Switch water sources???

[Jeff_F]

 I visited the Splashy  Fish store, a local fish store, earlier this week and one of the topics we discussed was water.  He asked if I was using tap water and I said no, I have a well water with a water softener so I've been using RO/DI water and using products like Seachem Equilibrium to remineralize the water.  He said I should just use my tap (well) water and adjust it as necessary.  So, I tested my water this morning and need help understanding the results.    The parameters are:
pH:  7.2
Ammonia:  0
Nitrate:  0
Nitrite:  0
GH: 1
KH: 10
TDS: 585
Phosphate:  0
Calcium:  <20
Iron: 0

I am not a chemist so I may be wrong but the TDS is probably very high because the water softener is removing the calcium and magnesium and replacing it with sodium ions.  The GH is very low because of the water softener yet the KH is high because we normally do have very hard water.  I live in an area surrounded my natural limestone caves (Luray caverns, Shenandoah Caverns, Endless Caverns...).   

So, if I wanted to use this water in my planted tanks what would I do?  I need to bring things like GH, calcium and nitrate up and bring TDS (sodium?) and KH down.   Since the pH is only 7.2 would I need to bring the KH down since it is actually buffering the pH to that level?   In my current 29 gallon tank I have plants along with mollies, platys, guppies and some algae eaters.  In the new 53 gallon tanks I'm going to set up I'm going to have plants plus rainbow fish.  Also, how to best transition the existing tank without crashing everything?!
Thanks!!

[nabokovfan87]

Generally speaking, the water from a softener isn't optimal. The better way to do it would be to have a tap that goes out before your softener. (Normally that would be connected to the RODI unit)

Essentially, if there's a ton of salt in the water, you might kill the plants or have a lot of issues with certain fish species. As I'm sure a lot of people use softeners, it's important to also just be aware of what kind it is. Sometimes you have resin beads similar to purigen, other times the system runs using very different means to soften the water.  Whenever it's cleaned out to remove the minerals or recharge the resin, that another point of "something could go wrong".

I would try to to get Access from the actual tap. Maybe a hose connection in the front yard or something and re-run water tests. Then compare that to what you're looking for with the aquarium.

Ultimately, if you're satisfied with RODI and it's working, that might be the best setup for you with a planted tank.  If you test you're tap and you're looking at a ton of GH and KH then that could lead to it's own challenges. You can dilute that down with RO water as well, which reduces the need for buffers.

[TOtrees]

I've only ever heard bad things about softened water for aquariums water. My own personal experience taking care of a single 10g tank at my parents house is that it wasn't terrible in the short term, but didn't work in the long term. Nothing died right away, but it never went more than a few weeks without at least 1 death. For comparison, I have 15-20 tanks in my own basement, and deaths are really rare even with a lot of fish going. So it's not a case of blame the keeper. 

When the fish store person said try using your own water I think they meant pre-softener. Or I hope that's what they meant. I'd cut in a tee before the softener (or possibly see if there are any already) that you can use. Usually, that will mean cold water only for water changes, so that means either heating the water or at least letting it come up to room temp before a change. 

Can you test that unsoftened water and share? 

[Galabar]

I'll third that.  If you can get at the water before the softener, test that and see what it looks like.  Otherwise, stick to the RO.

[Jeff_F]

On 9/30/2023 at 3:26 PM, TOtrees said:

I've only ever heard bad things about softened water for aquariums water. My own personal experience taking care of a single 10g tank at my parents house is that it wasn't terrible in the short term, but didn't work in the long term. Nothing died right away, but it never went more than a few weeks without at least 1 death. For comparison, I have 15-20 tanks in my own basement, and deaths are really rare even with a lot of fish going. So it's not a case of blame the keeper. 

When the fish store person said try using your own water I think they meant pre-softener. Or I hope that's what they meant. I'd cut in a tee before the softener (or possibly see if there are any already) that you can use. Usually, that will mean cold water only for water changes, so that means either heating the water or at least letting it come up to room temp before a change. 

Can you test that unsoftened water and share? 

I have a woodworking workshop next to our house and it has a sink that does not go through the water softener.  I tested the water and here are the key changes:

GH - 24 dgh

KH - 11 dkh

Ca - 120 ppm

TDS - 424 ppm

It definitely shows my water softener is working!  I am going to install a second tank that is 53 gallons compared to my current 29 gallon tank.  I was hoping to not make RO water because it just takes a long time and will be very long for water changes on both tanks.  Even if I could use the shop's water I then would have the problem of getting it into the house.

 

On 9/30/2023 at 7:00 PM, Galabar said:

I'll third that.  If you can get at the water before the softener, test that and see what it looks like.  Otherwise, stick to the RO.

I have a woodworking workshop next to our house and it has a sink that does not go through the water softener.  I tested the water and here are the key changes:

GH - 24 dgh

KH - 11 dkh

Ca - 120 ppm

TDS - 424 ppm

It definitely shows my water softener is working!  I am going to install a second tank that is 53 gallons compared to my current 29 gallon tank.  I was hoping to not make RO water because it just takes a long time and will be very long for water changes on both tanks.  Even if I could use the shop's water I then would have the problem of getting it into the house.

 

[Galabar]

I think a KH of 11 and GH of 24 is fine for many species of fish.  Rift lake African cichlids would (I think) love that water.

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/30/2023 at 5:13 PM, Jeff_F said:

I have a woodworking workshop next to our house and it has a sink that does not go through the water softener.  I tested the water and here are the key changes:

GH - 24 dgh

KH - 11 dkh

Ca - 120 ppm

TDS - 424 ppm

It definitely shows my water softener is working!  I am going to install a second tank that is 53 gallons compared to my current 29 gallon tank.  I was hoping to not make RO water because it just takes a long time and will be very long for water changes on both tanks.  Even if I could use the shop's water I then would have the problem of getting it into the house.

Take that water. Dilute it with 50% RO and it's probably perfect for most plants and a lot of fish!

[TOtrees]

Adding a tee in your water line before the softener will be very easy. Doesn’t matter if you have copper or pex, you can buy fittings like sharkbite that slide right in/on. That resolves the bringing water in issue.

Since the water out of the tap will be too cold for water changes, you’ll want to have a holding bucket or container that you can use to prepare your water ahead of changes. Or you can almost-fill a bucket of cold water and add a couple quarts of dechlorinated hot tap water to get something about right.

Next I’d use your water as it is without adjusting or diluting it. Try and see for a few months. African cichlids, livebearers and rainbowfish should be fine, and who know what else? Plants should be good too. You’ll enjoy your hobby more the easier it is. 

To make the shift from what you have now to your “new” water, just do water changes.