API Aquarium Salt Question

[Joker666]

Hi, I have a question, is API aquarium salt, does that increase the salinity of the fishtank, or, as the company claims, it just helps fish health? it just helps fish health right? By adding that API salt, I am not increasing the salinity right?

 

[Bwood22]

Hi, I have a question, is API aquarium salt, does that increase the salinity of the fishtank, or, as the company claims, it just helps fish health? it just helps fish health right? By adding that API salt, I am not increasing the salinity right?

Yes...API Aquarium salt is Sodium Chloride (NaCl). It will absolutely increase the salinity of your tank. It's also expensive. But it's fine if you have a small tank.

If you have a large tank or multiple tanks I recommend this:

Diamond Crystal
Solar Naturals
It's pure, additive free sodium chloride in a 40lb bag for the same price as a small carton of API aquarium salt.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Were does it say that it dose notraise the salinity? I would honestly like to know!
You cant put salt in somthing and not raise the salinity, thats not how things work, consider buying a hydrometer if you plan to add salt to your tank.

 

[jdhef]

Welcome to FishLore!

I'm a strong believer in if you have freshwater fish, you don't need salt.

 

[Joker666]

Were does it say that it dose notraise the salinity? I would honestly like to know!
You cant put salt in somthing and not raise the salinity, thats not how things work, consider buying a hydrometer if you plan to add salt to your tank.

for the API Aquarium Salt.

Yes...API Aquarium salt is Sodium Chloride (NaCl). It will absolutely increase the salinity of your tank. It's also expensive. But it's fine if you have a small tank.

If you have a large tank or multiple tanks I recommend this:

Diamond Crystal
Solar Naturals
It's pure, additive free sodium chloride in a 40lb bag for the same price as a small carton of API aquarium salt.

View attachment 879461

I had done a water change which was just 10-15% and before that water change, I already had aquarium salt added. After that 10-15% water change do i need to add salt again??

 

[Bwood22]

for the API Aquarium Salt.

I had done a water change which was just 10-15% and before that water change, I already had aquarium salt added. After that 10-15% water change do i need to add salt again??

The short answer is yes....however, if you don't mind my asking, why are you using salt? And what size tank/fish are you keeping in there?

 

[JustAFishServant]

Yes...API Aquarium salt is Sodium Chloride (NaCl). It will absolutely increase the salinity of your tank. It's also expensive. But it's fine if you have a small tank.

If you have a large tank or multiple tanks I recommend this:

Diamond Crystal
Solar Naturals
It's pure, additive free sodium chloride in a 40lb bag for the same price as a small carton of API aquarium salt.

View attachment 879461

Ho-ly fish! I just checked my local Tractor Supply Co and they have a 40lb bag for $7! I knew I liked them for their selection of high quality dog and cat food or bulk hay for guinea pigs, but I had no idea they'd have fish-safe salt! Thanks Bwood22!

 

[Bwood22]

Ho-ly fish! I just checked my local Tractor Supply Co and they have a 40lb bag for $7! I knew I liked them for their selection of high quality dog and cat food or bulk hay for guinea pigs, but I had no idea they'd have fish-safe salt! Thanks Bwood22!

Yeah it's a great deal if you use lots of salt.
I breed a lot of Africans for local fish stores and other local hobbyists so i keep my salinity at 1.001 constantly. I never have disease issues and everyone's fins are always pristine...or healing very quickly if tattered a bit.

But be advised...its big chunks of salt. So depending on your situation, you may want to grab something like this nutribullet to chop it up.
I think I picked this up one day for $20 while following my wife around Homegoods or TJMaxx or one of those places she's obsessed with.

 

[JustAFishServant]

Yeah it's a great deal if you use lots of salt.
I breed a lot of Africans for local fish stores and other local hobbyists so i keep my salinity at 1.001 constantly. I never have disease issues and everyone's fins are always pristine...or healing very quickly if tattered a bit.

But be advised...its big chunks of salt. So depending on your situation, you may want to grab something like this nutribullet to chop it up.
I think I picked this up one day for $20 while following my wife around Homegoods or TJMaxx or one of those places she's obsessed with.

View attachment 879528View attachment 879529

Ah I see. Yeah I don't use a lot of salt but I think I should. The mountain water here is "hard", has excessively low pH (starts out at 6.8 out of the tap then decreased down to 6.4 with high filter flow, or 6.6 with little to no filter flow,) and has low salinity. I've been keeping fish in this water for almost 12 years and didn't often have fish diseases, however recently I've noticed a huge increase in deaths recently. The water chemistry hasn't changed that I've seen (6.8 pH, 20 nitrate, 0-0.5 nitrite, 0 ammonia/ammonium.) Maybe it's the increasingly poor genetics of fish? Whatever the case, I've lost 2 fish within the last few days (one was suffering from an odd illness for many months, the other had anchor worms when I got him but I hadn't seen adult worms in months.) I think maybe I could try your salt method?

How do you measure the salinity so precisely? A plastic gravity doodad from instant ocean or one of the expensive ones you look through?

 

[Bwood22]

Ah I see. Yeah I don't use a lot of salt but I think I should. The mountain water here is "hard", has excessively low pH (starts out at 6.8 out of the tap then decreased down to 6.4 with high filter flow, or 6.6 with little to no filter flow,) and has low salinity. I've been keeping fish in this water for almost 12 years and didn't often have fish diseases, however recently I've noticed a huge increase in deaths recently. The water chemistry hasn't changed that I've seen (6.8 pH, 20 nitrate, 0-0.5 nitrite, 0 ammonia/ammonium.) Maybe it's the increasingly poor genetics of fish? Whatever the case, I've lost 2 fish within the last few days (one was suffering from an odd illness for many months, the other had anchor worms when I got him but I hadn't seen adult worms in months.) I think maybe I could try your salt method?

How do you measure the salinity so precisely? A plastic gravity doodad from instant ocean or one of the expensive ones you look through?

I use this one...but any of the digital testers should do fine.

Hanna Salinity Tester HI98319 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SW89GVP

Why do you have 0.5ppm nitrite? That's going to cause issues. Salt will inhibit the nitrite from absorbing into the fish's bloodstream. But I would try to get to the bottom of the source of the nitrite itself.

I keep all my holding/grow out tanks at 1.001 (1/2 cup per 20 gallons)
If you are treating something like ick go to 1.002
For serious or stubborn illnesses you can go up to 1.003 but that's where you need to be very careful about salt tolerance levels in fresh water fish. Most fish will do ok up to that point.

I never use meds...ive never needed to.
Salt and heat in my world works wonders.
But I only keep African cichlids and I can get away with that.
This is by no means, a prescription for everyone who reads this.

 

[JustAFishServant]

I use this one...but any of the digital testers should do fine.

Hanna Salinity Tester HI98319 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SW89GVP

Why do you have 0.5ppm nitrite? That's going to cause issues. Salt will inhibit the nitrite from absorbing into the fish's bloodstream. But I would try to get to the bottom of the source of the nitrite itself.

I keep all my holding/grow out tanks at 1.001 (1/2 cup per 20 gallons)
If you are treating something like ick go to 1.002
For serious or stubborn illnesses you can go up to 1.003 but that's where you need to be very careful about salt tolerance levels in fresh water fish. Most fish will do ok up to that point.

I never use meds...ive never needed to.
Salt and heat in my world works wonders.
But I only keep African cichlids and I can get away with that.
This is by no means, a prescription for everyone who reads this.

Nitrite only shows up when there's construction around the area, which hasn't happened in a few months/years at least. It's 0 otherwise.

Also, I've had friends with 1ppm nitrite that didn't show signs of damage. I don't think it's as toxic as people make it out to be...same with ammonia

Good to know - so 1 tbsp per 2.5 gallons then

I hardly ever use meds either. Haven't ever really needed to. Even though I rescue bettas, I don't use salt - I just increase the heat and do water changes lol. But for stubborn illnesses I'll try salt. Haven't used "freshwater aquarium salt" in over 7 years though so we'll see how it goes

 

[Bwood22]

I just increase the heat and do water changes

Amazing.

Everyone...write that down.

 

[JustAFishServant]

Amazing.

Everyone...write that down.

Lol no, I'm serious! It's almost a "cure-all." But, of course, I'll use salt or meds if water changes and heat don't work