Do you add salt

[IovaykInD]

I was wondering if I should add a bit of salt. Do you add salt?

Isaac

 

[eudielynn]

I add a pinch of salt to all my tanks. I know that some on the forum don't think you should add it unless they are sick, others think it helps prevent some illnesses. It's your personal choice.

 

[IovaykInD]

I have a three gallon tank, how much salt should I add?
Will 3/4 teaspoon work?

Isaac

 

[eudielynn]

I'm at work and my aquarium salt is at home, but I think 3/4 teaspoon will be just fine. You should have instructions on dosage on the salt container itself. You might doublecheck to make sure.

 

[BettaMomma]

What kind of salt are you adding?
Don't add table salt - you will want to get aquarium salt, like Doc Wellfish's - the instructions on there say one rounded TABLEspoon for 5 gallons, so adjust accordingly.

I put a pinch in whenever I think of it at water changing time, if the fish needs some xtra uumph to heal from...

I don't, as a rule, add it in on a regular basis but wouldn't see anything wrong with it at all. Some people do.

CRAP! Edit - TABLEspoon, rather than TEAspoon

sorry )

 

[wwestar2000]

I have a carton right here in my hands and it says 1 tablespoonful for every 5 gallons.

 

[Kiarra]

1/2 teaspoon per gallon for smaller tanks.

 

[BettaMomma]

oopsy
musta remembered it wrong.
i have since gone back and corrected it.
sorry.

 

[IovaykInD]

Alright, I added 3/4 teaspoon of aquarium salt to my 3 gallon. What is the difference between table salt and aquarium salt? My friend uses table salt and has had a lot of healthy bettas for almost five years now.

Isaac

 

[Synirr]

Alright, I added 3/4 teaspoon of aquarium salt to my 3 gallon. What is the difference between table salt and aquarium salt? My friend uses table salt and has had a lot of healthy bettas for almost five years now.

Isaac

I'm not sure if there is a difference.. I use aquarium salt anyway, just incase. I know that you can use table salt if you like, so long as it isn't idonized.

 

[BettaMomma]

I've read that there are caking agents in the table salt that can be harmful to fish. That i'm not sure of - just heard it somewhere else...

Table salt usually has additives like potassium and/or iodine which can be toxic to your fish.

 

[Synirr]

Table salt usually has additives like potassium and/or iodine which can be toxic to your fish.

Yeah, that's why you use the non-idonized kind. Too much iodide is very bad for them.

I'm not sure about the caking agents... I used non-idonized salt in my tanks a few times when I ran out of normal aquarium salt and there were no ill side-effects

 

[daudy_dojo]

i just stick with stuff that is for aquariums... dont trust nuthin else!

 

[Kiarra]

Anything that is PURE NaCl (Sodium Chloride) is fine. If there are any other ingredients, it may not be safe to use.

 

[IovaykInD]

I looked at my kitchen salt and it says "Does not supply iodide, a necessary nutrient." Does that mean I could use it for my aquarium? In the ingredients, it says contains: salt and sodium silicoalaluminate.
What is sodium silicoalaluminate? Is it harmful?

Isaac