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Salt, how much and what kind


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#1 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 22 August 2006 - 01:22 PM

dsmith brings up a good point about salt and transporting fish. Like him, I never transport fish any great distance without salt. Unlike him I use morton canning/pickling salt. This is salt has a fine grain compared to rock salt and a little smaller grain size that Kosher salt. This is pure salt and has no anti-caking agents. You can also purchase salt for aquarium use but this will run two to four times the price of regular old canning salt. I use this salt in all of my tanks at home so a box doesn't last very long. It's very important that you read the ingredients of any package of salt you intend to use with fish. Use only pure salt one ingredient. Don't use iodized salt or salt with anyi-caking agents just to be on the safe side. I don't know of any ill effects froom iodized salt or salt with anti-caking agents but I don't know anyone that took this risk either.

I always have a bottle or dechlorinator along as well. I typically use 2 tablespoons of salt per 5 gallons of water and a double dose of dechlorinator for transporting fish.

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#2 Guest_dsmith73_*

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Posted 22 August 2006 - 01:37 PM

I would love to hear others opinions on the salt too.

As for the dechlor, why is that necessary? If you are taking water straight from a steam, that is. Are you speaking of an Amquel-like product that also removes ammonia?

#3 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 22 August 2006 - 02:32 PM

I would love to hear others opinions on the salt too.  

As for the dechlor, why is that necessary?  If you are taking water straight from a steam, that is.  Are you speaking of an Amquel-like product that also removes ammonia?


Oh, I certainly want to hear what others do to keep fish healthy during transport and at home. I'm just one guy and this is how I do it today. I might get some great advice from others that will change my practice overnight. That's why we're here.

As far as the dechlorinator.... I should explain. I don't use dechlor in stream water. I do use stream water (except when photogrphing in turbid water). I always have declor since I feel very strongly about two things when it comes to fish transport.

1. Frequent water changes. I'll change water (%100) every 12 hours if possible. 24 hours is the maximum time I'll go without fresh water for my personal taste.

2. I never overcrowd the container.

I simply hate killing fish (big surprise, site full of fish lovers).

And I've switched to Amquel for dechlor at home and while traveling with fishes. I do bring along Novaqua when traveling in case I pass my emergency 24 hour water change and only then.

I should let everyone know that I travel frequently for business. I get some time now and then to stop and see whats in the water. If I find something I've been waiting for I pop it in the bucket and take it home. In some cases the fish travel with me for a great many days. I take them into the hotel with me and give them the care they need. This is why I always have: salt, battery operated pump, 120 volt pump, novaqual, amquel and two or more 5 gallon buckets with quality lids and custom fitted compression fitting to allow for the air inlet. I use two buckets minimum since I like to give the tap water a chance to "settle" before I do a % 100 change. I'm also pretty careful to do the first water change slowly when I have soft (tannin) water fish in the bucket.

#4 Guest_ipchay61_*

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Posted 23 August 2006 - 09:48 AM

I typically use 2 tablespoons of salt per 5 gallons of water and a double dose of dechlorinator for transporting fish.  

I'm a bit less exact on my salt measurments. Generally I use about a handful per 5 gallons of water.
-Chip

#5 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 23 August 2006 - 09:53 AM

I typically use 2 tablespoons of salt per 5 gallons of water and a double dose of dechlorinator for transporting fish.  

I'm a bit less exact on my salt measurments. Generally I use about a handful per 5 gallons of water.
-Chip


Big hands or small hands? :D

#6 Guest_ipchay61_*

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Posted 23 August 2006 - 12:32 PM

I typically use 2 tablespoons of salt per 5 gallons of water and a double dose of dechlorinator for transporting fish.  

I'm a bit less exact on my salt measurments. Generally I use about a handful per 5 gallons of water.
-Chip


Big hands or small hands? :D


My-size hands! 8)

They're this big <holds up hands>

#7 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 23 August 2006 - 03:31 PM

Kosher salt is what I use. The really cheap stuff rarely cotains anti- caking agents. The brand names like Morton, contain potassium chloride. I go through 3-5 lbs a week. A three pound box costs about two bucks.

#8 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 26 August 2006 - 02:18 PM

My brackish tank required a water change yesterday so I had my hydrometer out and decided to test my freshwater tanks. It seems I've been keeping them (FW fish) at 5 PPT salinity!

#9 Guest_dsmith73_*

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Posted 30 August 2006 - 04:24 PM

Well, I gave the kosher salt a try this weekend and I must say it worked perfectly. I am a believer now. No more expensive marine salt for me. Thanks for all the advice on this.

#10 Guest_ShinersRock_*

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Posted 24 October 2006 - 01:50 AM

For transporting fish in the car or on trips, I have considered getting an adaptor to go on my cigarette plug lighter in my car, and turns it into an outlet. Then I could plug up a couple of aerators to keep the oxygen flowing in the containers. though the 30 bucks for it kind of makes me cringe. I am big on aerating fish when they are getting transported or while on a trip. I kept fish for 5 days over Fall Break that I had caught the first day of break. I kept it aerated the whole time and had to drive an hour and a half back to school. My fish all arrived alive and are thriving in my tank.While over break, I would add a little water everyday, keep the aerator running, and had well over 10 fish in a 2 gallon container. What is everyone else's experiences with aerators?

#11 Guest_dsmith73_*

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Posted 24 October 2006 - 06:56 AM

For transporting fish in the car or on trips, I have considered getting an adaptor to go on my cigarette plug lighter in my car, and turns it into an outlet. Then I could plug up a couple of aerators to keep the oxygen flowing in the containers. though the 30 bucks for it kind of makes me cringe. I am big on aerating fish when they are getting transported or while on a trip. I kept fish for 5 days over Fall Break that I had caught the first day of break. I kept it aerated the whole time and had to drive an hour and a half back to school. My fish all arrived alive and are thriving in my tank.While over break, I would add a little water everyday, keep the aerator running, and had well over 10 fish in a 2 gallon container. What is everyone else's experiences with aerators?


Though I have never used an actual aerator on collecting trips, my buddy David uses a tool called a Minnomizer or something to that effect. He used to get these from Bass Pro Shops and now I think get s them from the manufacturer. I also saw something very similar on the Memphis Net web site. These things aerate the water in a very odd way by what appears to be just slinging a fine mist over the water's surface. Even though they look odd and I really don't understand what they are doing, they work great. I have been with him on many days long collecting trips, including some rather touchy fish like bluenose and rainbows, and I don't believe I have ever seen him lose more that just a fish or two.

#12 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 24 October 2006 - 09:12 AM

They have these minnow keepers at our local sportsperson's shop, too. They seem to be quite common in areas where people use live bait. I thinking that our local Wally World might even have them.

#13 Guest_bflowers_*

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Posted 24 October 2006 - 02:10 PM

I have been using the DC- AC converters for years. I normally setup a cooler with 2 corner filters and a diagonal divider. The corner filters normally will have carbon and ammonia remover with filter floss on the top. I prefer to take filters out of one of my tanks so I also have the biological filtration also. The divider is not used to help buffer any sloshing as I drive. I also carry and use Amquel, or NovAqua, or Stress Zyme. I am always getting the little free samples from the local aquarium club and they are small and travel well.
The convertor I got is a 70 watt and only cost $24.00. That is a few years ago. I since have seen the same ones for about $20.00. Here is a website selling the inverters. I have never purchased from here but you can get an idea. The 25 watt would work for most of us. If yu are worried about running down the battery on a long trip. When I bought my first one I purposely plugged it in and ran 3 airpumps with multiple stones for 36 hours in the our driveway without starting the motor. The engine started right up.

http://www.theinvert.../bysize400.html


Bill F.



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