# How Much Salt to Add???



## GuppyNGoldfish (Mar 28, 2011)

So I've heard a lot of people saying to add salt to your tank to treat Ick and just because the fish like it. 

*But how much should I add per gallon?* Since none of my tanks have salt in them to begin with, *how rapidly can I add it without harming the fish?* 

I read in a book that one tablespoon per gallon should be added when treating Ick, but that seems like a ton!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Are you treating ich? If not I wouldn't use it.


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## GuppyNGoldfish (Mar 28, 2011)

Yes


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

yes, I have heard that adding salt and raising the temp will help cure ich without having to use chemicals. I was adding salt to my aquarium every water change, but that was added on top of me using the ich treatment. it always seems like a lot of salt when you add it. I would just follow the directions


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Which tank is it? I usually use 1 teaspoon to 5 gals and raise the temp to 83 - 85 and let it run this way for 10 days. Also add airstones to tank as the higher heat has less o2 and will cause the fish to stress more.

Just do top offs during this time and don't add more salt as it don't leave the water except by water changes.


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## GuppyNGoldfish (Mar 28, 2011)

Both my 50 and 35 gallon


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Good morning Guppy...

If you're sure your tank has the "Ich" parasites, then start with a little standard aquarium salt. I'd recommend no more than one teaspoon per five gallons of your water change water. Most fish pathogens can't tolerate even a trace of salt in the water. This small amount won't hurt your salt senative fish or plants.

Increase the tank temp to 86 degrees over a 48 hour period and turn the lights off in the tank. The parasites find a host by sight.

If your fish are infected, they'll stop eating, so don't feed them for a few days.

Keep the tank water extremely clean by doing 50 percent water changes every other day and make sure you vacuum the gravel well. Most of the parasites live in the substrate.

Do these things for a week and the virus should be cured and you can return the tank to normal. It wouldn't hurt to continue to use a teaspoon of aquarium salt (never table salt) in every five gallons of your water change water for a few weeks, just to make sure the parasites are gone.

B


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