Aquarium Salt Mistake

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:20 pm

The LFS gave me Aquarium Salt so that is what I used. Now I read it should have been Marine Salt.

Lesson: Always research before buying

Suggestions please?!

Thanks

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:08 pm

remove the aqarium salt over a period of time with high volume water changes. Then, gradually add marine salt to the change water, increasing the SG by no more than .002 per week(get a hydrometer or refractometer) until it's in the ideal range for your puffer. If that sounds general, its because nobody can give an accurate response until we know what puffer you have, what size tank, how it was cycled, all the water test results, etc.

Post by **RTR** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:39 pm

If you have any measurable increased specific gravity form the salt addition, I would just use marine mix in the future. Reducing the salt back to FW and then taking it back up with marine mix is not a needed complication.

It certainly would not hurt to increase the volume or frequency of your partials, but keeping the specific gravity changes slow, as already stated.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:11 pm

How much did you actually add?

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:35 pm

Thanks for your help so far.

It's a 10 gal tank that has been fishless cycled for about a month and a half. All tests were coming out well.

I have 1 small (1.5 inch) Green Spotted Puffer. He (Scooter) is the only thing in the tank besides a rock and some plants.

Per the LFS I added 2 Tablespoons of Aquarium salt. The fish was purchased after the addition and I spent about an hour adjusting him to the tank with small water additions to the bag.

I'll get a tester for the salinity. If I can just maintain it with marie salt that would be good. Thoughts?

For what it's worth he seems to be doing very well. I brought home some snails today and he has attacked them. Can puffers eat tooo much?

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:46 pm

All you have right now is freshwater with a little added salt. Basically just freshwater.

Just do your normal water changes without salting the water. Read the GSP article by PufferPunk in our library on instructions on how and when to raise the salinity.

Just an FYI, the tank is not sufficient for a GSP, not for much longer at all. You're going to need at least a 30g tank, and real soon.

How did you cycle the tank? Which fishless method did you use?

Yes, puffers can most definitely eat too much, which is not good for them. They can literally eat until they explode if you let them. Overfeeding fish is like overfeeding humans, only worse because its in such a small package.

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:05 pm

Thank you again!

I cycled the tank using some quick cycle stuff from the LFS.

Boy am I glad I found you all!

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:08 pm

Well, unless you used Biospira, I hate to tell you but your tank is most likely not cycled. Nothing else in a bottle works. What does "the tests were coming out well" mean?

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Aquarium Salt Mistake

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