Aquarium salt and plants

[LTurner97]

I used some aquarium salt in my tank a week ago and read that it would be safe with all the fish inside shrimp and plants but I’ve noticed one of my plants has really died back , I’ve taken it out and took off the dead parts and placed it back to see if it will flourish again but true or false can I use salt in a planted aquarium ?

 

[GaryE]

A lot has to do with the water you start with, but I personally keep salt well away from my tanks. It can be a useful medication, but for most aquarium fish and plants, it's about as natural as 40c heat is for most humans.

The oldtimers added salt to aquariums (aquarium salt is simply non iodized salt) because they didn't do water changes, and it helped with that. Some who didn't adapt to new info still do. They also had very few plant options, and short lived fish. I know - I'm an oldtimer in the hobby...

I will add salt for some diseases, but I prefer easier to remove options. I tend to use it in hospital tanks, and never use it for full tank treatments like for parasites. Unless your fish and plants come from right along a coast, it's an alien substance to most of them.

 

[Back in the fold]

I am generally an advocate of added salt despite being vilified for it but I have killed some plants with it . Added salt was a death sentence for my Water Sprite .