Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Sorry scott dc a couple of points salt doesent stay in the system the plants gradually use it
In my big system I used to add 1/2 cup about once a month to keep it at 1 p-pt
Also never use table salt it has anti caking stuff in it to stop it going hard
Use pool salt its natural sea salt

Some more comment on salt.

I have salted my system several times and I never change out the water but the salt still goes away with time. I think the plants must eat it also. Salt should stay in the water forever by all chemical knowledge but it doesn't. In 3 to 6 months it will be gone from my system.

Strawberries and salt. The more you put in the more it slows the strawberries till it kills the plants at 3ppm+. If you salt your system try to remove the strawberries to a separate water supply without the salt till the salt dissipates.

Salt measurement.. A refractometer is the device to use to measure concentration. Try to find one that has a narrow measurement scale. The one I bought has a scale of 0 to 100 and it is terrible to try to read. They make one that does salt that is 1 to 10 which would be much nicer to use than mine. 3 out of a 100 is almost impossible to accurately read.

Thanks for the correction regarding salt dissipation. I will still submit that it isn't absolutely necessary to have a measurement device to treat ich because one dose should treat the ich for more than a life cycle before significant salt dissipation occurs.

Also, I said I have strawberries in my ap but the ones in the ground tend to do as well or better. Perhaps my 1 ppt salt level is to blame (along with the aphids).

For measurement, I'll stick with recommending the TDS probe. No problem reading since its digital and the salt levels in ap are well within typical ranges for the instrument.

I may be wrong but TDS is Total Desolved Solids which includes everything that can be desolved in water, not just salt. Some people use TDS to decide when to add neuts to Hydroponic systems or replace the neuts package and change the water. I don't trust the TDS method for salt content. And like you I think you can work the formula and add the correct amount. Too much will kill all our freah water system stuff. Too little just adds flavor to the vegies an does nothing for the fish. 1ppm will not hurt your system, even strawberries will survive it. Some things like a bit of salt too.

Just right will heal the fish though.

I use to catch people with this fact all the time. Which is bigger a cubic foot or a 5 gallon bucket?

I'm game?

Do you know the answer? Which one is bigger? Not many people do know the correct answer.

Thanks everyone for the help and input. I'll see about finding a good measurement device (either the TDS or refractometer) that won't upset the wife too much with cost (especially I'll probably end up using it later in the future anyhow). And for now, I'm gonna try salting at 1 tsp to each estimated gallon I've got to start that process. Especially since I found 2 more dead fish today

As for your question donone, I'd wager that they are about the same.


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The only reason I'm doing it at 1 tsp per gallon is because that's what a fish care website suggested. In case anyone was curious (and as I don't have a way to weigh out the salt effectively, this way will work for now). This by the way equals out to be somewhere I. The neighborhood of .8 cups of uniodized table salt (using this much because I don't quite have 100 gallons to play with yet). So hopefully this will do good for now, at least until I can get a measuring device to make sure of my levels.

I also plan on getting some aquarium salt after the paycheck comes in. Hopefully the anti-caking shouldn't affect the way the salt works in the system.....


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A cubic ft is from memory 11 galls

In US gallons it's a hair under 7.5 gallons.

There you go and I always thought everything in the us was bigger

That is correct. The correct factor is 7.48 US gallons to the cubic foot.
Hi Food and Fish. Glad to hear from you.

At least we don't have those wimpy Australian gallons Milne

Hiya thsdragoon, couple of things, pool salt is cheap and generally pure, down here it's $5 per 25kg, which brings me to my next point forget the teaspoons and cups, convert to metric, much simpler and accurate.

If you choose to get a refractometer, my weapon of choice, make sure it's a salinity one with the lowest scale readings you can get.
I'd also look at salt bathing the fish if you don't want to salt your system to 3ppm to knock the problem on the head sooner than later.
Keep the updates coming.


Yes Scotty you are soooo lucky to still be using imperial measurements...