Salt treatment

[maestro]

Posted this topic here http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...showtopic=27523 havent got a reply yet but thats fine and ive decided as the fish doesnt seem in 2 bad a shape to start a treating with aquarium salt, on the packet it says 2 teaspoons for every gallon (i have a 15 gallon tank) now this seems quite alot to me, especially as i have a clown plec in there, ive done some searching and most people seem to find the pleco's cope ok with the salt but thought maybe a lower dose might be better,

So any recomendations on what dose i should start with? and when adding, do u dissolve it first in a little water and then add to the tank?

 

[noelberg]

Hi maestro,

If you're going to use salt ONLY for medical purposes, I would highly recommend using a hospital tank.
I'm pretty sure my salt instructions say to use 1 teaspoon for every 2 gallons, and I wouldn't even recommend that much with a plec. If you don't use salt right now and you have scaleless fish, you definitely want to add it gradually. Going from no salt to the recommended amount per gallon can be stressful.
And I just dump the crystals in the tank - they dissolve quickly. But you can dissolve the salt first if you prefer.
And if you have a filter like mine that causes a lot of surface agitation, then be prepared for a white residue on the top of your tank. IMO I've been having better overall luck with my fish since I cut down on the freshwater salt in the tank, hence the recommendation for the hospital tank.

Sorry for the longwindedness and HTH!

 

[maestro]

on the instructions it says 10 grams per 2 gallons, 10 grams is 2 teaspoons isnt it? so what would everyone recomend as a good startign dose.

I do have another tank i could use as a hospital tank, but its not cycled and i havent got another heater, i will buy one and set one up if i have to but i just thought treating the main tank would be easier for now till i save up a bit

 

[crazie.eddie]

I would NOT dump the salt in there. Salt does dissolve that quickly. Put the aquarium salt with water and let it dissolve. Certain fish are very sensitive to aquarium salts, so if they come in contact with the salt crystals, they may get burned from it. Once the salt dissolves, slowly pour the mixture in the tank over a long period of time. Make sure the larger crystals do not get in the tank.

 

[pufferdude]

You could also put the salt in your filter. You should be fine with adding 1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 gallons of water.