Salt who still believes ???

[lincolngoh]

I don't see anything in your post explaining why to avoid sodium chloride however you are right in saying not to use salt unless the fish has health issues in which case, the use of salt is hereby warranted. The tannins from the leaves do have antibacterial properties and do help.

Yes, I have used salt in the past, I did have ray causalities in the past.

I then moved on to Epson salt, before finding that preventive measures like making sure the ray has sufficient mineral and vitamins supplements for high immunity and various leaf extracts, a better solution.

If sodium chloride is already added...

- I would not add the minerals and other salts for fear of an overdose. I do drastic water changes and prefer not to worry about salt levels in my tanks, when I put mineral salts. (The reprocessed pee water in Singapore has low mineral and high chlorine/chloramine content)

- I'm not sure how salt works, but if it dehydrates the ray, in the long run I don't see many ray kept in tanks with constant high salt levels thriving. I'm paranoid the ray may loses more than just water...

- If added along with chemical and anti bacterial remedies, it has caused a mass and sudden ammonia spike, from a sudden and total bacteria wipe out in my tank. I keep many rays together and don't want to affect the whole tank just because of 1 ray.

These are just personal observations, and from what I see among my fellow ray keeping pals. It's not scientifically proven or anything.

I just feel that each keeper has to custom their own system of ray keeping to cater to the different schedules, budgets and situations they are in. So besides doing water changes with clean enriched* water, I'm wary about any 'just add X' solutions.

 

[T1KARMANN]

I agree with everything you said except this.
86 is imo too high for extended periods of time. In Nature the temperature is lower than this most of the time ( 72-82 day/night norm.) If you constantly high-rev the engine you burn it out.

86 is what my heaters are set at

but with all the water changes i do (2 x 25% per week 50% in the summer ) the temp drops down to 78 in the winter 80 in the summer

i find the big changes in temp stimulate rain fall and encourage breeding

they are just things i have noticed and what works well for me may not work for others

 

[DavidW]

i am also a firm believer that keeping the temp high 86

so what you said wasn't quite right and you don;'t actually keep your rays at 86 all the time

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

 

[T1KARMANN]

so what you said wasn't quite right and you don;'t actually keep your rays at 86 all the time

perhaps i worded it wrong but 5 days of the week my temp is at 86 in the summer months it goes as high as 90 not seen any problems

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

So just to throw more into the train wreck, im curious if anybody ever actually measures the O2 levels on their water?

 

[csx4236]

So just to throw more into the train wreck, im curious if anybody ever actually measures the O2 levels on their water?

Of course I have dissolved oxygen meter always running in my sump to see what my levels are. Now I think your going to ask does salt effect your O2 levels? and answer is NO I have never seen any difference in O2 when adding salt. High water temps during summer months is only time we see O2 drop.

So far for those of us keeping score SALT 1 - NO SALT 0

Scott keep us posted on what happens with third ray when you add salt.


H20

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Now I think your going to ask does salt effect your O2 levels?

Great info Mike, but my next question was is there a significant difference in O2 level between 86 and 72 degrees?

 

[T1KARMANN]

I'm not keeping score but i have ho problems at high temp

i only put salt on my fries

so i would count that at salt 1 no salt 1

i have no problems at high temps no parasites at all

as my next batch of F3 p14 have bred now (i think) in the same time span as the last breeding pair from new born to breeding in under 2.5 years

so something must be right with the water

 

[Nic]

Great info Mike, but my next question was is there a significant difference in O2 level between 86 and 72 degrees?

there will be a pretty siginificant difference... the warmer water will hold less you know this silly

this is why airstones are soo important and surface aggitation etc....