Market salt

[CHOMPERS]

epsom salt is basically aquarium salt..

OUCH!!!
Epsom Salt is magnesium sulfate. Aquarium salt is sodium chloride.

Some salt info:
Any sodium chloride salt is suitable as aquarium salt as long as it does not have weird additives (water softener cleaners, etc.). Mortons in the blue bag for water softeners does not have additives and is $8 for 40 pounds.

Iodized salt has less iodine than iodine based fish medications. It is therefor safe for aquarium use. I prefer to use it in hospital tanks since it is a free medication.

The four major ions in saltwater are chloride, sodium, magnesium, and sulfate. A 50/50 mix of Epsom Salt and table salt is a close approximation of sea water (don't use it in a saltwater aquarium).

 

[CHOMPERS]

Oh, a little more info about magnesium sulfate, it is a laxative and anti-inflamitory medication. It is used to treat dropsy and internal inflamations in fish.

 

[BIGgourami]

OUCH!!!
Epsom Salt is magnesium sulfate. Aquarium salt is sodium chloride.

whats i was always told... i've never bought epsom salt

 

[Deano1956]

If epsom and table salt mixed is close to sea water why not use it in a sw aquarium?

 

[CHOMPERS]

whats i was always told... i've never bought epsom salt

That's cool, so now ya know.

...and if anyone asks, you can tell them that ya got pwned by a SW noob.

 

[CHOMPERS]

If epsom and table salt mixed is close to sea water why not use it in a sw aquarium?

Because it is deadly to fish without being pH buffered. There is also a pretty long list of minor elements and compounds that are extremely important to the survival and well being to fish and inverts. Many of the trace elements and minerals are also critical. The water needs sodium bicarbonate and sodium bisulfate to raise and keep the pH around 8.2. The fish also need a source of calcium and iodine for bone growth. Calcium chloride or calcium carbonate can be used. Calcium chloride is readily soluble in water but calcium carbonate is not. To dissolve calcium carbonate, you can use vinegar but it is best to use hydrochloric acid.

I have sourced nearly every compound to make artificial sea water but the limiting factor is strontium. It costs over a thousand dollars per kilo (minimum order). It is a trace element and a kilo would last a lifetime even if I produced sea salt commercially.

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium bisulfate, hydrochloric acid (muriatic), and calcium chloride are all pool chemicals and can be purchased at any pool store, HD, or Lowes.
The iodine source can be either Lugals formula (water based) or iodine tincture (ethanol based). I use the latter for iodine supplementing only because it is cheaper ($2 vs. $20 for Lugals at the lfs). The level in natural sea water is .06 ppm. To get to .06 ppm in a totally depleated system you would use two drops of 2% iodine tincture per ten gallons of tank water (including sump).

 

[CHOMPERS]

Here's a chart for the major elements in sea water.

 

[CHOMPERS]

By the way, notice that on the chart, nothing is in the proportions that you would expect. The chart is in weight percents rather than atomic percents. It makes it pretty weird. For Stochiometry calculations, you would need to consult a Periodic Chart for the atomic weights.

 

[Dominator]

wow thank u so much chompers.

 

[yogurt_21]

ouch my head hurts. I think it's easier to stick with labeled marine salt and or sea salt that is acquired by evaporating sea water.