Sodium: friend or foe in freshwater aquaria?

[jaypeecee]

Hi Folks,

I'm trying to get a better understanding of the need (or otherwise) for sodium in freshwater tanks where the inhabitants are both fish and plants. My starting point is RO water, which I use because my tap water is too hard and also too high in nitrate for the fish that I have chosen to keep (e.g. German Blue Rams). I currently add Tropic Marin Re-Mineral Tropic (RMT) to RO at two-thirds of the suggested dose. The resulting water has GH = 6dH and Alkalinity is 4.5dH. I recently discovered that RMT contains sodium, which is generally unwelcome in planted tanks. But, when RMT is added to RO at the suggested dose, the resulting water contains approx. 30ppm sodium which may be beneficial to fish. In my case, it would be two-thirds of this figure (i.e. 20ppm).

So, should I aim to exclude or include sodium in my tank and is 20-30ppm an acceptable concentration?

All comments very welcome.

JPC

[devonjohnsgard]

It depends on which fish your keeping. Most fish don't need sodium, but do need all the other replenishing salts. Other fish need the sodium, plus the other salts.

Here's more information on sodium:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2008/03/salt-in-freshwater-aquariums.html

Rams don't need Sodium, but do all the other salts (Cal, mag, potassium)

Ram Care:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/SACichlids.html

[jaypeecee]

Aug 10, 2018 13:13:49 GMT -5 devonjohnsgard said:

It depends on which fish your keeping. Most fish don't need sodium, but do need all the other replenishing salts. Other fish need the sodium, plus the other salts.

Here's more information on sodium:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2008/03/salt-in-freshwater-aquariums.html

Rams don't need Sodium, but do all the other salts (Cal, mag, potassium)

Ram Care:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/SACichlids.html

Hi djg,

Thanks for your reply.

The first article to which you referred me talks mostly about sodium chloride but I want to extend this to sodium in general. In RMT, I have been informed by Tropic Marin that the sodium is not in the form of sodium chloride, i.e. common table salt. The article about the care of Rams is very interesting - thank you.

BTW, the reason for my delay in replying is due to being new here. I cannot find a way of being informed by email when I receive a reply to my posts. Is there a way of doing this?

JPC

[devonjohnsgard]

JPC,

I think it still holds true. Minimal sodium and more of the other salts. To have some trace sodium is normal. Only certain fish need more than a trace amount.

I'm not sure about the email. I would think it's in settings. I just log in daily, so I don't do the email.

[Carl]

Sodium, is a necessary element f life and in the concentrations you are speaking of and as per the product you are using to remineralize is a proper amount IMO.

This article addresses this:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2006/12/how-do-fish-drink.html

Carl

[jaypeecee]

Aug 27, 2018 9:25:58 GMT -5 Carl said:

Sodium, is a necessary element f life and in the concentrations you are speaking of and as per the product you are using to remineralize is a proper amount IMO.

This article addresses this:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2006/12/how-do-fish-drink.html

Carl

Hello Carl,

Apologies once again for the delay in replying. Nevertheless, your feedback is very much appreciated and reassuring.

JPC