# Adding Salt To An Aquarium



## Ohio Cichlid Lover (Feb 27, 2012)

I know this is a subject that is highly disputed. Personally I add about a tbsp of kosher salt per 5 gallons of water to all my tanks (55, 29, 20L, 10). I have been doing this for the past 4 months. I honestly can't say that it has helped anything that I can visually see but I have had no outbreaks of ick or any other thing that might harm my fish. Am I wasting my time adding the salt as a preventative measure? I have heard that the salt is actually good for the fish in some way. I do have some small catfish in these tanks but It does not seem to bother them.

Any opinions will be appreciated.

Van


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## NYPDMOUNTIE (Jan 10, 2012)

If you're going to add salt add aquarium salt. Not kosher salt.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

There is no difference between kosher salt and Aquarium salt. Both are plain, sodium chloride. Freshwater fish have evolved to live in freshwater and their mechanisms function to regulate their water content in freshwater. Adding salt messes this natural function up, and taxes their kidneys. There are time when treating fish for various ailments, that salt may be beneficial, for short term use, but regular use is not necessary, and in fact may be harmful in the long run, general practice not withstanding. Many times I have heard people say they use salt and don't have ich. I will say I don't use salt and haven't seen a case of ich in my tanks in over 20 years.


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## Ohio Cichlid Lover (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. Removing the salt from the water can only be done by doing water changes correct?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Yes, water changes will eventually reduce/remove the salt from your aquarium.

I also have never used salt as a preventative remedy in my tanks and haven't had Ich.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

There is no need to panic if you added some salt, but I agree that it simply isn't necessary or even beneficial. In my experience you get Ich by buying fish from tanks that have Ich. For example buying fish from chain stores in my area is virtually a guarantee that you will have Ich in no time! I haven't had a single case of Ich since I stopped buying fish from chain stores several years ago. Before that it had been a constant battle for me.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

Really? I was told that if i had soft water to BUFFER it with epsom salt and baking soda. I do that recipe from this site but stopped using plain salt. Just the epsom and baking soda.
My water is ok, and NEVER had ich.
am i hurting my fish??


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## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

With respect to the therapeutic aspects of salt for occasional use, epsom salts are magnesium salts, which humans also use as a laxative, so it may well be that the epsom salts may have a similar benefit to treat bloat. Some people use them as a first resort medical treatment and swear by it. But the baking soda is definitely a good idea, especially if your source water is soft, for African cichlids to raise the alkalinity, which in turn stabilizes the pH.

I suspect that those expensive ocean salt mixes for salt water tanks are made primarily of calcium chloride, epsom salts, baking soda, and sea salt. These ingredients in the right proportions would be capable of raising the calcium, magnesium, pH, and specific gravity to the levels stated on those products, and would also contain the sea salt trace minerals as well.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

So no salts needed at all? Just baking soda? For my soft water?


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## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

Is your water softened by a water softener, or is it from a spring source? Natural water is not as soft, and softener water has some salt already added by the machine. If you use a softener, you might want to bypass it for fish water. In a natural water source both calcium and magnesium are normally present to some degree, most commonly in roughly a 2 to 1 ratio. Definitely use the baking soda, and opinions will vary about adding more than that, but a small amount of calcium chloride, or epsom salts would not be a bad idea, since it raises general hardness, and helps to stabilize pH as well. You can read the hardness on your test kit, and judge it from that. You certainly don't need to overdo it.


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

My GH on my api TEST STRIP is 180 or up.
Thanks for any input


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## Mike_G (Nov 8, 2011)

A fish's skin functions as a semi-permeable membrane- adding a little salt reduces the osmotic pressure of the water, allowing for easier fluid exchange through the fish's skin which is beneficial for detoxification, as well as absorption of water-borne medications.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

B.Roberson said:


> My GH on my api TEST STRIP is 180 or up.
> Thanks for any input


You don't need to buffer with Epsom salt to raise GH. It's fine where it is.
Depending on your KH readings, you may or may not need to buffer with baking soda.
Check out the article on Practical Water Chemistry.


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