can i put table salt into my fishtank?

Answer 1

First, I only saw one link that backed up anyone's claims so here are a few links on the benefits and the type of salt to use in a freshwater aquarium (see below).

Now to discount a few other post:

danielle Z - Carbon does not affect adding salt to the aquarium. I've used carbon based filters in a marine aquarium and have never noticed any specific gravity (salt level) changes.

Multiple people - Regular table salt in a small quantity has never affected my father's 55 gallon fresh water tank. I don't recall the amount that he adds but the iodine in the salt has never been an issue. I've only used marine salt in a small quantity in my freshwater tank without any issues.

Worth noting is Neil S's reminder that salt doesn't evaporate. The only way the salt will leave the aquarium is through your regular water changes so if you are trying to maintain a level of salt in the tank, you should only replace that which you removed as part of the water change.


Edit:

Ryan D and leemuko - Carbon does not pull salt out of the tank. Here's another link to back that up (http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/filtration/a/aa061098.htm). You are both correct that you can't trust everything on the Internet but for sake of argument, can you provide reference to anything saying that carbon removes salt? About all I could find was that Carbon would remove phosphates (a good thing to remove) and could potentially leach/absorb trace elements (iodide). Lets not forget that even if trace amounts were removed, you are doing regular water changes so elements are being replenished. Oh, another link from a national pet store (Pet Smart) for their Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel® Aquarium Power Filters (http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441808569&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030059&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1176403633537&itemNo=12&In=Fish&N=2030059&Ne=2) shows both freshwater and marine support. You two may want to go to the PetSmart and other pet store chains and inform them of this discovery of yours. I'm sure marine aquarium owners all over the world would appreciate knowing that their carbon filters are removing salt from the tank. Just incase this one major retailer is by some chance wrong, here is another link from a competitor (PetCo) for a competing filter media product by Hagen AquaClear (http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_Nav_221_sku_347078_R_3695_enemerch_1.aspx?cm_re=221-_-TopSellers2-_-347078). I guess you two will be busy correcting pet stores all over the country.

I've been maintaining a marine aquarium and using carbon filled filters since 1989 when I setup my first 29 gallon marine aquarium. A college friend who ran an aquarium service and worked in a small pet store started me on the hobby and I've been maintaining tanks ever since. I've had both freshwater and marine tanks ranging from 2 gallons up to 55 gallons and I've assited people with tanks as large as 200 gallons. The only water problems I ever experienced was dealing with my parents well water (high sulfur content) and trying to keep anenomes alive. Never tried live corals (lighting is a bit expensive) other than a small piece of live rock (which my fish thoroughly cleaned). I've kept guppies, tetras, and pleco's up through oscars, gars and cicilids for fresh. I've kept damsels and clowns up through moray eels, lion fish, triggers, and groupers. I do feel that I have enough experience with aquariums to confidently cover most topics.

(Also for Ryan D - what would make you think I have no job? I am happily employed and living well above the average income for the area I live.)

Answer 2

Nope, there is no answer - these guys are tough. You can use poison, but do you really want a million dead and rotting snails in your tank? I know I wouldn't. The best thing is to use a combination of things. Mainly, keep the tank as clean as possible to elimenate their food sources - this mainly means scrubbing algae and feeding carefully and allowing no stray food to wander. The idea of using lettuce or zucchini and drawing them out that way will never eradicate the problem, but it is a good trick to help thin the numbers somewhat. Although there are fish like clown loaches that will eat snails, they won't eradicate them either, and buying livestock to fix problems, especially such a type that grows so huge, is never a good idea - not for algae or snails. Fish should only be purchased because you like them. And the other person is also right - there is nothing wrong with snails in the tank, it's just a question of keeping them at reasonable levels. I purposely stocked my tanks with trumpet snails and keep populations decent by keeping the tank clean.

Answer 3

Yes it is fine to use in your tank. However, there is no need for salt in an aquarium. The carbon does pull it out and Jim Mary we don't need a webpage to tell us that.

Remember when taking advice from the internet. Most forums and webpages are based on someone else's thought not on fact.

Table salt is fine for your tank. Iodine is needed by all living things to survive. The amount in table salt will not harm your fish.

Answer 4

Perhaps we should all listen to Ras, the self proclaimed vet of 12 years of age. Surfing the net to give answers Let us all add salt a few times every day to get our tanks up to par. PLEASE. Anone who listens to this person has more crap than her.

Table salt is ok. No need for salt. Doesn't do any good any way, so forget the salt. Let your tank run naturally. Had them for more than 40 some year no salt, not ich no deaths but by old age.

Also Jim Maryland go back to your geekhood and no job. You have not researched anything or you would know salt is pulled out by carobn you moron. It is used in water softeners to pull the salt from the water as well is in reverse osmosis. What a beaver. Used and abused by all the highschool kids.

NO salt what so ever best way to go. It does nothing anyway.

Answer 5

You can tell the actual fish hobbyists from the wannabe answerers here...

Yes, it's fine to use for freshwater tank. As well as kosher salt, rock salt, aquarium salt, marine salt, sea salt. I would only use salt in the tank for treatment of parasites or if you have high nitrites. If it's a brackish or marine tank, I'd only use marine salt. Has different elements those fish require. Here's a good link for info on salt in tanks:

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/salt.shtml

.

Answer 6

Perfectly fine to add table salt to your aquarium. However putting salt into your tank, with a carbon filter is useless. Your carbon will pull the salt from the tank within an hour of putting it in. Don't worry about the salt. Old wives tale here.

PS Iodine is needed by all living things. There is no overdoes on table salt for the aquarium. Especially since it won't be in there long.

Also DO NOT add salt three treatments. Geeze.

Answer 7

Hmmmm. And here I was buying iodine for my aquarium for the last 8 years and it was killing my fish. NOT. I add iodine to my salt tank weekly as part of the essential elements needed for tank health. A little salt won't hurt even a freshwater tank. I don't use table salt as it may contain other silicates to prevent clumping that may hurt the fish.

Answer 8

Gotta agree with MM there - Iodine won't kill fish like many people here have been lead to believe, but at the same time I wouldn't want too much of it in my tank, so the best thing is just to avoid its use.

Frankly, you're best bet is just not to use salt altogether unless you have a good reason too. The more additives and chemicals you add to your water the more complicated your making it, and the more things can go wrong. Keep it simple - water conditioner is all you need.

Answer 9

While at the grocery store, please read the labels on the salt containers. You will notice that you can get salt with and without iodine.

You want to use the salt without iodine and use it dissolved in a glass of water before you add it to the tank. 1 tsp. per 10 gallons of water.

Good luck

**USING IODINE FREE TABLE SALT AS A MAINTENANCE DOSE IN A "FRESHWATER TANK" IS ACCEPTABLE AND DOES NOT INJURE PLANTS NOR FISH.
EVERY TIME YOU MAKE A 25% WATER CHANGE, YOU ADD THE PROPER AMOUNT OF SALT FOR THE NEWLY ADDED WATER. THIS IS INFO FROM MAS-SOCIETY IN MINNESOTA, MEMBERS 200 STRONG.
IT IS ACCURATE INFO., PROVEN METHOD, IT IS NOT A HOAX, IT WORKS!

Answer 10

Preferably use aquarium salt from your pet store which is sold specifically for use in fish tanks. Don't use table salt [which contains iodine] but pure cooking salt is OK at 1 level T-spoon of cooking salt to 1 gallon of water. Remember that salt doesn't evaporate like water, so don't add it to top-up water. Hope this helps.