Salt Water Aquarium Tips and Tutorials

Which table salts can you use and which can’t you?

Yes I’m cheap, don’t flame me about it. But I am not in the mood to spend about 5 times as much money for something just because it says aquarium salt. So question for those people that use table salt in their tank, what brands do you use? I currently have morton salt right now, it says "this salt does not supply iodide, a necessary nutrient" so should I trust it? I use like 3 salt grains per gallon so it doesn’t affect my water much, but still I want to make sure it’s safe.

Also to all the people who are going to scream at me saying table salt isn’t safe, you shouldn’t use it because you’ll kill your fish. T_T too bad. Oh yeah, can you use salt from caves or wherever else people get them from instead of sea salt? I need to find a good salt brand…. sigh
Ok 3 salt grains is a slight exaggeration of how much I use, but I don’t bother with the table spoon per 5 gallon thing, just a small pinch is all I use, will do the Kosher salt thing though. My bettas have never gotten an ich attack, but I get paranoid, pity the only tank I can’t use salt with is the one that gets ich attacks every other water change -_-

The best non aquarium salt to use is Kosher Salt. It’s pretty much identical to Aquarium Salt.. Generic brand is fine as long as it says it’s Kosher

Aquarium salt is nothing except Sodium Chloride. That’s all Kosher Salt is. The reason I wouldn’t use table salt.. even non iodized table salt is because it contains anti-caking chemicals.. calcium silicate. I have no idea what prolonged exposure to silicates do to fish, so I don’t use it.

There are some other salts that people use that do contain other things. Cichlid salts contain other trace elements that are helpful to that species of fish.

If you’re only using three salt grains per gallon, why even bother?

Why did my fiddler crabs die?

December 22nd, 2008 at 9:23 pm


6 Responses to “Which table salts can you use and which can’t you?”

  1. Hey Says:

    the white kind

    please answer mine: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ata9HLPB2ZlqhmrRC.9t3Mzsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20090825201819AAPnZVO
    References :

  2. Nathan Says:

    yeah… technically u could use salt with iodine, just not to much…

    but just in case I’d use either your Morton or Epsom salt… Epsom salt actually is the best for fish tank usage…
    References :

  3. baymast13 Says:

    You cannot use table salt in a fish tank. However, I learned from someone who is a fish expert that Epsom Salt is the same thing as aquarium salt.
    Some fish do benefit from a small amount of salt being added to the tank. There are species, however, that cannot tolerate it. Catfish, for instance, cannot tolerate salt in their water. Do some research so you don’t harm your fish.
    References :
    Fish keeper for years.

  4. Alex Says:

    Kosher salt or sea salt from the store is ok in a pinch.

    Aquarium salt doesn’t just provide salt, but other trace minerals needed by fish.

    So using that in a salt water rig isn’t going to do you any good.

    If you’re treating Ich or preventing it, 3 grains per gallon of Kosher or Sea Salt isn’t going to hurt things
    References :
    25 years freshwater aquarium experience

  5. pyramidcal Says:

    I would probably pas on the table salt, since it contains iodine, which is not good for fish. I would try to find rock salt in the grocery store. Also, i would pass on sea salt, since it probably contains other minerals. Good luck.
    References :

  6. Jason P Says:

    The best non aquarium salt to use is Kosher Salt. It’s pretty much identical to Aquarium Salt.. Generic brand is fine as long as it says it’s Kosher

    Aquarium salt is nothing except Sodium Chloride. That’s all Kosher Salt is. The reason I wouldn’t use table salt.. even non iodized table salt is because it contains anti-caking chemicals.. calcium silicate. I have no idea what prolonged exposure to silicates do to fish, so I don’t use it.

    There are some other salts that people use that do contain other things. Cichlid salts contain other trace elements that are helpful to that species of fish.

    If you’re only using three salt grains per gallon, why even bother?
    References :

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