Softening water

[darkangel]

What is a good way of softening water without lowering the ph or releasing tannins into the water.

[Qattarra]

baking soda? Epson salts?

Edited March 4, 2009 by Qattarra

[darkangel]

baking soda? Epson salts?

Thank you. I was thinking of going that route, But I don't really want to put any salt products in the tank.

Got any more ideas.

[CORVETTE]

I actually soften water for a while with a liquid softener i bought at the fish store it didn't tan up the water but it soften it enough to get a few batches of discus fry out of it. I just can't remember the name of it. It was quite a few years ago. Sorry

[Qattarra]

Fish stores also market ``water softening pillows''. They use the same ion-exchange principle. One ``recharges'' the pillow by soaking it in a salt water solution, then places it in the tank where the sodium ions are released into the water and replaced by calcium and magnesium ions. After a few hours or days, the pillow (along with the calcium and magnesium) are removed, and the pillow recharged. The pillows sold in stores are too small to work well in practice, and shouldn't be used for the same reason cited above.

Peat moss softens water and reduces its hardness (GH). The most effective way to soften water via peat is to aerate water for 1-2 weeks in a bucket containing peat moss. For example, get a (plastic) bucket of the appropriate size. Then, get a large quantity of peat (a gallon or more), boil it (so that it sinks), stuff it in a pillow case, and place it in the water bucket. Use an air pump to aerate it. In 1-2 weeks, the water will be softer and more acidic. Use this aged water when making partial water changes on your tank.

Peat can be bought at pet shops, but it is expensive. It is much more cost-effective to buy it in bulk at a local gardening shop. Read labels carefully! You don't want to use peat containing fertilizers or other additives.

Although some folks place peat in the filters of their tanks, the technique has a number of drawbacks. First, peat clogs easily, so adding peat isn't always effective. Second, peat can be messy and may cloud the water in your tank. Third, the exact quantity of peat needed to effectively soften your water is difficult to estimate. Using the wrong amount results in the wrong water chemistry. Finally, when doing water changes, your tank's chemistry changes when new water is added (it has the wrong properties). Over the next few days, the chemistry changes as the peat takes effect. Using aged water helps ensure that the chemistry of your tank doesn't fluctuate while doing water changes.

Hard water can also be softened by diluting it with distilled water or R/O water. R/O (reverse-osmosis) water is purified water made by a R/O unit. Unfortunately, R/O units are too expensive ($100-$500) for most hobbyists. R/O water can also be purchased at some fish stores, but for most folks the expense and hassle are not worth it. The same applies to distilled water purchased at grocery stores.

[werner]

baking soda? Epson salts?

Baking soda increases your carbonate hardness which can help buffer against pH swings. It doesn't make the water softer (general hardness). Mixing tap water with R/O or distilled water would decrease the GH, and baking soda could then help to prevent the pH from becoming too low.

Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate, so that would increase your hardness.

Fish stores also market ``water softening pillows''. They use the same ion-exchange principle. One ``recharges'' the pillow by soaking it in a salt water solution, then places it in the tank where the sodium ions are released into the water and replaced by calcium and magnesium ions. After a few hours or days, the pillow (along with the calcium and magnesium) are removed, and the pillow recharged. The pillows sold in stores are too small to work well in practice, and shouldn't be used for the same reason cited above.

This is what household water softeners do on a larger scale. Although the water is technically "softer", you've just added a ton of sodium to the water. Not recommended for people to drink, so I don't think it would be great for fish to live in either. You can get potassium chloride softening salt which is a little better.

[patrick]

baking soda? Epson salts?

Baking soda increases your carbonate hardness which can help buffer against pH swings. It doesn't make the water softer (general hardness). Mixing tap water with R/O or distilled water would decrease the GH, and baking soda could then help to prevent the pH from becoming too low.

Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate, so that would increase your hardness.

Fish stores also market ``water softening pillows''. They use the same ion-exchange principle. One ``recharges'' the pillow by soaking it in a salt water solution, then places it in the tank where the sodium ions are released into the water and replaced by calcium and magnesium ions. After a few hours or days, the pillow (along with the calcium and magnesium) are removed, and the pillow recharged. The pillows sold in stores are too small to work well in practice, and shouldn't be used for the same reason cited above.

This is what household water softeners do on a larger scale. Although the water is technically "softer", you've just added a ton of sodium to the water. Not recommended for people to drink, so I don't think it would be great for fish to live in either. You can get potassium chloride softening salt which is a little better.

Yes no matter what you add to the water to reduce GH, it will increase TDS/conductivity which most likely will have the same effect on the fish as hard water and I imagine a more negative effect on plants (sodium). So in the end you would have a lower GH but a higher KH. I think the only "true" way of making the water softer is diluting it.

[darkangel]

Thank you for all the awsome replies. I have thought of all of these methods, just wanted to be sure which one would work the best. It is a planted tank, that is why I did'nt want any salt products added and did'nt want tannins released to reduce lighting in any way.