That is the question. Freshwater tanks do you believe in adding salt at waterchanges or not? Support your reasons why or why not. If this has been done already sorry but post the link.
To salt or not to salt?
- Thread starter drb
- Start date
No salt
Reason
1. Your fish can already live happily in freshwater, why add salt?
2. Waste of money and IMO should only be use to cure diseases, mainly ich or for brackish fish
3. Some freshwater fishes don't do well in brackish water
4. You risk creating salt-resistant ich, which is a PITA to combat when salt and heat don't do the trick
Reason
1. Your fish can already live happily in freshwater, why add salt?
2. Waste of money and IMO should only be use to cure diseases, mainly ich or for brackish fish
3. Some freshwater fishes don't do well in brackish water
4. You risk creating salt-resistant ich, which is a PITA to combat when salt and heat don't do the trick
Spiritofthesoul;5077225; said:
1. Some amount of salt is naturally found in all freshwater/
2. 50# bag cost 5.00 dollars and only higher doses are used to treat illness.
3. 1 tbsp per 5 gallons doesnt add up to brachish water.
4. Adding salt wont create ich.
My understanding is that adding salt as a general 'tonic' does absolutely nothing and is a waste of time.
He didn't say create ich, he said create salt-resistant ich. Ich is usually present in a tank to some extent. Adding a small amount of salt may breed a strain of ich resistant to salt.
He didn't say create ich, he said create salt-resistant ich. Ich is usually present in a tank to some extent. Adding a small amount of salt may breed a strain of ich resistant to salt.
Is English not your first language?
You don't seem to understand what's being said. No one is saying it will 'breed' ich as in create ich where none exists. What is being said is that ich is already there, and adding salt may breed those strains of ich into strains that don't mind a bit of salt.
You don't seem to understand what's being said. No one is saying it will 'breed' ich as in create ich where none exists. What is being said is that ich is already there, and adding salt may breed those strains of ich into strains that don't mind a bit of salt.
English is my first language and I am fluent in 4 others. I dont have any issues with ich and have been using salt in freshwater tanks for over 25 years and adding salt has had no impact on my tanks or fish having ich. Thanks for your opinion, but my question was not how to create salt resistant strains of ich.
you have been using salt for 25 years and sounds like your not about to change. then why the question? salt is not needed in a fw tank. does'nt matter what you do. I use it when my wild discus scratch themselves on the wood. seems to heal faster, but for no other reason. many catfish and tetras do not like salt. is adding it going to kill your fish? no it wont. it's just not needed.
I didnt put salt in my 55 gallon for about a year . My Jag wasnt acting right so I decided to put some in. I have been using it ever since I think he likes a little salt. He has never had ich so havent had to deal with rhat cross my fingers. I have seen a post like this before though.
I thought for brackish water you would need to use marine salt. I don't think aquarium salt has anything to do with making brackish water.
I stopped using aquarium salt though.. Just can't stand the salt build up it leaves on tanks like calcium stains.
I stopped using aquarium salt though.. Just can't stand the salt build up it leaves on tanks like calcium stains.