A word of caution on Ammo chips and salt

[cynthia]

I found this on the web today:

What is one reason salt will raise your Ammonia level?

Question:
Rick,
Every time I add salt to my tank, my ammonia rises to a high level. I know other goldfish people that add salt to their tank with no problems. What is causing this problem in my tank?
Thanks,
E.G. Mayville, N.Y.


Answer:
After a few questions, I found out E.G. was using Ammo Chips in her filter. Ammo Chips contain zeolite which removes ammonia from water, however, the way to clean zeolite is to soak it in salt water to release the ammonia it has absorbed. When E.G.added the salt to her tank it released all the ammonia in her Ammo Chips back into her tank giving her a high ammonia reading. If you are using any type of an ammonia remover in your tank DO NOT add salt to your water. Salt alone will not raise your ammonia level. If your "Good Bugs" are healthy and growing in your filter you do not need an ammonia remover.
Rick
www.goldfishconnection.com
http://www.goldfishconnection.com/articles/details.php?articleId=123&parentId=10

For those of you who do not know what ammo chips are, here is a link with a description. http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=24485;category_id=2563;pcid1=1965;pcid2=

 

[edward]

Zeolites "absorb" ammonia by having a crystalline lattice that will bind cations in a selective manner. Sodium and potassium have a higher rate of absorbtion that does ammonia, so the sodium would displace the ammonia in the lattice. However if I remember correctly ammonia (or ammonium) has a much lower affinity to be absorbed that many other cations including some such as iron (but I am trying to go back almost 18 years here to when I worked for a company that specialized in zeolites and zeolitic catalysts).

Ed