Home
Real Experts. Real Advice. Right Now. Home of Snowy - The World's One and Only TRUE ALL-WHITE Leucistic Australian Lungfish!  
Message ForumsLive Chat
Species Image

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )


Welcome to WaterWolves! Please join our community. It's fast, easy, and free!
Quick Register
Welcome to WaterWolves. We're glad that you have discovered the premier online community dedicated to rare, exotic, and predatory fish, since 1998! Please take a moment to consider creating a free account with us.

By registering an account, you can take advantage of many features, including:
  • The collective knowledge of thousands of expert hobbyists!
  • The largest free rare and exotic fish marketplace on the Web!
  • Local chapters. Meet other hobbyists in your area!
  • Exclusive free contests and raffles!
Login User Name

Login Password
 
 Reply to this topicStart new topic
> House Water Softeners, Water ok to use?
characinkid
post Jan 28 2008, 09:00 PM
Post #1


Member
**
Trust Rating
Group: Members
Posts: 657
Joined: 16-April 02
From: NH USA
Hi Guys,

I recently moved into a new house that has a well and water softener......

Anyone have one of these and use the water for their fish?? any comments.....

Would like to hear all comments on it...

P.S. The water before the softener is really hard!!


My Fish:

Brycon sp.                Brycinnus sp.
Large Disticodus        Breeding Alestes
Prochilodus sp, Lebiasina group        
Hemiodus group , Psuedohemidon laticepts    Sturisoma sp.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
andregurov
post Jan 28 2008, 09:26 PM
Post #2


Mahseer madness
Group Icon

Valued Member
Trust Rating
Group: Platinum Supporter Forum Lead
Posts: 1,259
Joined: 7-December 04
From: New Orleans, future wetlands of America
I believe most home water softeners do not work by either reverse osmosis or deionization, although some do. Most home softeners are mainly used to remove calcium and magnesium by replacing them with either potassium or sodium or a combination of the two. This allows large-scale water treatment without delay or costly waste-water. Is the water produced suitable for home aquaria? Certainly, although there is no "gain" in lower general hardness. What brand is your water softener? I'd double check and make sure it removes heavy metals like lead and iron (it probably does).


"Just lieing smiling in the dark, shooting stars around your heart, dreams come bouncing in your head, pure and simple everytime" - The Lightning Seeds
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
DonH
post Jan 29 2008, 01:45 AM
Post #3


Hydrocynus goliath
Group Icon
Trust Rating
Group: Platinum Supporter Mod
Posts: 3,000
Joined: 13-June 02
Most home water softeners soften water by swapping ions of calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium ions (depending on what resin is used). If you have a GH test kit, the resulting water should read "0" but what you don't see is that the TDS (total dissolved solids) goes way up. That's because 2 ions of Na+ or K+ are swapped for every Ca+ or Mg+ ion. A softwater fish lives in water that is both low in GH and TDS. So having a low GH from a water softener really does nothing to replicate their natural water parameters.

Will fish the fish live? Although not ideal, I've known hobbyists who are able to keep fish in softened water. Small fish might have problems with skeletal development due to low calcium levels though.


Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
characinkid
post Jan 31 2008, 12:33 PM
Post #4


Member
**
Trust Rating
Group: Members
Posts: 657
Joined: 16-April 02
From: NH USA
Thanks Guys...

I am using 1/2 RO water with 1/2 tap (unsoftened) at the moment to lower the hardness and keep the TDS at a min. Seems to be working...things are still breeding!


My Fish:

Brycon sp.                Brycinnus sp.
Large Disticodus        Breeding Alestes
Prochilodus sp, Lebiasina group        
Hemiodus group , Psuedohemidon laticepts    Sturisoma sp.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
 

Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 

- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 30th July 2010 - 12:25 AM
Invision Power Board v2.1.7 © 2010  IPS, Inc.
Site services provided by inventhost
Licensed to: WaterWolves