is it safe to add aquarium salt to a newly established cichlid tank that has been running for two weeks?

Question

Cichlids benefit from adding salt to the water. I just dont want to shock the fish and kill them.

Answer 1

id honestly wait at least 2 more weeks. until your original water has cycled completly throught. this takes a month. i would do a 25% water change once a week until then. then when your original water is free of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates then i would add 1/4 of the whole amount of salt in the morning the first day. 1/4 the evening of the first day, 1/4 in the morning of the second day and the rest at night.
EXAMPLE if you have a 90 gallon tank ( you should add one tbsp per 5 gallons)
you would need to add 18 table spoons. you would add
4 tablespoons in the morning on lets say a friday, and then 4 table spoons friday night. then another 4 table spoons saturday morning and then you would add 6 table spoons saturday night. this way there is not so much change going on in the tank all at once

Answer 2

For freshwater fish adding salt is actually most beneficial during the early stages of tank cycling. It will prevent nitrite poisoning by inhibiting the fish's uptake of nitrites.

It will be very good for your fish, just so long as you follow the instructions. There are few if any fish that will get sick from the low 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons on the instructions. You can go to a heavy salt dose of 3 tablespoons per gallon when treating ick parasites with no ill effects to most fish.

If you're paranoid about it, you can get a salinitytesting kit from the pond section of your fish store. Its a very easy test where 1 drop of reagent = 0.01% salinity and its accurate for freshwater ranges. If you keep it under 0.14% Just about anything freshwater will live, below 0.08%, most plants will live.

FYI though, most african cichlids prefer minerals like calcium and magnesium in the water (not south american / new world cichlids). Having the proper hardness will probably go further than having the right salinity for them. do a google search on "aquarium KH" and "aquarium GH". Many people increase the magnesium content of their aquariums on the cheap by adding epson salts.

Answer 3

i would be careful with soft water cichlids and salt -- soft water is soft because it doesn't have anything in it. the general rule for putting salt in a freshwater tank is about a tablespoon for 5 gallons. you can do this in increments -- like 1/3 a week. you also have to take evaporation into account because the salt doesn't evaporate it stays in the water. so don't put salt in replacement water all the time. there is also the concept that its the fluctuation of salinity that keeps parasites and bacteria out of your tank -- they don't adapt as well as the fish and die out. for this to work you have to go from salt back to no salt and back again.

Answer 4

Well, cichlids are freshwater fish so they don't really benefit from salt any more then any other freshwater fish.

You are probably thinking of cichlids from hard water, like Malawi and Tanganyika. In this case it's not salinity they prefer, but a higher mineral content, which results in a higher PH and GH. In this case you should certainly read up on the chemistry involved - it's better to leave the water alone then start playing with it blindly.

All other cichlids not from the Rift Lakes are soft water fish and should be treated as such.

You will find helpful articles on water chemistry right here:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/chemistry_list.php

Once you figure out why you are changing the water and how, just do it in smaller portions to avoid sudden changes to the fish. But frankly, unless your fish are from lake Tanganyika and your tap water is less then 7.5 ph, you are safest just to leave it alone.

Answer 5

particular, they're going to savour them. Aquarium salt help take care of sickness, whilst making the fish greater healthful and energetic. in reality, maximum freshwater fish place self assurance in them, for killing micro organism. in addition they're going to help kill algae, decrease ammonia, and reduse ph temperatures. be cautious in spite of the undeniable fact that, to not use too lots. desire this helped.

Answer 6

ABSOLUTELY !!!!
As long as you use "FreahWater" salt, NOT MARINE.

Salt helps with gill movement and aids in the natural process with the slime coat.
FOR ALL TROPICAL AND FREASHWATER FISH.
Just use as instructed !!!!

Answer 7

Add it slowly. You don't need to add as much as if you were dosing for a disease. I'd stick to half of that at most.