Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So I have been researching what type and how much salt to put in my tank. Table salt contains anti caking which is bad. Some pools salts contain anti staining.

Staining is from iron and manganese correct? So is anti staining properties in pool salts bad for an AP setup? Seems difficult to find pool salt that does not contain anti-staining properties.



oh, I almost forgot to say, Hi I'm James and this is my first post.

My gut instinct would be to avoid the anti-staining kind, but you may want to see if you can find an MSDS for it.

If you can't find any pool salt without anti-staining chemicals in it you can also use water conditioner solar salt or pure sea salt.

The pool salt we have here is pure salt, i would go the pure sea salt if you can not find any other source of pure salt

Great thanks for the advice. Tried a couple places last night but it seems too early in the season for them.

Morton's solar salt works well. It is just sea water dried in the sun. The larger size of the crystals is also better to add to the system. They dissolve slower so it is less of a shock to the fish.

Unfortunately being in Canada I do not have access to Morton's. Everything seems to be Windsor salts or Sifto.

I was able to find 1 and only 1 that seems to say it does not contain any additives. Could anyone check this out for me? http://www.windsorsalt.com/pool/pool.html.htm It says it has no additives (YPS). I do not see anything about iron fighting, stain fighting, rust fighting, or iodine. I did not see the msds sheet for it. Maybe a quick email to the company can get me it.

I did see others that had 99.6%, 99.7% purity and some said they had stain fighting additives.

that pool salt should be fine for your system

Thanks Keith.

Also the salt used for water softeners works well.

I was looking around for those as well. For example there are two here; one by Windsor one by sifto

http://www.rona.ca/en/softener---water-softener-salt-8308003--1 and this description from the windsor salt website
"Windsor® Select Plus(20 kg and 40 kg)
Select Plus Rock Salt is 99.4% pure salt mined from natural underground salt deposits. Rock salt contains a slightly higher level of insoluble mineral particles. When using rock salt, periodic brine tank clean-outs are recommended.
Sold in a 20 kg and 40 kg bag."


Here is the sifto http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp;jsessionid=RnXLZYVDFh1JhxKT36PrXT12hRGpyvc2Gw5FFL3LQ6SvVyxTlBXJ!-545358830?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443277567&bmUID=1366218600416

Both say high purity but the sifto says it "Features Sifto's Resin Clean formula which inhibits iron build-up in your softener"

Which is bad and which is good? My thoughts are the Windsor rock salt since it gives the salt % and does not say it contains any stain or resin cleaning,but atlas I am still learning.

I got Morton Solar salt crystals, seemed for water softners, really bubbles up the water. it showed sodium chloride as the active ingredent. See how it goes.

I have had no fish deaths with the Morton's solar salt in the time I have been using it, so it must be good!