fish raising areas, so a little salt in the water has a calming affect on tropical fish, making it easier for them to acclaimate to new water conditions, because oxygen passes through a fish's gills more easily with a trace of salt in the water. Essentially, salt makes it easier for the fish to breath.

As you know, this is a very controversial subject. But, like I say, I've been using a teaspoon in every five gallons of my water change water and change a minimum of half the water every week in my large tanks.

It's funny, but so many aquarists will recommend using salt as a treatment for disease, but discourage it's use on a regular basis to keep the diseases from starting in the first place.

Just one, old "waterkeeper's" opinion.

B

 

[Fishguy2727]

High quality food and water will prevent and treat 95% of the problems out there. Using salt is a bandaid that may hide the symptoms instead of fixing the real problem long term.

Quick Cure is a great med for treating ich, but you shouldn't use it all the time. In fact, using something all the time makes it ineffective when you actually need to use it as a med/treatment.

I guess the science of FRESHwater is a little over some people's heads.

 

[Mrc8858]

High quality food and water will prevent and treat 95% of the problems out there. Using salt is a bandaid that may hide the symptoms instead of fixing the real problem long term.

Quick Cure is a great med for treating ich, but you shouldn't use it all the time. In fact, using something all the time makes it ineffective when you actually need to use it as a med/treatment.

I guess the science of FRESHwater is a little over some people's heads.

Not trying to start any type of argument but it would really all come down to the kind of fish. different FRESH water lakes/streams/rivers have different salinity levels obviously its just trace amounts but there is some salt in certain bodies of fresh water which most tap water will be purified and treated...I'm not saying one way is right and one way is wrong..to each his own if Uve had good results one way then y change wut works so for the OP it will all be about their personal choice and experience with it that's a major part about this hobby learn from ur mistakes and work past em....sorry bout the long post but I feel strongly that u shouldn't tell the op one way is the wrong way on this subject u can only give him advice from ur personal experience which I use salt with my mbunas and am doing perfectly fine

 

[mfdrookie516]

In the wild, perhaps. But... you have to consider that these fish (unless wild caught) are raised in fish farms. I'll bet they don't use salt in fish farms. Aquarium salt is also not the same salt that the lakes and rivers have... plain and simple, it's not needed.

 

[Fishguy2727]

No. Even tap water has minerals in it, usually quite a bit. In most places in the U.S. it is pretty high, providing hard water. Even the hardest bodies of freshwater on the planet only have a fraction of the salinity recommended by aquarium salt manufacturers (and on this thread).

Many things in this hobby are preference, which filters, gravel vs. sand, etc. But some things are not. Causing organ damage by raising salinity to unnaturally high levels is not just preference, it is active harm (albeit unknowingly). We are just trying to let people know. Just because it doesn't cause visible harm on the outside doesn't mean it isn't destroying them internally.

Mbunas are one of the exceptions. They do make special cichlid lake salts (not regular aquarium salt) that can be used, but even then the manufacturers recommend a lot less than stated in this thread or on regular aquarium salt boxes.