View Full Version : Will low levels of salt in my tank kill my plants?
messiner
11-01-2005, 9:03 PM
I would like to add salt to my tank but have a few plants. i have heard that the salt will kill the plants, but it depends how concintrated the salt is. Is this true?
if i can add salt to my tank then how much per gallon? should i forget about it?
FEEDBACK :thumbsup:
yourmylunch
11-01-2005, 10:59 PM
a little salt should be fine but not like a brackish tank
1 teaspoon per 5 gallons is a good small dose
why do you feel the need to add it?
sohfatfish
11-01-2005, 11:51 PM
If you have those hardy and easy growing plants then 1 tsp per 5 galllons is alright. What kind of fish do you have and why do u need to add salt? I only add salt to treat fungus infections. Also some kinds of fish do not like salt.
hardb0iled
11-02-2005, 12:13 AM
I'm also curious about how much salt is too much for planted tanks, I like to add some salt to my tank to aid in fish health but I also have a some plants which I would like to be healthy. I currently add about 1-2 teaspoons of salt per 10litres, this does not appear to effect the plants too much but I'm not sure if they'd be growing better if there were lower amounts of salt in the water?
messiner
11-02-2005, 6:20 PM
i have heard that salt is great for fighting off ick and fungus and that is promotes the growth of fins and a better silme coat. i have a redtail cuda, snook cichild, ropefish, lima sn, reg pleco, clown knife, african knife, tiretrack eel, flag tail in a 90.
messiner
11-02-2005, 6:22 PM
[QUOTE=messiner]i have heard that salt is great for fighting off ick and fungus and that is promotes the growth of fins and a better silme coat. i have a redtail cuda, snook cichild, ropefish, lima sn, reg pleco, clown knife, african knife, tiretrack eel, flag tail in a 90. none are sick but i would like to cover my basses LOL i mean bases
sohfatfish
11-03-2005, 12:17 AM
Well if you dont mind slower growth of your plants then go ahead and add salt. Salt is pretty good for the fishes as it also raises the osmotic pressure which enables easier tranfer of oxygen through a fishes gill and also so that the kidneys of the fish do not need to work so hard to expel water from their bodies. Just make sure your fishes will be ok with salt in their tank.
If some salt would slow plant growth, would a little salt also help combat algae growth as well?
Cnidaria
02-03-2006, 12:30 AM
If some salt would slow plant growth, would a little salt also help combat algae growth as well?
Each type of algae likes a different salinity. So if you drastically change the salinity you might get a different type of algae.
TONY60
02-03-2006, 1:33 PM
Salt will normally be found in fw tanks. even if none was added. Salt is a by product of a chemical reaction. When an acid and base mix you get water and A salt. Rotting material gives off acids. Your water's buffers have a base in them. Fish waste should also have salts in it.
Cnidaria
02-05-2006, 12:42 PM
Salt will normally be found in fw tanks. even if none was added. Salt is a by product of a chemical reaction. When an acid and base mix you get water and A salt. Rotting material gives off acids. Your water's buffers have a base in them. Fish waste should also have salts in it.
True, but not all salts are made of sodium chloride, and it is the sodium that the fish's cells need for osmoregularity (bringing in water). A cell (whether fish or human) needs to spend one ATP (unit of cell energy) to bring one molcule of water into the cell. Since water forms a sphere of hydration around sodium ions (about 60-100 water molecules) the cell can spend one ATP to bring in one sodium ion, along with 60-100 water molecules, all for only one ATP.
Sorry, that was really nerdy.