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To salt or not to salt...that is the question !!

PostPosted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 1:27 pm
by alison
I found some fungus on the head of the ghost koi last week and decided that I had better treat him as he didn't look so good but is getting older now around 14 years old. He is hard to catch and I thought it might stress him too much so I decided to treat the pond rather than just him as I had noticed on further inspection that one of my shubunkins had a small area that could have been a fungus on him as well.
When I went to get the treatment the girl asked "had I salted the pond lately?"
I have only once over the last 14 years salted my pond. That was one spring when I lost about 8 of my fish due to the long winter. That is a few years ago now and I haven't really lost many fish since even though I haven't salted. The girl said that I should really salt the pond every spring and autumn. I remember one person who used to come onto the forum saying he salted his pond but I know that others don't. I did buy and put in the salt as well as treating the pond for the fungus. I also had the water tested but absolutely no problems within the water quality so I must have been doing things right over the last 14 years.
I know when you salt it puts a mucus type substance on the fish which does protect them so I am not fully against salting as I also know it does wonders for an ill fish, but I was worried about my frogs and taddies etc.
What are your views on salt in a fresh water pond environment and do you ever salt?