Salt and Plants

[NadiaG]

Hi,
I have a 10g with most fake plants in there. I add just a little bit of aquarium salt in water once in a while, just for preventive measures. So there is very insignificant amount of salt.
I want eventually swap fake plants with live ones. Can live plants tolerate salt at all? I have one live plant in there right now, anubias nana (it's been there for 2 weeks now) and it is doing great. I also have low to moderate lightning.
Thanks

 

[rmiller]

Anubius can live through nearly anything, but salt will kill plants. The real question is, why salt? You say for preventative measures, but if you are keeping up with your water changes, and quarantining new arrivals you shouldn't have anything to prevent.

 

[NadiaG]

Good point, I guess I over worry about my lil friends. I am fully stocked, so I really do not expect any addition.. PWC are not a problem, I do that on regular basis. I will stop using salt now so by the time I get my next live plant there will be close to no salt at all.
Thank you so much!

 

[rmiller]

Sounds like a plan!

 

[flitabout]

Salt and plants don't mix. There is also no reason that your fish or tank need salt unless there is an issue. People used to use it all of the time but as time has gone on people have realized that you don't need it although it does seem to make ammo and nitrite a bit more tolerable to the fish. But if your tank is cycled that shouldn't be an issue.
It also isn't good for scaless fish. like plecos and loaches don't seem to tolerate any at all. I keep hearing about people killing them because of using therapeutic salt in the tank.

 

[NadiaG]

So glad I asked! Thanks!

 

[Rivercats]

The only time IMO salt can be a real life saver in a planted tank is if nitrites for some reason appear, like if they are in tap water, your tank is mini cycling, and such. Then aquarium salt can be added at 1/15th of a teaspoon per 10 gallons of tank water and this will counteract 1ppm nitrite. At that amount the salt is quite safe for aquarium plants. But just for general use in a planted tank I agree with the others it's not good nor is it needed.