Salt And Plants...

[Hollymolly4]

I just set up a 55gallon tank and added just under 1Tbsp/5gals. Is this a low enough amount to be ok for my plants or is any amount bad? (I used TopFin Conditioning Salt)

After reading some other old posts about this here's another question... What is the difference between Marine salt and Conditioning salt?

 

[Revision17]

After doing a bit of math, you have (31.939412 liters / 18.927059 grams) = 1.68 parts per thousand of salt (= 1.0012 specific gravity). Well, generally except salt tolerant plants (have a look at brackish aquarium plant options), Sodium Chloride and plants don't really mix well. Although 1.68 ppt is a very tiny amount of salt, you would probably do better with some slightly salt tolerant plants.

Marine salt has extra chemicals added, such as carbonate, magnesium, calcium and trace elements which ocean life depends on greatly. Conditioning/Aquarium salt is just NaCl.

Why are you using salt in the first place?

EDIT: Ah, after reading your posts I see you've got an aquarium of mollies. Marine salt would probably be the better choice (though I'd just finish whatever conditioning salt I had). Under 1.003 SG, you have a decent amount of plant choices. Above that, and it becomes pretty limited. Depending on how high you want to run your aquarium.

 

[three-fingers]

That's good advice above. In regards to adding salt for mollies, see this pinned topic: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/Common-Livebearers/137887/Mollies-Need-Salt/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/Common-L...lies-Need-Salt/[/URL]

And here's a really good thread about adding salt to a freshwater aquarium in general, you should read through it, some important information in there: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=196353&hl="]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=196353&hl=[/URL]

IMO, adding salt in the way your currently doing is only helping your wallet to get lighter .

One tablespoon per 5 gallons will do nothing to benefit the your mollies, especially considering it's not marine salt.
All it's doing it potentially harming your other fish over time, and making your wallet lighter.

IMO the manufacturers of these different 'freshwater aquarium' salts say to add such a low amount because it will not noticeably harm the fish enough for the average consumer to realise that the long term source of any problems they encounter was the salt.

Sodium chloride is nothing special, and the stuff branded for aquarium use is very expensive compared to other sources of it.