Adding Salt to Pond

cozybadger · 19-09-2006, 05:12 PM

Hello everyone,
I'm new to the forum which was recommended to me by Brett in Cambridge.
This summer I lost about 20 koi from 12" up to 28" due to a serious case of flukes in my pond. I had a fish tested by Steve from Avenue Koi at Wyboston, Cambs; a great guy to know whith some very nice fish for sale.
Having now got over the problem, (I hope!!) I have re-stocked my pond but now paranoid every time I see any fish jump,rub etc.
I have read a lot of articles etc on the benefits to adding salt to my pond which I have never done before. Having calculated that I need 28kg of salt for my 2200 gallons (1/2 oz to a gallon) I have been to Tescos and bought cooking salt.
Can someone please tell me the best way of adding it to the pond?
Do I need to dissolve first or just scatter it on the surface of the water?
I also noticed in an article that the salt should have no additives. Cooking salt was apparently ok. However, on the back of the packets I have bought, it says it contains both salt and an anti caking agent, Sodium Hexacyanoferrate II. Is this ok to put in the pond?
I look forward to hearing from anyone in the know.
P.S. Brett, if you read this, fish from you are doing well, cheers mate.

cozybadger · 19-09-2006, 08:10 PM

Thanks for the info.

extremekoi · 01-10-2006, 06:17 PM

mix the salt up gradually in a bucket of pond water and tip it in, your koi will be fine. You can add the lot at once too, 1/2 ounce per gallon is just a tonic.

essexkoi · 03-10-2006, 09:03 PM

i use salt all year around! i was told it 'cleanses' the koi! and upto now it has worked fine! if you do see any sign of trouble ie parasites DO NOT USE FORMALIN MALACHITE! i made this MISTAKE LAST YEAR WITH MY BABYS AND LOST MOST OF THEM! so be sure to get a salt tester to make sure the salt levels are low! you can use acriflavine an anti bacterial treatment which along with the salt is a good remedy and tonic to most of the problems that arise!

All the best Mark

Thorny · 05-10-2006, 09:45 PM

The only time My fish see salt is when it comes out of the Chip Shop with a splash of Vinegar.
Salt is a good bathing remedy for certain things, but If Koi are meant to swim in salty water all year round they would live in the Sea.

shusui:paul · 06-10-2006, 08:39 PM

what like salmon and sea trout that spend the first three years of there life in fresh water then move out to the sea and then come back every year. a funny thing nature.

Thorny · 06-10-2006, 11:18 PM

Nature is a funny thing indeed. Sorry to say theres is nothing natural about carp living in salty water. They dont have the internal organs for it.

simonbond · 07-01-2011, 06:59 PM

hi, i have bought sum salt and need to no how much to put in. my pond is a 1000 gallon.cheers

markf1fan · 07-01-2011, 07:04 PM

hiya and welcome to the forum, can i ask why you are wanting to put salt into your pond? have you got any problems that you know of? tell us some more info to go on if can.

simonbond · 07-01-2011, 07:26 PM

Hi, I came back from holiday 2 weeks ago and i found 3 of my big koi floating on the surface. my pond id heated and the tempature was around 10 degrees because of the cold weather. i gave instructions to my lodger to only feed the fish a little wheat germ if they looked like they were feeding. Firstly i checked the water for the usual, ph,amonia, nitrite, and nitrate and all was fine, the ph was slighlty high but not enough to kill fish. the only thing i can think of is that the wheat germ was outside in a container and when the fish eat it it stopped there imune system?? my diagnosis only. Then i put in some pottasium pomanganate. 1 dosage only. should i do another dosage?? and then should i add some salt or??