# Aquarium salt - too add or not to add?



## Borntofish (Nov 30, 2007)

Hi All,
The guy at the LFS recommended that I start adding aquarium salt to my 75 gallon planted community tank. He feels it helps with overall health, parasites and water quality. So I am curious to how many out there agree with this approach??
Thanks in Advance!


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## oheresy (Feb 10, 2009)

I don't know about anyone else, but when I first started planted tanks a little over a year ago, I started with dalmation mollies. I started adding aquarium salt little by little, but every time I did, all my fish died. Once I stopped the salt, fish weren't dying anymore. But that's just my experience.


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## Mr_docfish (Apr 21, 2008)

it all depends on what is in the salt - sodium chloride on its own is not good..... you have to balance the sodium and potassium if you want to add a reasonable amount of salt (same as humans - too much sodium in your diet is not good for you)

Salts can also mean products like rift lake salts - basically calcium and magnesium salts and maybe potassium (depends on brand)... these are fine with most fish, but do the changes gradually.

Another incorrect interpretation of salt is products that buffer the water (increase the pH in particular) - these might contain sodium or calcium or other salts, hence given the name salt.... but this increase in pH can cause problems if the pH jumps too quickly or in the presence of ammonia, not a good thing...

In general, salts are good for the fish, but must be slowly changed and dont think that more is merrier - keep it to a moderate level.... plants dont like it though..... and ask what is in the product - if it is just 100% NaCl (Sodium Chloride) avoid it (often over priced anyway) and look for a mixed product that does not change the pH (test it first) unless the fish you are using it on are naturally from high pH environments and the current pH in already neutral or alkaline and there is no ammonia present.

There are many websites that explain the advantages of salt in the aquarium, do a search and you will find them.


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## Bryeman (Aug 24, 2009)

I don't add salt and never have in any of my aquariums except for my 75g when it was a Cichlid only tank. I've maybe lost two fish in the last ten years that I would consider a result of disease. Not advocating for or against salt, but merely saying you can have a very successful experience without it, or at least I have.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Do not add aquarium salt if you plan on keeping aquatic plants. Aquarium salt is very harmful and will kill plants. If you have fish-only, you could add a small amount of salt to the water if you want, some fish seem to enjoy it. Just make sure that you remember salt is not used by anything in the water. It will never leave the tank unless you remove water and replace it with fresh water. Topping up evaporated water doesn't count as removing water!!


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