# Softened water for aquarium...



## darklord (Jan 24, 2011)

Hello! I am a new member here and look forward to being more active on this board.

I just purchased my first aquarium...just a 20 gallon starter. 

My question is this, I use a water softner at home for my day to day water use. Will there be an issue if I use water from the tap for filling up the tank and populating it with fish? Note that I am not on well water.

Thanks...I searched and couldn't find a direct answer to my question...


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## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

Untreated tap water isn't safe for fish to live in because of chlorides and metals in the water. 
You can either buy water conditions that remove all the bad stuff from the water or 
If you have a water butt in your garden (a bucket like thing that collects rain water) you can use that if the PH is 7 . If you do have a water butt check the container is clear of any decomposing leafs.
I think you can also leave the tap water in for a certain amount of time and wait for chlorine and other harmful chemicals to evaporate (don't know much about this method)
Hope i helped ;-)


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## darklord (Jan 24, 2011)

HMlairy said:


> Untreated tap water isn't safe for fish to live in because of chlorides and metals in the water.
> You can either buy water conditions that remove all the bad stuff from the water or
> If you have a water butt in your garden (a bucket like thing that collects rain water) you can use that if the PH is 7 . If you do have a water butt check the container is clear of any decomposing leafs.
> I think you can also leave the tap water in for a certain amount of time and wait for chlorine and other harmful chemicals to evaporate (don't know much about this method)
> Hope i helped ;-)


So if I understand, are you saying that softened water is "untreated"? Or are you referring to anything that comes out of a tap?

Cheers...


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## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

I mean just the stuff that comes out of your tap isn't good for fish.
Oh i forgot, another alternative would be bottled water (non mineral). Just bog standard water from the local supermarket, that's what i original did. But for 20 gallons, that might be pricey...


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## darklord (Jan 24, 2011)

HMlairy said:


> I mean just the stuff that comes out of your tap isn't good for fish.
> Oh i forgot, another alternative would be bottled water (non mineral). Just bog standard water from the local supermarket, that's what i original did. But for 20 gallons, that might be pricey...


OK thanks...any other thoughts on soft water? More so on how it could affect the fishes health?


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## HMlairy (Jan 22, 2011)

Water Quality Association
This may help


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

My house uses a water softener system, as long as the softener salts are the pure kind, not the rust cleaning or special salts, its safe for fish. You need to dechlorinate any water that comes out of your tap, regardless of if it is soft or hard for chlorine and chloramine.

I was always told that bottled water, especially distilled water is bad for fish because it lacks the natural minerals fish need. If you are worried about large amounts of metals in your water, you should contact your water provider and find out whats in your water. If you are still worried, live plants can be used to absorb or take up excess metals but still leave the water healthy for fish.


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## darklord (Jan 24, 2011)

SinCrisis said:


> My house uses a water softener system, as long as the softener salts are the pure kind, not the rust cleaning or special salts, its safe for fish. You need to dechlorinate any water that comes out of your tap, regardless of if it is soft or hard for chlorine and chloramine.
> 
> I was always told that bottled water, especially distilled water is bad for fish because it lacks the natural minerals fish need. If you are worried about large amounts of metals in your water, you should contact your water provider and find out whats in your water. If you are still worried, live plants can be used to absorb or take up excess metals but still leave the water healthy for fish.


Yup, thanks...thats what I was asking...I use the Windsor salt pellets, which I think are pretty good. I thought that the salt from the system (albeit small amounts) may affect the freshwater fish.


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## darklord (Jan 24, 2011)

HMlairy said:


> Water Quality Association
> This may help


thanks!


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Yes, softener salts remove calcium and magnesium from your water. Some fish prefer harder water, others softer water, if your fish like hard water, then they may be more stressed in soft water. As long as you dont have the special salts that self clean your system and whatever, you should be fine.


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