how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

[daisymac]

I just noticed that I have a case of Ich going - DRAT!  :evil: So I need to add some salt, but after reading other posts here people say to dissolve the salt first. How do you do that? The aquarium salt is so big. I put it in water and heated it, but that didn't help much. Any other ideas?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

I put in in my sump but for tanks that don't have sumps I just dump it into the tank either near the intake or output.

[daisymac]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

And that is a safe method? I have tetras, FW shrimp, loaches, 2 false siamensis and 2 BN plecos.

[Ellen]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

I put the amount of salt I want to use in a plastic (disposable) cup. Dip it into the tank to fill it up (but don't let it fall into the tank!). Swirl it around for a little bit, pour the water back into the tank and get more water from the tank...repeat until it's all dissolved. It takes some time though!

Ellen

[eklikewhoa]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

salt is suppose to be bad for shrimp.


i have had no problems doing it the way i stated and if the tetras are the ones i gave you they have been through the same cause i add a little epsom and aquarium salt when doing w/c, probably not as much as you are gonna use to cure the ich.

[guppymax]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

Maybe a different cure would be better for the tetras? What kind of FW shrimp?

max

[daisymac]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

I thought the shrimp were neocaridina, but they could be good ole amano shrimp.

[rrocket2002]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

OK.......this is prolly gonna make me sound dumb, but when I add aquarium salt to my tanks I just measure out how much I want to dump in and that is what I do.......dump it in.  The salt will dissolve, so I'm not sure I see the big picture here.

I hane not had any ill effects doing this.

Raul

[Mzungu]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

Since you just got a new python, this probably won't help, but I just mix the salt in the bucket of new water during water changes, and do something similar to Ellen's suggestion other times.

Raul, I've tried that before, but the fish think I'm feeding them, and eat the salt.  :?  I'm sure it gets into the system that way nevertheless, but I'd rather mix it beforehand! I also am paranoid, and think that if the salt lands on something in the tank (ie. plants, bacteria), even for a little while, it might not be handled well. Of course I have no idea if that would happen, but it's stuck in my head.  :)

[daisymac]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

Raul,

On another post it was talking about dissolving the salt. Last time I just put it in a plastic dish and sat it in there, but it it didn't totally disslove, so I wondered if I was not getting the full effects. I did end up dumping the last of the salt in the tank last night. So far so good

Daisy

[eklikewhoa]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

oh, now that you mention it daisymac i have seen cups of salt in tanks that dont completely dissolve at petcos and petsmart.

i have never had a problem though with doing so but i have pretty high current in my tanks.

[rrocket2002]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

Hmmm.  My line of thinking is that my tanks are at room temperature or higher and there is some current (filter, fish movement, aeration) so the salt pretty well dissolves.  

I have seen sometimes where one of my fish will think its food, but does not hurt them.  

If you are running a colder tank with little water movement and smaller fish like guppies then I can understand that the salt does not dissolve.  

I'm gonna try what you said Daisy, except I'm gonna put a breeder container in one of my bigger tanks with some salt dumped in and see what happens.  I have one that the slits on the sides are a decent size so there would be some water movement through the breeder.  If you are concerned about getting the full benefit from the salt I think that would be a good way to do it.  Even if it doesn't dissolve right away, it is seperated from your fish and plants/bacteria.

Raul

[clw219]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

I have always used Kosher salt -- measure out what I need into a large bowl, then pour hot water out of the tap onto it, give it a stir and then just wait for it to cool before dumping it in the tank. Maybe I'm missing something here but I don't understand why it would be difficult to dissolve salt?

[daisymac]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

Okay - here's the scoop:

1. Aquarium salt is very large, almost like the colored gravel you get, so it is hard to dissolve. Also I had 10 tablespoons to dissolve.

2. I have read that you should never use any salt that has an anti caking device, such as Yellow Prussiate of Soda, which is what is in kosher salt. I can't give you a link to look at off the top of my head, but I will look for one.

3. I am very cautious about the fish, since I have an odd variety, and I still consider myself a novice at the hobby.

4. My tank is at 82 degrees and has a lot of flow. The first time I dealt with Ich I didn't have as much circulation as I do now - maybe that is why it didn't dissolve.

5. I did heat water to get it to melt, then poured in the saltwater after cooling, and repeated this a couple time. Then I took Ellens' advice and added water from the tank and stirred often. When I got to the point that I only had about a tablespoon of un dissolved salt, then I poured it in whole, off in a corner.

6. Raul - that is a good idea to put it in a breeder box.

Daisy

[spyke1969]

Re: how do you dissolve aquarium salt?

Why not just put it into the filter? Wouldn't that disolve it and dispense it at the same time?