ADDING SALT?

[salty]

Hiya all, I've just been to the pet shop because my housemate over-fed my fish and almost killed the lot. I've been given all-sorts for stress and parasites, which is fine, but also salt, and there's no instructions on the box.
Do I just add the salt to the water (I did a massive tank clean last night), or do I need to wait for the next clean-out and add it then?
Do I dissolve it in water first?
I've read some awful things about adding salt to the water....

If anyone can help, I'd be thrilled to bits

 

[black angel]

hi salty, the salt level is 1 teaspoon (level) for every gallon or 1 level tablespoon per 3 gallons which will give you a concentration level of 0.1% . You dont need to dissolve it but you can if you want. You can add it to the water at any time but after a change is good.

 

[Phantom Thief]

hi salty, the salt level is 1 teaspoon (level) for every gallon or 1 level tablespoon per 3 gallons which will give you a concentration level of 0.1% . You dont need to dissolve it but you can if you want. You can add it to the water at any time but after a change is good.

Actually, you MUST dissolve the salt beforehand. And may i ask why you are adding salt?

P.T.

 

[CFC]

hi salty, the salt level is 1 teaspoon (level) for every gallon or 1 level tablespoon per 3 gallons which will give you a concentration level of 0.1% . You dont need to dissolve it but you can if you want. You can add it to the water at any time but after a change is good.

That is some of the worst advice ive read in ages Adding undisolved salt to a tank can cause serious burns to the fish.

Unless you are running a brackish or marine tank then there is no need to add salt to the tank, all salt does is help to improve gill funtion so the fish can absorb oxygen quicker. Adding a airstone to the tank as a temporary measure will increase oxygen levels by speeding up the gas exchanges at the surface and so does the same job as the salt but with the added benefit of not adding any foreign substances to the water, remember that most tropical fish come from areas where there is no measurable salt content in the water.

 

[black angel]

dont mean to upset anyone. if the pet shop gave him salt then it must be for a reason. I took it the salt in question was tonic salt. salty if you could tell me what kind of fish you have then we will know if the salt is appropriate, i should have asked that to begin with. tonic salt is useful for livebearing fish such as guppys,platies, swordtails, and mollies as they need a high mineral content. once again im sorry if my answer wasnt clear.

 

[CFC]

if the pet shop gave him salt then it must be for a reason

Yes, the reason is that the shop is a retail outlet and selling products such as salt whether or not they are needed is what they have to do to make money and survive.

With the exception of the guppies all those fish are happier in mild brackish conditions and so the addition of salt and a higher pH and GH is recomended for their care.