Api Aquarium Salt

[JT-SCFC-1912]

Purchased some of this today, apart from a possible treatment of white spot, does it have any other uses?

It states on packaging that it can be used during water changes

Anybody use this?

 

[Essjay]

Freshwater fish do not need salt, and a lot of freshwater fish are harmed by salt. You don't need to add the salt at water changes.
 
Salt used to be added routinely to tanks in the old days as it helped with nitrite poisoning. But even though we now have well filtered tanks with zero nitrite, it doesn't stop manufacturers marketing salt as something we should all be using routinely. It doesn't cost them much to make and they can make a nice profit by selling expensive 'aquarium' salt.

 

[Mikey1]

its really a personal preference thing....is it nessessary???.....no
 
some people add a bit of salt as they feel it protects the fish, it also helps any wounds they might inccur heal faster....
 
others dont believe in it....
 
i dont use it on a regular basis, once in awhile, but i only dose about a quarter of whats recommended on the package....salt can harm certain fish....so it also depends on what fish you have....

 

[lee420]

i use 1 rounded tbsp per 5 gallons when i do water changes. salt is a sanitizer so it will help prevent infections etc. only add salt for water added though because when water evaporates the salt stays. also its not good for scaless fish like corys, although it hasnt affected my corys

 

[garyspence84]

I've always favoured it over treatments for white spot, fin rot, fungas or any wounds that fish pick up. All of which are a rarity now thankfully. But I would still rather aquarium salt over just about ANY bottled treatment.

Wouldn't advise using it for every water change though.

 

[TarkMalbot]

I have some of this that I have had for ages and stopped using it.  Now I am getting back into the hobby and started up my new tank I am wondering if its worth putting some in now and then just to use up what I have?  do the fish need to acclimatise to it or can I just put in say 1/4 of the recommended amount in each water change until its all gone and then stop?

 

[Mikey1]

I have some of this that I have had for ages and stopped using it.  Now I am getting back into the hobby and started up my new tank I am wondering if its worth putting some in now and then just to use up what I have?  do the fish need to acclimatise to it or can I just put in say 1/4 of the recommended amount in each water change until its all gone and then stop?

 
 
i would just save it, use it if your fish get sick

 

[raptorrex]

as for general use, the clue is in the title FRESH WATER FISH.
fish that benifit, from, or need salt are BRACKISH/MARINE.
 
It can be an extreamly good med though.
 
a mermber many years ogo used the phrase "fish keepers snake oil", in relation to Aquarium salt.
I've still never heard it put better.

 

[fluttermoth]

Totally agree with raptorrex; salt is a great. mild medication to have on standby, but there is absolutely no reason to use it all the time.
 
The only possible reason I can think of for using it in every change would be if you were keeping hard water fish, like mollies, in very soft water, but even then you'd be far, far better off using a proper remineralisation mix.