Home Depot salt

[badreverend]

When you use "water softener salt" you are exchanging the calcium ion for the sodium ion and creating brackish conditions. If you are trying to create natural soft water conditions for Amazon type fish, salt is not the way, the high amount salinity created is not the same as "soft".
Peat is a much better choice.

I'm trying to use the salt as we normally would in the aquarium, not to soften the water. The peat was for softening, do you know if peat "moss" is the same thing, or at least have the same effect as just "peat"?

 

[badreverend]

What about this?

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154212

I would have just posted it on this thread, but I didn't see it so I made my own thread. oops.

I'll be bouncing back and forth with you

 

[badreverend]

Pay attention to the label. Not all of them are suitable for aquarium use. The green bag (I think) says it has no additives. Some have additives for iron and mineral sequestering.

Gotcha, the no additives makes sense, the pellets would dissolve slower, but I don't think that is a terrible thing

 

[pcfriedrich]

this is another good one. its got no additives, is finely ground, and is less than $2.00 for a 5 lb box. you can find it at the grocery store, near where they sell canning products (mason jars, parafiin wax...).

http://www.mortonsalt.com/products/foodsalts/Canning_Pic_Salt.htm

 

[CHOMPERS]

As I was wondering about peat moss as a water softener, something else hit me, what about the salt that Home Depot sells for use in their commercial softener canisters, could that be used as aquarium salt? Thanks

When you use "water softener salt" you are exchanging the calcium ion for the sodium ion and creating brackish conditions. If you are trying to create natural soft water conditions for Amazon type fish, salt is not the way, the high amount salinity created is not the same as "soft".
Peat is a much better choice.

I didn't read into the original post the same way. Just to clear things up, water softener salt is just a form of purified salt (with or w/o additives). The salt isn't what does the softening, it is the resin beads. Without the water softener, there won't be any ion exchange. (The salt regenerates the resin beads and is then flushed to waste.)

Aquarium salt has many uses. It keeps pathogenic bacteria in lower numbers, kills several harmful fungal species, controls many external parasites, and is used as a general tonic. In other words, it is a very cheap insurance policy for your aquarium.

 

[badreverend]

I didn't read into the original post the same way. Just to clear things up, water softener salt is just a form of purified salt (with or w/o additives). The salt isn't what does the softening, it is the resin beads. Without the water softener, there won't be any ion exchange. (The salt regenerates the resin beads and is then flushed to waste.)

So, we're still saying yay right, that didn't mean we're saying nay now, right Chompers?

 

[badreverend]

this is another good one. its got no additives, is finely ground, and is less than $2.00 for a 5 lb box. you can find it at the grocery store, near where they sell canning products (mason jars, parafiin wax...).

http://www.mortonsalt.com/products/foodsalts/Canning_Pic_Salt.htm

Thanks, that does look like another good 1, except its $2 for a four pounder not a 5, what a ripoff, ha, they both are good, and certainly better than the LFS

 

[Nic]

think he is saying nay to your idea of using it to soften water....i posted a link in your other thread for the keta peat.. i would use that

 

[dirtyblacksocks]

Common table salt is the same as aquarium salt - just watch for additives, like everyone else said.

Epsom salt can also be used as a general laxative to help cure blockages in your fish - which is a more common problem in smaller fish than larger ones.

 

[CHOMPERS]

So, we're still saying yay right, that didn't mean we're saying nay now, right Chompers?

I have no clue. It depends on what you meant by your original post.

1. Salt is good for regular aquarium use.

2. Salt is not a water softener.