How to add salt?

[jratuszn]

I am keeping cichlids, and need to add salt to my 70gal tank with every water change. I have an automatic water changer, so I can't pre-dissolve the salt. What is the best way to do it? I thought about putting the salt in a tube or jar, and puting it straight into the tank, so it can slowly dissolve. I'm worried that this might just make a salty spot in my tank, or be mistaken by fish as food. How does everyone else reccomend I add it?

Thanks,

-J

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

I've read that you don't want to dissolve the salt prior to adding, rather just throw it in and let it settle in the tank and dissolve naturally. However, that might only be for when you're adding salt for the 1st time (for treatment purposes, etc)

Wouldn't worry about "salty" spots...the movement of water in your tank keeps things distributed.

Don't really know about fish eating it...but I'd assume they'd spit it out.

eesh...sorry i wasn't more help...good luck!

 

[Capt.Gorilla]

If you have a HOB filter try putting it in there, the flow will dissolve it and keep its dispercile even.

 

[fishfreek]

For saltwater its not advised to add salt directly to the tank and im guessing for FW its the same. The reason is the disolving salt can burn or damage the fish's skin or gills.

Why cant you mix the salt in a glass and then slowly add that concentrated mixture to the tank. When adding it if you can add itin the jet stream of a PH it would help dispurse the salt water.

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

I guess it probably depends on the amount of salt you're adding....although you probably don't want to add it to your filter, because the sudden increase in salinity could kill off your bacteria. I think the intent of adding the salt and letting it dissolve, rather than adding it pre-dissolved, is to slow the rate of change of the salinity in the tank. I'll try to track down where I read that from though. But like I said...probably depends on the amount of salt, as to whether it really makes a difference.

EDIT: well, i couldn't find the specific article I had in mind...but I found about a gabillion other pages...none of them offering any info to corroborate any other sites info (in other words...they all had different opinions)...from how "dangerous" adding salt is, to how futile...so I think I give up LOL. I still think you probably can't go wrong with the small (i'm assuming) amounts of salt you'll be adding...

 

[madasafish]

Capt.Gorilla has a good idea, and this is really the best way to ensure optimal mixing. Though isotherms, packets of water of different salinity and temperature, exist in the sea and in rivers, they would not exist in a tank. There is too much turbidity. I wouldn't worry about salty spots--the water flow will be far too great.

 

[jratuszn]

Awesome- The HOB filter sounds like a great idea.

Thanks everyone!

-J

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

Just to reiterate...you might not want to put it in the filter, because the increase in salinity could kill off your bacterial colonies.

I'd go with fishfreeks suggestion and add it to the outflow of your HOB....

 

[TankGirl]

Yes, I second Fishfreek's recommendation. That way you have the correct amount of salt, just diluted in a drastically smaller amount of water, and you can add that gradually over an hour or so, if you are concerned. Try it that way and observe, as I don't think you will do any harm.