How much salt to add to a 55 gallon freshwater tank?

Hello all,

Someone told me that they add some aquarium salt to their freshwater tank to help with illness/general fish health, so I thought I'd ask all of you!

1) Is aquarium salt a good idea in a freshwater tank? Are there any pros/cons I should know?

2) How much salt should I add to a 55 gallon tank?

3) My tank is planted - does this matter?

4) I have serpae tetras, discus, peacock gudgeons, otos, albino corydoras, nerite snails, and a pearl gourami - can this fish be in a tank with added aquarium salt?

Thanks in advance,

AG

 

Don't add salt.

 

Why are you adding salt for?

If you're not treating anything then don't do it.

Aquarium salt is not necessary in a freshwater tank. I definitely wouldn't use it with tetras and catfish. And definitely not in a planted tank unless you want to damage or kill them.

I have had a planted tank with catfish, tetra, snails, shrimp etc for years now and It is healthy as can be. Never used salt in that tank once

 

I agree with the above posters and would not add salt to a freshwater aquarium. If you needed to treat a fish for whatever reason them move it to a QT to treat but do not do your whole tank. Alison

 

Whoever told you that; don't take their advice anymore

 

I actually bought a huge container of aquarium salt when I set my tank back up after it being stored for a few years. It used to be normal to add some to even a freshwater tank but once I got here and did my research I find that it is no longer recommended and is actually frowned on.

So I am prepared if we ever have to melt some ice or something

 

Some fish are brackish and benefit from salt, some fish tolerate salt, and some should never have salt.
Do your research, unless you have a reason to add salt, don't. Even fish that live in brackish water in the wild probably don't require it after generations of tank breeding.

The best advice is to keep your water parameters *consistent*, and of course to keep up with water changes. Keep the salt for treating specific illnesses in a hospital tank.

 

And if you do get brackish or marine fish, don't get aquarium salt. It doesn't contain the proper mix of minerals to create the hardness and all the other stuff marine fish need. Use marine salt for that purpose.

I wouldn't even use aquarium salt for treating things. IMO, there are better treatments.

This is an interesting article:

 

Hello Gue...

I've been keeping fish for several years and find a little standard aquarium salt helps my fish with their general health. Specifically, their body covering "slime coat", breathing function, immune system and this sort of thing. I dose a teaspoon or a bit more in every 5 gallons of replacement water. I keep mostly livebearing fish, like Platys, Guppies and Swordtails. But, I also keep Plecos, Danios and Corydoras. They seem to benefit.

My plants are fine with this amount too.

Your decision, of course.

Old

 

But, I also keep Plecos, Danios and Corydoras. They seem to benefit.

I have a feeling that advice will be refuted wholeheartedly here. It's well known that scaleless freshwater Catfish react extremely badly to salt.

I'd avoid it completely.

 

LOL that article really cracked me up. He practically listed the entire periodic table including some radioactive elements. That is the composition of natural seawater, not the marine salt mixes we buy at the LFS.

 

Hello Dan...

Salt has been used for decades. I've used it for 10 years or so in my Corydoras hybrid breeding tanks and the fish are large and healthy.

Your choice.

Old

 

We ate raw meat for thousands of years, then we came across this thing called fire.

Not everything we have done for decades is for the best and can't be found out to be wrong.

 

To be fair to those who use salt, I don't think a little bit of salt will harm freshwater fish. The key here is "a little bit". Some tap water sources may already have some salt in it and there's no need to add more. I believe all life forms benefit from salt one way or another. Some people will think that if a little bit is beneficial, maybe more will help a lot. Please don't think like that.