# Aquarium Salt



## FatKid (Jun 25, 2010)

I'm still rather new doing tons of reading & lot's of learning. (Thanks to all your posts)  But I'm trying to understand the aquarium salt purpose and if I should be using it or not? My water tested fine at IPU in Burnaby Saturday, but I've lost a cpl wee ones in the last 3 days. Just wondering if the salt would help?

I've been told to purchase things from the market, but not certain what to buy. Any help or info would be much appreciated.


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

aquarium salt is a good idea. what kind of fish are in your tank?


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Salt helps increase the hardness of the water thus enabling the fish to better absorb oxygen and minerals. Water in lower mainland is soft.


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## FatKid (Jun 25, 2010)

cichlid said:


> aquarium salt is a good idea. what kind of fish are in your tank?


African cichlids. Should I purchase the aquarium salt from the lfs, or should I pick up the salt from the market? How much should I use and how often?

Thank you all for your responses.


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

with africans deffinatly use aquarium salt, salt is a great healing agent, so if the fish get nipped etc, its like medicine. 

I would go to the local store, go to the shop you trust, talk to him, with the stuff I bout today it was 1 tsp. per 5 gallons. so do a bit of math.

Right now I have a female yellow lab with a foggy eye, I have salt in my tank, another thing to consider on africans is a waste control, and cichlid buffer, they love hard water and high PH, most stores should have it.


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## FatKid (Jun 25, 2010)

Thank you both for your help. How often should I be putting this in the tank? With each water change? Which is currently once a week 15 gallons from a 55 gal tank.


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## clintgv (May 6, 2010)

FatKid said:


> Thank you for your help. How often should I be putting this in the tank? With each water change? Which is currently once a week 15 gallons from a 55 gal tank.


I get my aquarium salt from LFS's. I also have african cichlids . I put the salt when ever I do water changes. Also I put it in my tank if my fish is injured. Aqurium salt helps it heal faster.


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

Don't waste your money on salt from the lfs, just go to the grocery store and get either pickling salt or kosher salt. Way cheaper. Also for africans epsom salts help. Here is a recipe from the cichlid forum Rift Lake Buffer Recipe - Cichlid Salt you can just use the kosher or pickling salt but the marine salt has more minerals in it. No matter what you do you will never be able to completely match the rift lakes. Alot of people don't bother with the salt and whatnot as alot of the fish in the trade are tank raised but it doesn't hurt to add it either.


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## user_error (Aug 15, 2010)

thanks for the tip taureandragon76

fatkid, i use a good dose of salt in my community tanks any time i see a fish that is sick, damaged or is on its way out... 

also some fish like platies like salt in the water


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## troutonafly (Jul 5, 2010)

hi i have an unopened box of aquarium salt 33 ounces.if you want too come too new west you can have it,i have shrimp and dont us it.


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## polkovnik_rzevskiy (May 7, 2010)

taureandragon76 said:


> Don't waste your money on salt from the lfs, just go to the grocery store and get either pickling salt or kosher salt. Way cheaper. Also for africans epsom salts help. Here is a recipe from the cichlid forum Rift Lake Buffer Recipe - Cichlid Salt you can just use the kosher or pickling salt but the marine salt has more minerals in it. No matter what you do you will never be able to completely match the rift lakes. Alot of people don't bother with the salt and whatnot as alot of the fish in the trade are tank raised but it doesn't hurt to add it either.


I also, use kosher salt in my tank and have been doing it for 2 years now and saving all kinds of $...


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## FatKid (Jun 25, 2010)

troutonafly said:


> hi i have an unopened box of aquarium salt 33 ounces.if you want too come too new west you can have it,i have shrimp and dont us it.


Thanks for the offer but I'd probably spend more in gas getting there than heading up the block and picking some up. thanks anyways though.

So do I put this in the buckets as I'm doing the water changes or do I put it straight in the tank?

It appears as though my tank has finally cycled! It's sooooo clear today! Water changes do wonders... lol


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

bigals online has it really cheap, i just ordered some the other day

Browse Catalog

grab some of the lake salt and the buffer and your fishies will be happy


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