Dispelling Some Myths about Adding Salt to FW Aquariums

**leaveittoweaver** · 04-13-2012, 04:39 AM

I'm going to ask a potentially really stupid question. Is Instant Ocean salt the same thing as say the API aquarium salt? Just in a different form?

**Little Mermaid** · 05-26-2012, 09:52 PM

Thank you for the really useful information. I am a beginner and my Petshop insisted I buy a packet of aquarium salt and use a tablespoon of it in my 3 tanks for my variety of freshwater fish with regular top ups of salt. It made me wonder why I was making my freshwater salty as I am not keeping saltwater/marine fish. I was told it help keeps fish happy and healthy, altho the petshop did admit that my Pleco would not like the salt but would get used to it. Honestly- thank goodness for this site!!!! the salt is in the garbage can.

**butterbean** · 11-04-2012, 01:22 AM

Thanks I was feeling bad because I'm not putting salt in my tank.

**ILuvMyGoldBarb** · 11-04-2012, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by leaveittoweaver

I'm going to ask a potentially really stupid question. Is Instant Ocean salt the same thing as say the API aquarium salt? Just in a different form?

Wow, sorry I missed this question. No those are not the same thing. Instant Ocean is a marine salt. It contains many more minerals that just plain Sodium chloride, and is for making salt water for a SW aquarium.

**aquaman2013** · 02-06-2013, 06:19 PM

I agree that adding salt to a freshwater aquarium is not entirely necessary, but I have to say that I noticed a difference with my African Cichlids. When I first started breeding them I had trouble maintaining the proper pH. I used some aragonite to get the pH up to about 7.8, but they still would not breed (1 male; 4 female anchor island cichlids). After about 3 weeks I purchased some African Rift Lake salt, added to the tank, and and within 24 hours 3 of the 4 females were holding, and ended up producing over 60 fry altogether! The salt may have more of an effect for cichlids, but I thought I would share to see what you guys think.

**Rocksor** · 02-06-2013, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by aquaman2013

I agree that adding salt to a freshwater aquarium is not entirely necessary, but I have to say that I noticed a difference with my African Cichlids. When I first started breeding them I had trouble maintaining the proper pH. I used some aragonite to get the pH up to about 7.8, but they still would not breed (1 male; 4 female anchor island cichlids). After about 3 weeks I purchased some African Rift Lake salt, added to the tank, and and within 24 hours 3 of the 4 females were holding, and ended up producing over 60 fry altogether! The salt may have more of an effect for cichlids, but I thought I would share to see what you guys think.

Sounds like your tap water was missing some other minerals besides the salt. A better test would have been to use regular pickling salt (NaCl).

**talldutchie** · 02-06-2013, 06:45 PM

That is indeed one of the rare cases where it makes sense. Reasonably soft water and African lake cichlids. Part of an ich treatment is another. With African species and these special salt mixes do start slowly. Many are intended to beef up reverse osmosis water to African lake standards. If you'd use the full recommended dose on conditioned tap water you're setting yourself up for a big problem.

In my opinion aquarium salt is totally unnecessary and potentially harmful in about 99% of all aquariums. All it does is being an easy upsell for stores. I've been keeping fish since 1985 and I've never used salt.

**aquaman2013** · 02-06-2013, 07:31 PM

"Sounds like your tap water was missing some other minerals besides the salt. A better test would have been to use regular pickling salt (NaCl). "

Perhaps the NaCl would have been enough, I'll try that next time and see what happens. I would think that the rift lake salt has some sort of essential mineral that stimulates the females to breed (although the males are seemingly eager to breed no matter what the water condition is like lol). This is one of my research projects right now, so I'll be sure to post my findings on here and my website that I started: www.oceans-of-life.com. There is not much on Lake Malawi at this point, but I add new information everyday.

**talldutchie** · 02-06-2013, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by aquaman2013

"Sounds like your tap water was missing some other minerals besides the salt. A better test would have been to use regular pickling salt (NaCl). "

Thanks! Now I remember why I tend to stay out of salt discussion. Parting gift to you: http://malawicichlids.com/mw01011.htm

**aquaman2013** · 02-06-2013, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by talldutchie

Thanks! Now I remember why I tend to stay out of salt discussion. Parting gift to you: http://malawicichlids.com/mw01011.htm

I just found that link too! haha
I didn't realize how aquarium salt is such a debatable topic! Just like anything else, cichlids can adapt, so I agree that it is possible to raise and breed in regular, dechlorinated tapwater. I'm going to delve into a little bit of molecular biology to see what it is that stimulates female cichlids to breed, other that things like tank size, ratio of males to females, etc. I'm curious to find out what caused the my females to breed after adding the rift lake salt, because all the other parameters were in check beforehand...