# anyone use salt



## yogurtpooh (Jul 28, 2005)

anyone use salt in their trophs tank?


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## txfront (Sep 27, 2007)

I use Epsom salt, to help keep everything flowing.


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## yogurtpooh (Jul 28, 2005)

would aquarium salt be good enough. if so how much
thanks. anything wrong with not using it before and then introducing it?


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 11, 2006)

Aquarium salt is different from epsom salt.....

Aquarium salt - Sodium Chloride
Epsome salt - Magnesium Sulfate

I use epsom salt during water changes....aquarium salt only if needed.


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## yogurtpooh (Jul 28, 2005)

so any epsom salt from the drug store is okay?


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## NorthShore (Feb 3, 2006)

I use epsom salt and marine salts.


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## BrownBullhead (May 15, 2005)

I use epsom salts from the department store, and "dead seas" salt from the super market; both of those are in addition to baking soda.


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## Afishionado (Jun 6, 2006)

I've been adding baking soda, epsom salt and kosher salt at water change time, in more or less equal proportions to keep the tank at PH 8.0 (tapwater is 7.4). Is there any benefit to the Kosher salt or should I skip it?


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## yogurtpooh (Jul 28, 2005)

do i really need any salt if my water is hard?


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 11, 2006)

Not really but the epsom salt helps digestion.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

I just though a simple review of salts might be helpful.

Sodium Chloride (normal table salt): In low levels it can be added to a tank to help prevent parasites. It is not necessary for African cichlids and not found in the Rift Lakes naturally in any quantity.

Calcium Carbonate: The primary salt in African Rift Lakes. Raises pH, raises total hardness, raises carbonate hardness. It is the most important salt in an African tank. A crushed coral substrate or larger coral based rocks will help to maintain this. Additionally various cichlid additives and buffers contain this.

Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking soda; *not* baking powder please): This is a very good buffer that not only raises the pH, but also increases carbonate hardness.

Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt): I am not sure the exact benefits of this for an African aquarium. Seems from the others comments that it does not hurt. There is magnesium in the rift lakes, although calcium is the major cation. I will do a search on this though. If anyone knows more about the benefits of MgSO4 I would appreciate their input.

I use a coral substrate and a 8.2 pH buffer and do very well. If I add new fish or some seem out of sorts, I add in a little sea salt. I have never had any issues with my pH, hardness, or carbonate hardness doing this and the fish seem to do very well. I have only kept a few tropheus in the past though, so details may be slightly different for them.

Hope this helps,
Carol


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

good input, Carol. and welcome to C-F.


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## yanyon (Feb 25, 2004)

If these salts are ok to add in our tanks, how much would you need to use during a water change?

table salt

baking soda

epsom salt


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

There are some great references and articles in the chemistry section of the Library (on this site) that might help.

Carol


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## geoff_tropheus (Feb 13, 2003)

I use Seachems Tanganyikan Salt, and Baking Soda.

I use a mix of these two to keep me at 8.2 to 8.4 most days of the week.


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