Using Water Softener salt

Question
Hi, I see that you use the softener salt in your store tanks.  My questions is this:  Do you use the same ratio as you do with the other aquarium salts?

Thanks in advance.  I have 25 tanks and go through a ton of this stuff, so any savings I can get, I will greatly appreciate!

Answer
Hi Carla;

Water softener salt is simply pure rock salt, the same as the stuff in the little box in the fish store we pay too much for. The water softener salt may be larger "rocks", but I use it the same as the other. The key is it must be "pure salt" with no additives. Don't use anything else. For treating freshwater fish ailments, it has to be just plain salt. Marine salt mix will not work the same way. It has other minerals in it. Salt mix is good for marine fish because they live in the ocean and need a full balance. Our goal in freshwater usage is not to create a marine environment. It is to weaken pathogens, provide electrolytes and induce slime-coat in the fish as well as for disinfection of equipment in concentrated amounts.

I used the big 50 pound bags and saved money in our store over using the smaller boxes. I even packed it up in one or two pound plastic bags for a reasonable price to sell. So much less expensive for the customers and it helped defray the cost of my use of salt for my fish in the store. As long as the customer is counseled on it's dosage and use, it's okay to do.

Rock On!

Rock salt that is..... ;-)

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins