I have read a few of the articles about salt here, and I didn't find the answer to a couple questions.

The only type I could find when I went shopping was Ice Cream Salt, which I believe is the same as Rock Salt---is that correct?

Also this has lots of rock or something in it that will not dissolve, how do I get it to dissolve?

Do you just put the Tablespoon in there with rock and all---which apparently would not give an actual Tablespoon of salt?

I googled salt and dissolve----and learned if you let Rock Salt sit in water for about a week as it evaporates it will turn into smaller salt, I am trying that now.

Can anyone give this dummy a quick 101 lesson with all the little details about Rock Salt?

Personally I use canning and pickling salt or Aquarium Salt. I have found that the salt used to canning dissolves much faster. What I do is take some of the water from the aquarium, for instance when I change the water, and disolve the salt in there and then add it back at the end of the water change. I am having to add so much salt these days because I am batteling a case of ich.

I know that you are just supposed to use Plain Salt, not salt with iodine or the kind that has anti caking agents, like table salt. If you read on the box it should just say SALT and nothing else in the ingredients list. I am not very familiar with rock salt, but I'm sure someone who is will come along shortly.

I know you mentioned reading articles about salt here. This is a very good on.
Salt and its many used

May I ask, why are you salting the tank? Are you treating ich or is it just for general health of the fish?

I hope I helped you. Someone who knows more I'm sure will be along shortly.


EDIT By The Way
You will find so many nice people here. They have really held my hand during my first couple of weeks.

Thanks Kimma! I am not as of yet using salt, I am only trying to get the info I need, and do a salt drill for the time when I do need it, and I am sure that will come. I couldn't find pickling salt when I bought the rock salt, but will try again as I think that might be much easier to use.

I'm another one who uses Morton's canning and pickling salt (the green box). I think you get a more accurate measurement from this finely ground salt than you do from rock type salt. I level tablespoon of this salt per five gallons of water provides the exact amount of salt (1 gram per liter) needed to for a 1% salt concentration.

Since when are there rocks in rock salt? hehe made me giggle. I use rock salt, its like $1/kg, whereas aquarium salt is like $10/kg.

Rock salt does take a while to dissolve, but it eventually does. Just be careful with pickling salt as you'll end up have more than aquarium/rock salt as its finer. So a tbsp of rock salt might weight 25g, whereas a tbsp of pickling salt might weigh 30g.

Yep - the best way to measure out your salt, especially when dealing with higher levels, is with a gram scale.

Rock salt is fine. I have that, as well as a few other users. Just be sure that after the salt is dissolved you don't pour in the fine sand particles that have floated to the bottom.