aquarium salt for a fresh water tank

Question
I was reading one of your responces and you indicated that adding a half teaspoon of salt per gallon of water is good for the fish as it helps to fight disease and helps reduce their stress level etc.  I just wanted to confirm that this is ok to do with a fresh water tank?

Answer
Hi Bob;

Yep! Safe for freshwater fish. The low dosage of 1/2 teaspoon per gallon has worked for me for many years for all types of fish, especially during new tank syndrome and if the fish get sick or injured. Just remember to also make regular water changes of 25% every week. Both of these things (salt and water changes) have helped my fish stay healthy and vibrant. After the first salt dosage, add salt again only for water you actually change. For instance, if you replace 5 gallons of water then add 2.5 teaspoons of salt back to the tank. This keeps it constant at the dosage of 1/2 teaspoon per gallon. Don't add more if you are topping the tank off from evaporation. The salt is still in there, only the water evaporated.

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

Come on over and join us on the freshwater fish forum at About.com to get even more information too;
http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/questionsanswers/a/naavigateforum.htm

My member name is ChrisR62. See You There!