Using Aquarium Salt vs Kosher Salt

[Mrs. J]

I just finished having to treat my tank for wounds on a couple of my blue diamonds. Poor water quality from our supplier....water change, water change, water change, etc. and aquarium salt. They are all fine now no sign of illness, wounds, etc. However after paying a fortune for the aquarium salt I think I saw mention of using kosher salt instead. Any comments? I am a firm believer that less is more so don't treat with antibiotics, etc. unless critical.

[Pokediscus]

I know some Kosher salts still contain an anti-caking agent.

[Phillydubs]

I get the API on amazon in big boxes and it is a lot cheaper that way... Maybe look that option over and not the LFS big mark up?

[kris2341]

as long as the salt is generally pure and lacks the anti caking agents, it should be fine.

i used to get rock salt in big bags from the hardware store and used it for other fish without issue

[pitdogg2]

you can buy plain salt in either rock or crushed in the same isle as the Kosher usually it is on the bottom shelf.

Kosher contains :
yellow prussiate of soda: It’s also known as E 535 and by its chemical name: sodium ferrocyanide. You don’t have to be a chemist to see that this compound contains cyanide— So why it it in my table salt? As it turns out yellow prussiate of soda kills two birds with one stone. Despite its name, it isn’t there to turn grey salt into yellow salt. Instead, it acts as a bleaching agent, turning grey salt into the white salt that westerners have come to associate with purity. Secondly, this additive also doubles as a flow agent. Without it, presumably your salt shaker would get clogged up. Avoid this unnecessary ingredient.

I used it for a long time with no ill affects but I switched to the plain salt to recharge some resins as the yellow prussiate would have negative affects on the recharge and the resin itself.

[Mrs. J]

Thank you all I will look for the rock salt...if not the API on Amazon. I have been extremely fortunate and have not had major diseases or illness, but like to have the salt on hand for all the aquariums here.

[Kingdom Come Discus]

I use the water softener salt in the blue bag at Lowes.

[Willie]

The cheapest and most effective salt I found was pickling salt. It's finely ground and dissolves fast.

Willie

[John_Nicholson]

I have always used rock salt. Some places call it ice cream salt.

-john

[pitdogg2]

I use the water softener salt in the blue bag at Lowes.

by far the cheapest but 25 or 50 lbs. would last a loooooong time:)