Tea Tree Oil and Sea Salt during the Cycle.

[TheInnerSanctuary]

Hey everybody! Starting my first aquarium in over a decade and cycling for about 2 weeks. I plan on keeping Guppies. The tank is about 10" tall and 15" wide, a bit smaller than 10 gallons I'm thinking. I just got a few sprigs of Water Sprite and I leave the light on from sunrise to sunset. I'm trying to give as many specifics as I can so that maybe it'll help get more answers.
My question is about adding Tea Tree oil, which I hear is good for preventing fungus infection and wounds, and sea-salt for slime coats... Is there any detriment to the cycling period if I add a drop of oil per gallon and about a teaspoon of sea-salt? My concern is that it'll kill the cultivating bacteria that I need, and harm the plants/fish.

 

[Heathd]

I generally leave the tank alone while in the cycling period, aside from testing and other standard procedures.

The tea tree oil is a new one to me, and I would just use aquarium salt in place of sea salt.

 

[Toby_H]

Guppies are freshwater fish. I would not keep salt in the water for typical keeping.

I've never heard of using Tea Tree Oil either. Since I have no experience with it I won't suggest there is anythign wrong with it, but as I've kept fish for a great number of years without it I'm confident in saying it's not necessary.


I c an't say either one is 'bad for cycling' but I wouldn;t use either one, while cycling or after...


If you do choose to keep some salt content in the water, feel free to use sea salt. Aquarium salt has additives to help make RO water meet typical saltwater conditions. Not all freshwater set ups with a touch of salt want all these other additives.

 

[RedDwarf]

The Tea Tree oil might hinder the colonization of benefitical bateria during your tank's cycling period. It's the main active ingredient in Melafix which is used to treat bacterial infections. You can put some salt in the water to help with the slime coat if you like but it's not necessary.

 

[Toby_H]

From what I understand... salt "promotes slime coat" by agitating the fish's skin thus triggering it to increase the slime coat...

Fish will biologically create the slime coat it needs.