Salt Or No Salt

[tropical al]

i have a 12 gals tank ready for some platys to go in and was told to add salt is this a good idea is so how much do i add.. thanks

 

[Corleone]

No. Aquarium salt is a holdover from the bad old days. It reduces the toxicity of nitrites and nitrates, and it does help treat some diseases, but it also puts additional stress on freshwater fish and tends to shorten their lives. Nitrite is removed by the cycle, and nitrate is removed by regular water changes. In the past, poor understanding of the biology and chemistry involved in a tank meant it was common to do 10% water changes every six months, rather than the 20-30% a week often recommended now. Salt counteracted some of the detrimental effects this had on fish, but it doesn't completely eliminate them.

Since it sounds like you're starting out with pet store advice, there's another big pitfall they'll likely start you out with. Pet stores regularly tell you to set the tank up and leave it running empty for anywhere from several days to a month. This doesn't actually do anything except remove some fine particulate that might have gotten into the water (which is probably harmless anyway). You'll want to read these two threads

What is cycling:
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...eady-have-fish/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...eady-have-fish/[/URL]
Fishless cycling:
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...shless-Cycling/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...shless-Cycling/[/URL]

Going in on pet store advice can have poor results, not the least of which is the disappointment that causes so many people to stop keeping fish after their first attempt.

 

[violatoroger]

Hi I am a newbie on this forum. I was once a cichlid breeder had quited breeeding and shifted to aquatic plants. I am planning to go back to my breeding hobby to refine my experience in breeding fishes.

In your case, did someone advised you to put salt in rthe aquarium is that salt can kill (not mostly) some bacteria that might contribute to pollute your water. It is ok. If there are any decorations in your tank. dont bother to put methylene blue. But if your tank is bare and has no decorations. it is best to put additional methylene blue and 1/8 cup salt. this is to quarantine the fishes before it sets foot on the aquarium.