aquarium salt vs sea salt?

Question

okay i wad reading the boxes at the pet store for sea salt and aqarium salt because I needed to treat my guppy for a tial problem. The aquarium salt said it was for reducing stress for freshwaterfish and helping cure diesises and the sea salt was for making a saltwater aquarium.

so heres my question

since guppys prefer brackish water could you acually use the amount of aquarium salt for helping keeping freashwater fish healthy instead of having to get the really expensive sea salt and then I could also add a pleco or something casue i really want one.

Answer 1

yes, most livebearers actually prefer freshwater aquarium salt to sea salt, but, please buy the stuff at the pet store and not the stuff at the grocery store. Also, it is 1 TABLESPOON per 5 gallons, although with guppies you can go even higher, with one teaspoon per gallon (about 1 tablespoon per 3 gallons). I wouldn't go higher than 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons if you get a pleco or other scaleless fish. In my personal experience, plecos get really large and destructive (and stop eating algae), and in a guppy tank you may be better off getting a smaller algae eater like an oto cat or a siamese algae eater.

Answer 2

Actually, aquarium salt is more pure than sea salt, - sea salt contains alot of different minerals. Personally I use iodine free table salt, - it's alot cheaper... works well, 1 teaspoon for 5 gallons. Most fish can cope with this sort of concentration, including plecos.