Pool salt

[T Rex]

Can you used pool salt for aquarium? I was in the local shops in the pool section & saw 10kg bag of pool salt but notice it say the only ingredients is sea salt. So was thinking can this be used for aquariums??

 

[J. H.]

I don't know, but i have been told regular sea salt is good for brackish and coldwater "Native Marine" aquariums. It definitely is not good for a reef or FOWLR, those house very delicate things and need those fancy SW mixes that contain many things besides sea salt.

 

[T Rex]

Thank you. Thought I'd try & save a dollor if I could buy pool salt instead of marine salt

 

[Ryan1783]

Get a small tank, put the salt in throw in a damsel and see what happens.

 

[Oddball]

Pool salts are usually 'made' in solar raceways where local sea waters, usually in or near industrial areas, are flooded into solar fields. The standing water is then evaporated by sunlight to remove the water. The solar-dried salts are bulldozed into hoppers for crushing, sifting, and packaging. These types of salts are not checked for contaminants but, have been tested and found to contain both organic and inorganic contaminants such as metals and bacteria. Some grades of pool salts are inferior to others and cause staining, clouding, and low ionization in salt pools. These issues usually result in the need for additional chemical use and maintenance to balance out and clear pool water. Additionally, pool salts may also contain mined salts (halites) to meet packaging weight demands if weather conditions upset the solar drying process time. Mined salts may contain any number of metal and toxic contaminants.
All in all, I wouldn't risk using pool salts in aquariums. It may work fine, initially. But, there's too much risk from contaminants from the poorly regulated process used in making this grade salt.

 

[Dieselhybrid]

Pool salts are usually 'made' in solar raceways where local sea waters, usually in or near industrial areas, are flooded into solar fields. The standing water is then evaporated by sunlight to remove the water. The solar-dried salts are bulldozed into hoppers for crushing, sifting, and packaging. These types of salts are not checked for contaminants but, have been tested and found to contain both organic and inorganic contaminants such as metals and bacteria. Some grades of pool salts are inferior to others and cause staining, clouding, and low ionization in salt pools. These issues usually result in the need for additional chemical use and maintenance to balance out and clear pool water. Additionally, pool salts may also contain mined salts (halites) to meet packaging weight demands if weather conditions upset the solar drying process time. Mined salts may contain any number of metal and toxic contaminants.
All in all, I wouldn't risk using pool salts in aquariums. It may work fine, initially. But, there's too much risk from contaminants from the poorly regulated process used in making this grade salt.

Thank you for this detailed explanation Oddball . I'm assuming it's likely the same process for "water softener salt ?"

 

[Oddball]

Thank you for this detailed explanation Oddball . I'm assuming it's likely the same process for "water softener salt ?"

Water softener salts are made the same way as pool salts. With the exception of there being a greater use of rock (mined) salts.

 

[J. H.]

Water softener salts are made the same way as pool salts. With the exception of there being a greater use of rock (mined) salts.

What about the "sea salt" or "Kosher salt" they sell for food?

 

[Oddball]

Kosher and table sea salt are the same thing with the exception of grain size. They're produced by an evaporative process that heats the salt to 1200 degrees F. While this yields a safe 'natural' salt. The heating destroys many minerals that are beneficial to fish.

Any other questions about any other salts, look it up yourselves. My recommendation is to use aquarium salts in aquariums. It's not expensive so, skip going on the low-end on the nickel and dime aspects of the hobby.

Last tidbit: Pink salt is sodium nitrite, not the sodium chloride used in brackish or marine setups and not calcium chloride used in Rift Lake cichlid setups.

 

[Popyking]

Pool salts are usually 'made' in solar raceways where local sea waters, usually in or near industrial areas, are flooded into solar fields. The standing water is then evaporated by sunlight to remove the water. The solar-dried salts are bulldozed into hoppers for crushing, sifting, and packaging. These types of salts are not checked for contaminants but, have been tested and found to contain both organic and inorganic contaminants such as metals and bacteria. Some grades of pool salts are inferior to others and cause staining, clouding, and low ionization in salt pools. These issues usually result in the need for additional chemical use and maintenance to balance out and clear pool water. Additionally, pool salts may also contain mined salts (halites) to meet packaging weight demands if weather conditions upset the solar drying process time. Mined salts may contain any number of metal and toxic contaminants.
All in all, I wouldn't risk using pool salts in aquariums. It may work fine, initially. But, there's too much risk from contaminants from the poorly regulated process used in making this grade salt.

I wouldn't poo poo the idea. Pool salt doesn't contain contaminants as you've mentioned in your post. This is true because pool salt must be edible to humans I.e "table grade" in order to be safely used in pools. I haven't used pool salt for an aquarium as I am freshwater only but If the question of contaminants is the only issue preventing a pool salted tank you are misinformed.