Adding salt

[MysteryShrimp]

I'm just curious if anyone else adds API aquarium salt to their shrimp community tanks. I have been adding about 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon depending on if i take out 20% (about 3 gal) or 50% (about 6 or 7 gal) out of my 15 gallon every change. The shrimp seem more colorful and happier than before when my tank virtually crashed (only otos and snail were left alive and unharmed oddly but all my shrimp died just out of nowhere. All my parameters were 0 except nitrate which was about 5 ppm). Just curious if it's pointless or harmful or fine. THANK YOU

 

[garvic43]

It's pointless to be honest

 

[garvic43]

One thing is though shrimp are absolutely delicate if they all died some thing like medication or just the smallest thing sometimes will kill them very easily even copper as well. When having shrimp there is a huge risk if one bad thing happens they all will die

 

[Fresh2o]

I would not add anything without first knowing what the hardness (GH and KH) and TDS (total dissolved solids) are.
I can't say that I've heard of anyone adding salt to shrimp tanks (then there are remineralizer salts one adds to RO-DI water but that's different).
What kind of shrimp do you have?

 

[Kaneu]

I would not add anything without first knowing what the hardness (GH and KH) and TDS (total dissolved solids) are.
I can't say that I've heard of anyone adding salt to shrimp tanks (then there are remineralizer salts one adds to RO-DI water but that's different).
What kind of shrimp do you have?

Also doesn't adding salt raise the kH in your tank? Witch can then affect the gH and pH?

 

[Fresh2o]

Also doesn't adding salt raise the kH in your tank? Witch can then affect the gH and pH?

Depends on the type of salt. Epsom salts will raise either the KH or KH and GH. This may not necessarily raise the pH, but it will provide the buffers to minimize fluctuations in pH.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Mys...

Keeping the water chemistry steady enough to keep fish, shrimp or anything else healthy is difficult if you have a small tank. The chemistry in a small cube of water can change suddenly and stress whatever is living in it. Constant filtration, dissolved fish waste and infrequent water changes can all contribute to poor water conditions.

Salt can be helpful to replace elements in the water the fish need that are lost to filtration and also stimulates the immune system. However, if you maintain a sound water change routine, the salt isn't really needed.

You should consider a larger tank, say 30 gallons or remove and replace most of the tank water every 3 to 4 days to remove the waste material before it dissolves in the tank water and pollutes the tank.

B