Does Aquarium Salt Work?

[allstarme]

Does Aquarium Salt really promote disease recovery. I just bought a jar of it and was wondering how to use it. Yes I am fairly new to fishkeeping so any obvious answers might help. Thanks.

 

[Braddah]

I hear it helps as a general tonic and helps fish absorb O2 a bit easier...use 1 Tbl. for evry 5 gallonsof H2O.....

 

[totalbolshevik]

Well... I am not really an expert, but somebody on this forum told me to use it for ammo poisoning... don't use it on catfish or any scaless fish though. I assume that there would be directions on the bottle. You can use it in your tank or as a bath (put the fish in a container of salted water for a little bit) but like I said I'm not an expert so ask somebody else here or at the lfs. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions here. We're all nice people who are trying to help. Like it says at the top of the page: "the friendliest forum around." It is really true!

 

[juliethegr8t]

I also use a tablespoon of salt per 5 gallons - seems to work pretty well as a general stress reducer, and it also is helping reduce the toxicity of my high levels of nitries. I recommend it, though you have to be careful with it and scaleless or sensitive fish like neons.

 

[gadazobe]

Julie - why are your nitrites high?

 

[allstarme]

Well I followed the instructions on the back and added one tablespoon per 5 gallons. How often should I add this treatment and for how long? How often should I do water changes while doing this?

 

[Flippin'thing bit me eye]

Carry on with your normal water changes and just add salt to the new water, don't as my brother did and put the whole tanks worth in for every bleedin water change

 

[qwik108]

Since I have some catfish I usually only put in about half of the recommended dosage. Also just like they said oly add more salt when you do water changes. To much salt can be really bad for your fish. I would recommend to use it. It is pretty cheap so why not use it if it recommened.

-Chris

 

[Braddah]

be careful as salt does not evaporate with the h2o so if you change 5 gallons of h2o put only a 1/2 tbls. in....I have found that adding salt didnt help me when i had no2 but what the hey....but if you have a sick friend a quick bath can help....(just like going to the beach!!!!)

 

[juliethegr8t]

Julie - why are your nitrites high?

I'm still cycling - they have gone up and stayed up. They have gone down some, since I took the advice of someone on this forum and have done daily 10% water changes, and now I'm switching to every other day to let my bacteria continue to grow. I am also feeding much much less. Cycling is hard !

 

[smb]

I only use salt in times of stress or disease.

It's up to you when you want to use it, but remember that salt doesn't evaporate or leave the aquarium.

If you use 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons in a 30g tank in the begining, then remember, when you do a water change and take out 10 gallons, you only add the salt for the 10 gallons you took out. Not for the whole 30 gallons again.

 

[Liz05]

One of my lionhead goldfish had ammonia burns on his fins, I added aquarium salt and he was fine in less than two weeks.

 

[revengeishere]

i read that salt only works as a parasite/pathogen killer when theconcentration changes suddenly, meaning, dont add salt when fishes are healthy and such, only put it in if signs of stress are observed...im not exert, but this is based IME.

 

[adder]

There's a good article about salt here for those interested:
http/www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/salt.shtml