Water Softener?

[PRW1988]

Is a household water softener okay to use in an aquarium? My water where I am is pretty hard and we do use water softner, but the only issue is that the softner we use is added to a big bin that water is pumped through, then filtered back out of into our main system.

So... Would adding a couple chunks of water softner be unsafe for my fish??

 

[Chrispixx]

So... Would adding a couple chunks of water softner be unsafe for my fish??

I'm not sure what you mean by this question. when you say chunks of the water softener, they work by using salt and you would not want to add that to your tank.

If you want to know if you can use water from the tap thats been sent through a household water softener system then the answer is yes, but some people will disagree with this. if you have not been using the softened water from the tap, then what water have you been using for water changes?

I have a household water softening system and have been keeping fish for a long time. (see sig.)

 

[PRW1988]

Well, I've been using water from the tap with softener in it and my fish are fine. My question was if I can use some of the softener in my tank itself.

 

[Chrispixx]

Well, I've been using water from the tap with softener in it and my fish are fine

You are using soft water, not water with softener in it, there is a difference. A water softener softens hard water by a mechanical system so the water is soft and usually pure. (no chlorine, cloramines, ammonia, nitrAte etc.) i know mine has none of these chemicals because it has been tested. I'm not sure what kind of water softener you have but most work using salt, usually in block form or sometimes crystal form. Which is what may be in that big bin you described earlier.

My question was if I can use some of the softener in my tank itself.

No...are you looking to add salt to the tank? because thats what most softeners use to make the water soft. If you want to add salt to the tank then aquarium salt is best. a lot of people say that salt is not needed in a tank and i agree, it depends on the species being kept. there have been debates about the use of salt in a tank and there are a lot of topics about the salt subject.

 

[Mikaila31]

Yeah adding the salt from the water softener would not be a good idea. The salt does not soften the water. I think a water softener works through ion exchange. There is another type of media in the water softener the salt normally is poured around it. This media softens the water and the salt is used to recharge it. That is why the salt slowly disappears over time.

Edit- Wiki can explain it better than I can.

 

[Chrispixx]

The salt does not soften the water. I think a water softener works through ion exchange. There is another type of media in the water softener the salt normally is poured around it. This media softens the water and the salt is used to recharge it.

Exactly...well put. Thank you for clearing that up. I was actually trying to convey that in my last post but somehow i left that part out. i was in a hurry because i was missing the Apprentice. Its the same as the water softening "pillows" they sell at the LFS but on a much larger scale. the salt solution recharges the beads in the water softener same as you would recharge the pillow in a container of salt water.

 

[Mr._Fishy]

Also, with my water softener, my pH is around 8 and my harness is zero. When the water is aged, the pH drops very low very quickly. This does harm your fish (it has killed a few of mine over the years when I forget to turn off the water softener).

Ryan

 

[PRW1988]

Alright, so the answer is no. Thanks so much for all your help guys and especially thanks to you Chris for putting up with my stupidity lol