Aquarium Salt

[FatKid]

I'm still rather new doing tons of reading & lot's of learning. (Thanks to all your posts) But I'm trying to understand the aquarium salt purpose and if I should be using it or not? My water tested fine at IPU in Burnaby Saturday, but I've lost a cpl wee ones in the last 3 days. Just wondering if the salt would help?

I've been told to purchase things from the market, but not certain what to buy. Any help or info would be much appreciated.

[cichlid]

aquarium salt is a good idea. what kind of fish are in your tank?

[jobber604]

Salt helps increase the hardness of the water thus enabling the fish to better absorb oxygen and minerals. Water in lower mainland is soft.

[FatKid]

aquarium salt is a good idea. what kind of fish are in your tank?

African cichlids. Should I purchase the aquarium salt from the lfs, or should I pick up the salt from the market? How much should I use and how often?

Thank you all for your responses.

[cichlid]

with africans deffinatly use aquarium salt, salt is a great healing agent, so if the fish get nipped etc, its like medicine.

I would go to the local store, go to the shop you trust, talk to him, with the stuff I bout today it was 1 tsp. per 5 gallons. so do a bit of math.

Right now I have a female yellow lab with a foggy eye, I have salt in my tank, another thing to consider on africans is a waste control, and cichlid buffer, they love hard water and high PH, most stores should have it.

[FatKid]

Thank you both for your help. How often should I be putting this in the tank? With each water change? Which is currently once a week 15 gallons from a 55 gal tank.

[clintgv]

Thank you for your help. How often should I be putting this in the tank? With each water change? Which is currently once a week 15 gallons from a 55 gal tank.

I get my aquarium salt from LFS's. I also have african cichlids . I put the salt when ever I do water changes. Also I put it in my tank if my fish is injured. Aqurium salt helps it heal faster.

[taureandragon76]

Don't waste your money on salt from the lfs, just go to the grocery store and get either pickling salt or kosher salt. Way cheaper. Also for africans epsom salts help. Here is a recipe from the cichlid forum Rift Lake Buffer Recipe - Cichlid Salt you can just use the kosher or pickling salt but the marine salt has more minerals in it. No matter what you do you will never be able to completely match the rift lakes. Alot of people don't bother with the salt and whatnot as alot of the fish in the trade are tank raised but it doesn't hurt to add it either.

[user_error]

thanks for the tip taureandragon76

fatkid, i use a good dose of salt in my community tanks any time i see a fish that is sick, damaged or is on its way out...

also some fish like platies like salt in the water

[troutonafly]

hi i have an unopened box of aquarium salt 33 ounces.if you want too come too new west you can have it,i have shrimp and dont us it.