DO I HAVE TO USE AQUARIUM SALT OR...?

[Lupin]

I would stick with aquarium salt

There is no reason why you should avoid table salt. The myth has really successfully campaigned itself against the use of table salt in tanks despite the fact table salt is no different.

 

[FISHY FINGAZ]

YEA BUT ITS NOT REGULAR TABLE SALT ITS "SEAT SALT" DO YOU USE TABLE SALT?

 

[Itsadeepbluesea]

there is a difference between the two

 

[sostoudt]

i would look at the additives then decide. some maybe harmful. i do know the amount of iodide added isnt enough to cause a problem except maybe in a breeding environment or using it to make a brackish or salt water salinities.

the best to use would be kosher or pure salt. some anticaking agents may harm fishes gills(just what ive heard)

 

[sostoudt]

UNTIL I CAN GET THE WATER SOFTENER SALT WILL THE SEA SALT THAT I SHOWED WOR. THE ONLY REASON I WANT TO ADD SALT IS TO WORK AS TONIC, AND KEEP THEYRE GILLS HEALTHY, AND KEEP THE FUNGUS AWAY ALL THE GOOS STUFF. AS FAR AS WATER SOFTENER SALT GOES ANY BRANDS IN PATICULAR YOU RECOMMEND?

a regular addition of salt serves no purpose for most fish. and its actually the line of thought, about using regularily that makes it less effective. people have used it so much alot of parasites and funguses have a higher degree of tolerance to it now.

so kinda like our over use of antibiotics is creating super bacteria. just keep you water quality good and make sure you only by healthy specimens, you will be fine. and incase of parasite being brought in with a new fish, treat with actual medicine it will work better then salt.

 

[Toby_H]

Lupin, I have always ‘heard’ that table salt cannot be safely used in aquariums. If you are rebutting this common claim, it would be great if you could include some facts, references or personal experience supporting this.

I am not disagreeing with you on this topic… but at the same time I’m not willing to disagree with the many other’s I’ve heard say the opposite just because someone on the internet said it’s okay…

I have also heard that “water softener salt” is aquarium safe… and is far less expensive than aquarium salt… Dmpar74, are you suggesting this after using it personally without any problems? Or just repeating what you’ve heard?

… Qualifying thoughts/opinions/suggestions makes a world of difference. I read a lot of nonsense on the internet, more so than normal in forums… therefore I commonly ignore the vast majority of opinions that are just thrown out there without any logic to back them up…

I have little experience with salt as I do not believe using it on a constant basis holds any real value and on the rare occasions I wish to use it as a healing aid I get a cup or two from one of my several friends who keep reef tanks…

 

[dmopar74]

i have used countless pounds of water softener salt salt in my tanks, never lost a fish from dats to fahaka to whatever. cures ick great, used in quantities of up to around 1tbs per 2g.

 

[Toby_H]

i have used countless pounds of water softener salt salt in my tanks, never lost a fish from dats to fahaka to whatever. cures ick great, used in quantities of up to around 1tbs per 2g.

I never trust random suggestions... but I put a lot of value on user experience... thanks Dmopar!

 

[swede]

lupin, countless sources have told me that aquarium salt or its equivalent, softener salt are good to use in african cichlid tanks. can you explain why this is a ripoff?

 

[Lupin]

Lupin, I have always ‘heard’ that table salt cannot be safely used in aquariums. If you are rebutting this common claim, it would be great if you could include some facts, references or personal experience supporting this.

I am rebutting the hearsays based on experience unless someone can prove to me that table salt killed his fish, unless someone dissolved the salt completely which most people tend to forget is an important factor to consider when you have bottom dwellers. You keep hearing "table salt kills fish" but the question is how? Nobody proved this can. Read the threads in Aquariacentral.com. You will find many of us there recommend and use table salt for ich cases. It is very easy to preach this and that but some people choose not to practice what they preach. In other words, they do not know what they are talking about unless they have proof to prove their claims are true.

I am not disagreeing with you on this topic… but at the same time I’m not willing to disagree with the many other’s I’ve heard say the opposite just because someone on the internet said it’s okay…

That's up to you whichever side you want to hear. I talk facts, not mere myths and opinions based on hearsays that people continue to spew around the aquarium trade without proving such claims are true.

I have little experience with salt as I do not believe using it on a constant basis holds any real value and on the rare occasions I wish to use it as a healing aid I get a cup or two from one of my several friends who keep reef tanks…

Using it on a constant basis holds no real value. The only valid reason I use it, is to treat for ich, not condition the fish or "safeguard" the fish completely from any health issues based on the grapevine.