Quick Rundown Of Salts..

[VaegaVic]

There is much confusion on the net about salts, how and when to use them in a tank. I would like some answers on the matter in order to better everyone's understanding..
As far as I was aware, there are currently 3 salts in the hobby.

Aquarium salt (dried out marine water?) used for tonics, pH buffering and general fish well being.

Marine salts, used to altering the salinity of water, brackish-saltwater.

and Sodium Chloride, used by people who think it is one of the above.

Can anyone share some more info on the matter, because that is the extent of my knowledge and I would love to know more!

 

[hillbilly]

There is also Epson salts (magnesium sulphate), used for treating constipation.

 

[saltynay]

In freshwater all three are fairly pointless.

You can create a dip out of aquarium salt (it is not sea salt it is a special blend) which will help a fish recover similar to a general tonic however trying to get the quantities right depends very much on the fish. You can use aquarium salt also as a regular part of a maintenance schedule but its been shown to shorten the life of fish due to them being less able to cope with general bacteria in the water a bit like using UV filtration in a non-commercial tank. In my opinion tea tree oil or melafix (pre blended version) is way more effective than aquarium salts, I have always had a box of them though just in case I need it. Some fish cannot tolerate any salt.

Sodium chloride can be used as an antibacterial dip although it can lead to burns on the gills which cause more harm then benefits of the salt.

 

[VaegaVic]

Ok thanks for that, but can you be more definitive?
Or actually, maybe I should be.

What is aquarium salt, is it actually epsom salt under another name?

What's the difference between the salts, do they all dissolve? etc etc

 

[Geoff-]

There is also Epson salts (magnesium sulphate), used for treating constipation.

You're forgetting chicken salt. It's great on hot chips!


I've read plenty of comments on the net that the whole drama about table salt having iodine in it is meaningless because the concentration of iodine is so small and that table salt is OK for fish. And since I read it on the internet it must be true.

 

[raptorrex]

There is much confusion on the net about salts, how and when to use them in a tank. I would like some answers on the matter in order to better everyone's understanding..
As far as I was aware, there are currently 3 salts in the hobby.

Aquarium salt (dried out marine water?) used for tonics, pH buffering and general fish well being.

Marine salts, used to altering the salinity of water, brackish-saltwater.

and Sodium Chloride, used by people who think it is one of the above.

Can anyone share some more info on the matter, because that is the extent of my knowledge and I would love to know more!

Aquarium salt, can be used as a med.
as a tonic "for the well-being of fish" lol, not a chance. lol.
if fish need salt, they would live in brackish or marine, not fresh water. oh yeah, sodium chloride IS aquarium salt. and any adjustment to PH caused by the salt, will be buffered out by the water. so its not a long term solution.
even so, it can make a very good med!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marine salt for brackish and marine, environment creation.

 

[raptorrex]

the best way, to look at Aquarium salt is as, "Fishkeepers snake oil". apart from the med aplication. its totally useless for fish.

sorry this started as an error double post.

 

[saltynay]

Epsom salts are a ph buffer used in marine aquaria and are Magnesium Sulphate so any sort of magnesium deficiency it will solve its not really a freshwater aquarium salt.

All salts are ionic compounds and should dissolve in water as Hydrogen ions are positive and Oxygen ions are negative attracting the salt and breaking it up to form 2xHCl 1xONa for NaCl

 

[drobbyb]

You can use a custom mix of Epsom Salt (magnesium chloride) and other minerals to work out a mixture for using with RO water. This can be a good thing because you are always adding the same concentration of minerals with your water changes resulting in stable conditions for your fish. This is pretty common practice with African Rift Lake cichlids.