WHY SALT IS IMPORTANT IN AN AQUARIUM

by Tom Sarac

SALT TYPES

In nature, there are three categories of fish: freshwater, brackish & saltwater.

Each has evolved to thrive in their natural habitats, and so when recreating a habitat in your aquarium, it’s important to create water conditions that are as close as possible to the natural conditions (or biotopes) that occur in nature.

Depending on the type of biotope you want to create, the addition of salt may be required. There are two types of salt for aquarium use:

• Aquarium salt (for freshwater)
• Marine salt (for saltwater & brackish tanks)

Aquarium salt is sodium chloride, which is also known as common, table, or rock salt. This type of salt does not contain trace minerals or elements.

Marine salt contains trace minerals and elements, and also has buffering capacity to help keep the pH in the high range. The exact amount of trace minerals and elements varies by manufacturer.

DID YOU KNOW?

Brackish water is basically diluted sea water.

MARINE SALT FOR MARINE AND BRACKISH AQUARIUMS

For saltwater and brackish tanks, marine salt is a must. These salts are specially formulated to help recreate water conditions found in nature.

When shopping for marine salt, buy one that is as close as possible in composition to natural sea water (NSW) and contains no or few other unwanted impurities.

DID YOU KNOW?

Salt does not dissipate. As water evaporates from the aquarium, the salt remains. Therefore, when toping up the tank, you only need to add new R/O or distilled water.

AQUARIUM SALT FOR FRESHWATER AQUARIUM

In nature, the majority of freshwater fish live in habitats with no measurable salinity.

The use of aquarium salt in a freshwater tank is a widely debated topic amongst hobbyists; some add salt regularly while others use it sparingly. However, all agree that there are advantages to using salt when keeping certain fish species or for treating some illnesses. Use aquarium salt only when needed. Some advantages to using salt:

• Helps relieve stress.
• Treats certain diseases such as ich and brown blood disease (nitrite poisoning).
• Can improve results when used in combination with other treatments or with baths/dips.
• Reduces the uptake of nitrite.
• Promotes the formation of slime coat.

A note of caution, research your aquarium inhabitants before adding salt, as there are some species of fish and plants that cannot tolerate any salt.

DID YOU KNOW?

Table salt often contains an anti-caking agent to prevent clumping, which can be harmful to fish.

FLUVAL SEA PRO-GRADE MARINE SALT

The key to successful marine aquarium keeping starts with what makes up saltwater. In fact, marine water as it originates in the ocean is a complex blend of approximately 80 elements of which 52 are defined as trace elements.

Many trace elements are critical to the marine life we keep in our aquariums. Without a doubt, regular water changes with a properly balanced synthetic marine mix is the best and most reliable way to ensure they are present in the proportions they were meant to be.

The premium reef mix in Fluval SEA Marine Salt is manufactured in the USA where incoming raw materials are tested systematically, and we’ve taken care to ensure all essential trace elements are present and only the best grades of macro and micro elements are used.

Fluval SEA Marine Salt delivers consistent quality in large part due to stringent sourcing of quality ingredients. This reef salt provides a top quality formulation without unwanted impurities. It’s not only about what is in the marine mix but also what is not in it.

Features and benefits of Fluval SEA Marine Salt include:

• Enhanced calcium levels, 460 ppm at 1.23 S.G. The right amount to ensure your coral are not lacking this key component for strong growth and development.
• The right alkalinity level, 145 to 175 ppm. No stress to coral when you perform partial water changes and enough reserve to keep your pH where it belongs.
• Key trace element levels are present with Strontium at 8 to 12 ppm.
• Ideal pH level, like the ocean at 8.1.
• Dissolves quickly for crystal clear marine water.
• Accurate replication of natural seawater.
• Phosphate and nitrate-free.

A quality marine mix is one that is balanced and that is exactly what this marine salt is ? the right pH, the right alkalinity, optimal calcium and strontium levels, along with carefully blended key trace elements, all free of unwanted impurities. Plus, you can achieve this on initial mixing, so no need to wait hours while the salt mixes and stabilizes.

Best of all, fish and invertebrates are not stressed in any way during water changes due to the ideal pH and KH values.

Remember, fish or reef marine tanks will always benefit from R/O water that is mixed with a quality grade marine salt. Give your fish and invertebrates the ocean-like conditions they need.

FLUVAL TV

FLUVAL SEA Marine Salt for Marine Aquariums
Tom Sarac provides an overview of Fluval SEA Marine Salt.