Water softener question

[Jeff1192]

My wife and I are considering moving. One house we're looking at has a water softener and an iron remover (it has very hard well water). Does anyone out there use a water softener system for the water they use in their aquarium? My biggest concern wold be the fact that it uses salt to soften the water.

Thanks

Jeff

[Fishnut]

I've heard 2 versions...one is that the salt is ok and the other says the salt is not ok.  What you need to look for is if the salt used contains any additives and if it's ionized.  If it has additives and/or it's ionized, that's not good for fish.  Personally, I wouldn't use water softener water for fish tanks.  When I lived somewhere that had rock hard water, I used Reverse Osmosis water and mixed it with the tap water to make the proper water conditions for my fish...including discus!! 

There should be a bypass somewhere in the system though so you will be able to get tap water from the well before it passes through the softener.

[magnosis]

Make sure to study said softener manual or ask the manufacturer.

We live in Cantley and also have a well producing hard water.  Our softener (Kenmore UltraSoft 480) uses salt, but *the salt never gets in contact with the water*.

Is uses an electrolytic reactor of some sort to precipitate / amalgamate the iron and manganese particles.
The salt is only used during system backwash to cleanup the reactor.  The salt is not what softens the water (in our case, yours may be different).

[charlie]

Hey Jeff, i have no working knowledge of water softners & planted tanks, so rather than me reading on the web & posting here, i`ll just post a link to a thread that touches a bit on it 
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/new-planted-aquariums/51986-problems-high-ph-high-kh-low-2.html
Regards

[Cbellehumeur]

magnosis is right! salt from the softener never touches the water. the salt is used to "clean/flush" the filter on the system, not to soften the water. I'm on well water also. My africans cichlids love it. My saltwater tank..not so much.

Each well is going to have slightly different water parameters so you're better off testing the well waters ph, DH, iron, sulphur extra... and then decide if it good for your fish.

[mike1567]

 Its been many years since I live on the farm, But we never drank the softened water, it was mainly used for washing, cleaning, bathing. The outside tap and the toilet used the sulfur water so we filtered the drinking water and kept it cold.
For the aquarium we collected rain water.

If any of that helps?

[markw]

I have well water with a water softener and iron removal system. I breed Tanganyikans in my fish room and they obviously love the hard water. Depending on what you're going to keep the water softener is a great option. If you're going to keep something that thrives on hard water, just bypass the softener while adding or doing water changes. Most softeners incorporate a bypass valve that will reroute the water around it. You're dishwasher and appliances will appreciate the softener, because without it the hardwater will clog things up pretty quickly! With plants, or soft water loving species the water will be buffered and the salt is not an issue. It doesn't leach out. If you're concerned you can always switch it to potassium instead of salt. Little more expensive but it does the same.