Question on API Aquarium Salt (aka petstore rip off)

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
cool, Great thread. I love learning off other cheap fish nerds like myself. I spend so much I trey to save where i can
 
I use salt mixes that are meant for saltwater aquariums when I add salt to my freshwater aquariums e.g. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals salt mix.

Those mixes have a lot of beneficial trace elements and such in them and make for a what I believe to be a more natural balance in the water as far as trace elements and such go. On the other hand, it's not the cheapest route to go, though...
 
Epsom salt also have beneficial trace elements. I use these on my african cichlids.
 
mshill90 said:
Epsom salt also have beneficial trace elements. I use these on my african cichlids.
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Epsom salts is MgSO4 and yes you can add it as a water hardener/GH booster/plant fertilizer. Plaster of Paris is CaSO4 and can also beused as above. Stump remover is KNO3, some enemas contain phosphates, baking soda is a KH booster... There are all types of products you can get to avoid the aquarium markup.
 
lipadj46 said:
Epsom salts is MgSO4 and yes you can add it as a water hardener/GH booster/plant fertilizer. Plaster of Paris is CaSO4 and can also beused as above. Stump remover is KNO3, some enemas contain phosphates, baking soda is a KH booster... There are all types of products you can get to avoid the aquarium markup.
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I use it because the trace elements are similar to their natural lake habitat, and my fish seem to color up a bit more.

I don't use it for any of the reasons you mentioned.

I just use baking soda to up my PH if needed.
 
mshill90 said:
Fish need .3-.5% for healing.

And when I say 1 cup, I mean measured.

A 240, would get 2.5 cups to heal at .3%
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What are you using to measure this percentage of salinity? I just figure on how much I need based on how much water I remove, but it would be nice to measure this and now the exact ratio I have.
 
Electronic saltinity meter..

But for my koi I don't measure.. I've been doing it so long, I just eyeball it.
 
mshill90 said:
Electronic saltinity meter..

But for my koi I don't measure.. I've been doing it so long, I just eyeball it.
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I looked at these online. I found the Pinpoint brand electronic salinity monitor. They are expensive. I found them from $130-150. I know you can get those saltwater hydrometers, but I don't think they read under 1% salinity.
 
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