Salt or no salt??
- Thread starter Bish67
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BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
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Salt in Freshwater Tanks
Hello again Bish...
I have 5 planted tanks and have used standard aquarium salt for a little over 7 years.
In that time, I've never had a problem with disease in any of the tanks. No way really to tell if it's the salt, but we use it in high doses to treat illnesses, so it makes perfect sense to me to use a little routinely, then to have to use a lot later.
B
Hello again Bish...
I have 5 planted tanks and have used standard aquarium salt for a little over 7 years.
In that time, I've never had a problem with disease in any of the tanks. No way really to tell if it's the salt, but we use it in high doses to treat illnesses, so it makes perfect sense to me to use a little routinely, then to have to use a lot later.
B
nereksnad
Aquarium Advice Freak
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greetings.
i've had a tank (first 10g, then 55g) for over 2 years and never used salt. the only time there was an illness was when i introduced some SAEs from a bad pet store.
i've had a tank (first 10g, then 55g) for over 2 years and never used salt. the only time there was an illness was when i introduced some SAEs from a bad pet store.
jetajockey
come get me tang police!
Proper QT procedures on new additions greatly reduces the chances of getting some sort of disease, they don't to just pop up randomly. That part has nothing to do with salt.
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
You need a high concentration of salt to kill parasites, pathogens, etc., so dosing aquarium salt in low concentrations to prevent these things does not work. It's like taking a quarter of a dose of medicine thinking it will have the same effect as a full dose would.
The bottom line is, regular salt dosing in unneeded.
The bottom line is, regular salt dosing in unneeded.
librarygirl
Look It Up
Just my two cents: I have two freshwater tanks. I never add salt, my fish are healthy, never had problems with Ich. I personally don't think it's needed in a freshwater setup and it can be difficult to maintain as salt doesn't evaporate so you'd need to be sure you're taking out and replacing the same amount each time.
CichlidSensai
Aquarium Advice Regular
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I have used salt for 5+ years. I do pwc every week at least 30 gallons of 130. I dose the amount changed with salt every change. It's hard to say if its a plus, however since I started have had 0 issues with my tank. It's just part of the routine now. With or without you will be fine.
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
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Using Salt in Freshwater Tanks
Salt has been used for decades as a general "tonic" for freshwater aquarium fish. There are some benefits that anyone thinking of using it may consider: I've used it for several years with good results. However, certain fish seem to do better with it than others. My Livebearers, for instance do well with it. My Corys seem fine with low doses of a teaspoon or a bit more, in every 5 gallons of my replacement water.
Specific benefits include: Good gill function in water with a trace of salt, a good source of electrolytes that help the gills use oxygen in the tank water, stimulates the production of a healthy "slime coat" that's needed for a healthy immune system. Suppresses the development of parasites in the tank. Most fish pathogens that affect the fishes' skin don't tolerate traces of salt in the water. Salt interferes with the lifecycle of tank parasites.
Granted, there are some fish that don't necessarily benefit from it like: Tetras, Angelfish, Discus, Loaches and Bettas.
But, again, there are some good reasons for routinely using a small amount.
B
Salt has been used for decades as a general "tonic" for freshwater aquarium fish. There are some benefits that anyone thinking of using it may consider: I've used it for several years with good results. However, certain fish seem to do better with it than others. My Livebearers, for instance do well with it. My Corys seem fine with low doses of a teaspoon or a bit more, in every 5 gallons of my replacement water.
Specific benefits include: Good gill function in water with a trace of salt, a good source of electrolytes that help the gills use oxygen in the tank water, stimulates the production of a healthy "slime coat" that's needed for a healthy immune system. Suppresses the development of parasites in the tank. Most fish pathogens that affect the fishes' skin don't tolerate traces of salt in the water. Salt interferes with the lifecycle of tank parasites.
Granted, there are some fish that don't necessarily benefit from it like: Tetras, Angelfish, Discus, Loaches and Bettas.
But, again, there are some good reasons for routinely using a small amount.
B
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
As I stated before, unless you have incredibly soft water, there are enough electrolytes in the tap water already. Adding more is pointless.
Slime coat can be stimulated to grow by two things: either a hormone or an irritant. Sodium Chloride is not a hormone, so salt helps produce slime coat by irritating the fish. As stated on theskepticalaquarist.com, "Putting salt in your tank to improve slime coat is like putting a drop of lemon juice in your eye to make it water."
Also stated before, a small ratio like 1 tsp/5 gallons is not enough to discourage development of parasites or pathogens. You use a large amount of salt to kill ich for a reason.
To all who have replied to my original post....thank you all so much.
Its quite clear this subject splits the hobbiest in two.
Im still unsure what to do as it appears there is a strong argument for both camps.
However....I did dose with a little salt yesterday morning to help with ich AND already the ich has disappeared from the one platty that had it(i know its not gone)... none of my fish are stressed and all plants doing well.....so....in summary...I Dont know lol....BUT Thankyou all....Im so glad I joined this site as i now know im going to get great advice.
Its quite clear this subject splits the hobbiest in two.
Im still unsure what to do as it appears there is a strong argument for both camps.
However....I did dose with a little salt yesterday morning to help with ich AND already the ich has disappeared from the one platty that had it(i know its not gone)... none of my fish are stressed and all plants doing well.....so....in summary...I Dont know lol....BUT Thankyou all....Im so glad I joined this site as i now know im going to get great advice.
jetajockey
come get me tang police!
I would make a decision based on evidence. Just because it's not hurting them outright doesn't mean it's good for them either. Plenty of people keep salt-free tanks and have healthy fish, so saying that someone who keeps salt in their tanks has had no issues with disease doesn't mean that the salt magically kept them safe. Dig around and find out what salinity your species are subjected to in the wild.
The use of salt is an old school method that has long been disproven as a necessity, and for the most part, the people that still do it are old time shopkeepers/fishkeepers who have been doing it for ages, and those that they teach this practice to. As time goes by, we learn new things, science, and technology helps us understand things better, so some methods become outdated or put on the shelf because they have no actual purpose, or because we've come up with a better or safer way. (Does anyone still use mercury fillings? How about lead paint? Asbestos? remember when cigarette ads had doctors in them, showing how great their product was?)
Have a look at the big aquatics systems, public aquariums, etc, and see how they do things. Make a list of the benefits and cons of Salt vs No salt. Test them for validity (as I mentioned in the first paragraph).
Weigh the evidence and make a decision.
The use of salt is an old school method that has long been disproven as a necessity, and for the most part, the people that still do it are old time shopkeepers/fishkeepers who have been doing it for ages, and those that they teach this practice to. As time goes by, we learn new things, science, and technology helps us understand things better, so some methods become outdated or put on the shelf because they have no actual purpose, or because we've come up with a better or safer way. (Does anyone still use mercury fillings? How about lead paint? Asbestos? remember when cigarette ads had doctors in them, showing how great their product was?)
Have a look at the big aquatics systems, public aquariums, etc, and see how they do things. Make a list of the benefits and cons of Salt vs No salt. Test them for validity (as I mentioned in the first paragraph).
Weigh the evidence and make a decision.
You talk a lot of sense my friend ....im personally thinking i could do either...and it wouldn't make a huge difference either way...so i will continue to wonder and ponder and observe...whilst continuing to read up n research about it.....Thankyou....
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
What fish are you keeping? IMO that would play a huge role in whether or not you add salt, as I stated earlier.
Here are a couple good articles about salt:
The great salt myth
Salt magic | The Skeptical Aquarist
Here are a couple good articles about salt:
The great salt myth
Salt magic | The Skeptical Aquarist
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
OK. Then I strongly do not recommend the addition of salt on a regular basis. Tetras come from areas with low dissolved solids in the water, and the addition of salt could potentially disrupt the osmotic balance of the fish.
bud29
Aquarium Advice Addict
Livebearers would be more OK with it than the tetras, since they do come from areas with high TDS, but honestly I don't see a reason to do regular dosing.
Lt.
Aquarium Advice FINatic
So, treatment for ich should be with on TABLESPOON or one TEASPOON per 5 gallons?
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