Regarding the use or non-use of salt in your pond, there are indications
that the use of salt will help with osmotic issues of fish that are
stressed. Koi have a salt content of 9 PPT, same as humans. We need salt or
we will die. Koi need certain levels also - HOWEVER, the *normal* ambient
background salt in most water supplies is sufficient for their needs. At
least here in Central Florida. Don't know about the rest of you folks.

Not into starting verbal wars. Salt is a method of calculating the size of
your pond if you did not meter it when you filled it. Or if you had problems
with your filtration and had to redo it all. Or for any number of reasons.
It's relatively benign (except to some plants), and is reduced through water
changes until you're back to your basic starting point with no ill effects.
Therefore, in addition to its ( I know,debatable!) medicinal benefits, it
can also be used as a tool. It's far more important to know your total
volume - pond, piping, filters, any other place you have water - than to
argue over the efficacy of salt use. It gets reduced with water exchanges if
you don't want it, and it won't really "hurt" anything (except the
aforementioned plants) until it's gone.

"Learn to keep the water and the water will keep the fish." I don't know
who made that statement, but there's a lot of truth in it. Good water with
no salt is far better than bad water *with* salt.

Lee