table salt

[adshuraj777]

what is the difference between regular salt and sea salt and why cant you use regular salt?

also, someone told me in a pinch you can use pickling salt, is this true, if so, why just in a pinch?

 

[fishfreek]

I would NOT use anything other than salt from the LFS in your saltwater tank.

The main reason is first table salt has iodine in it. Iodine in excessive quantities is poison for your tank.

Second reason. While salt is a significant % of the makeup for something such as InstantOcean there are several other trace elements that are also in the mix. These trace elements are consitered essencial for saltwater life.

I'll try to find a link that shows what is in sea water and what is in Instant Ocean and other salt mix's.

 

[loganj]

I would NOT use anything other than salt from the LFS in your saltwater tank.

Agreed 100%!
Logan J

 

[d9hp]

Yeah, table salt is for eating, not breathing (for fish). I would not use this as there are lots of cool things in salt from the LFS like aaron said.

 

[aimeovaldi]

I don't see why anyone would want to use salt other than seasalts for an aquarium. I dont think it would even be much cheaper, considering how expensive EVERYTHING else is. Just use Instant ocean.

 

[adshuraj777]

***also, someone told me in a pinch you can use pickling salt, is this true, if so, why just in a pinch?***

anyone have any info on this thought?

 

[fishfreek]

***also, someone told me in a pinch you can use pickling salt, is this true, if so, why just in a pinch?***

anyone have any info on this thought?

While I dont know if pickling salt contains iodine what I do konw is pickling salt does NOT contain the essental trace elements that is in the Sea Salt mix. These elements have been found to be critical in sustaning life for saltwater fish and inverts.

Here is an article talking about sea salt mixes

 

[loganj]

Pickling salt doesn't contain iodine. I would wait about doing a water change until I could get the right stuff though before I would use this kind of salt. I think you would be risking your fish and inverts by using anything other than a marine aquarium salt.
Logan J