Multiple water changes and aquarium salt

[WarrendaFish]

As 12 Volt man was describing…

If you remove (for example) 30 gallons of water… you have removed 6 tablespoons of salt… to maintain the desired concentration you must add 6 tablespoons when you replace the 30 gallons…

If you do a 30 gal water change once a month, or three times a day you will still need to add 6 tablespoons with every 30 gallon water change to maintain the desired concentration…

If you remove 30 gallons of salted water and replace the 30 gallons of water with the standard salt dosage for 10 gallons… you will be lowering the overall concentration of salt in the full volume of water…

Although, I agree with all of the advice given thus far… maintaining a concentration of salt in a freshwater Cichlid aquarium is not necessary…

Thats the answer I was looking for, thank you.

So, this draws another question...

Different stock would require a different salt content, such as Africans, or brakishwater fish, right?
How much then should I put into the tank, if any, when I do a water change for an SA Cichild?

 

[Toby_H]

So, this draws another question...

Different stock would require a different salt content, such as Africans, or brakishwater fish, right?
How much then should I put into the tank, if any, when I do a water change for an SA Cichild?

Brackish water fish are a different story, as their natural environment has a salinity level we can use as a target….

Since our SA cichlids do not have a salinity level in their natural environment to use as a target, there is no level of salinity that “should” be kept, unless we choose to use zero as our target.

I do understand your thinking that there may be some level that does maximum benefit with minimum deficit, and that level may change from species to species or from region to region… But I have never heard/read any suggestions of where such a difference may lie…

If you choose to consistently use salt, I would suggest you use the manufacturer’s recommendation for consistent use… although, as you can imagine, I do not suggest you consistently use it

 

[WarrendaFish]

Thank you very much for all the info.

I will follow your advice and slowly ween off the salt.

 

[12 Volt Man]

you don't need to ween them off. next time you do a water change, don't add salt. over a few water changes, (ie a few weeks) the concentration will be zero..

 

[Toby_H]

you don't need to ween them off. next time you do a water change, don't add salt. over a few water changes, (ie a few weeks) the concentration will be zero..

I completely agree... doing regular weekly water changes will lower the salt content slightly each week...

 

[tcarswell]

im not sayin ittl make your fish healthier but doesnt it work as a preventative, because all tanks have ick right?? but it takes stress in the tank to spark an outbreak (from what i was told @ a LFS), and doesnt the salt help keep the fish from stressin (works as a tonic) kinda like weed duz for us?

no... That response was not only in violation but you need to stop listening to your drum circle for aquarium advice.