Water softner

[brewmaster15]

Anybody here keeping discus in water from a house hold water softener? (Not R/O) Just wondering how that works out for you.

Al

[Raul-7]

Not yet, I do want a whole house water softener.

You need to make sure you're using potassium not sodium for the ion exchange media. Also note it does not lower the total TDS of the water.

[Charlyc11]

I bypass it with my well water since it increases my TDS and removes magnesium and calcium. My well water is a GH of 6 and KH 0 TDS 190 and I was using RO but had no benefit so I only use RO to breed. But I do add alkaline buffer to add KH so I wind up with KH of 3 and after aging between 7.2 to 7.6 PH and a TDS of 240. Before I age and aerate my PH starts at 5.5. When I was using strictly RO I was using softener water since sodium is easier to remove with RO unit than magnesium and calcium the membrane last longer.
Using potassium chloride is not as efficient and it cost 5 time more than sodium salts and not bein efficient it brings the cost up even further.

[brewmaster15]

Chuck.. you have a TDS of 240 before softener right? I have read that the TDS will double with softener because theres a 2 for 1 exchange can you verify that? also does your meter do conductivity?

al

[Charlyc11]

Chuck.. you have a TDS of 240 before softener right? I have read that the TDS will double with softener because there is a 2 for 1 exchange can you verify that? also does your meter do conductivity?

al

Al
I will check when I get home but I believe so. My TDS without adding for KH right from the well is 190 after adding buffer 240.