bad mistake with planted tank

[Dubiadiscus]

Ok so I woke up to a mistake that I made but did not relize it at first. It all starts with me using a different salt in my water softener and to my mistake of that different change I noticed my plants all started to become short and losing all there leaves. I went back in thought to try to relize what I did different. The only change I made was the brand of salt. So now I have removed all the softener salt and flushed the whole house system and added the salt I was using when my plants where growing like wildfire. I have managedbto save almost all my plants and they are all starting to so signs of life once again.

My discus have even thanked me as well. So folks the lesson here is dont change brands of something even if it is free.

[Debra52]

I have always bypassed my water softener when I do water changes because I know that the water killed my house plants so I was always scared to use it in my aquariums. How many people here use water for their aquariums that has gone through a water softener? It would be so much easier just to use the water if I could :)

Debra

[Dubiadiscus]

I have always bypassed my water softener when I do water changes because I know that the water killed my house plants so I was always scared to use it in my aquariums. How many people here use water for their aquariums that has gone through a water softener? It would be so much easier just to use the water if I could :)

Debra Hi Debra,
I have always used my water that runs through my softener. The mistake I made was the fact I used a different brand of salt that my neighbors could not us. The problem with that was the salt content was a lot higher as well as the process that they us to make the salt was different. I started noticing about a week later that my plants where slowing dying off. I have since them removed all the salt from my softener 160 lbs of it and cleaned the system really good. After I did this I then add the salt ( dura cub) this is the brand i have always used and it never afftected my discus or my plants. As a matter of fact my plants where growing like weeds until I add that other brand of salt to my system and then that started the slow death of my plants :(

[3ggg]

Hi Dubiadiscus,
I am not an expert but read somewhere that water softeners are not recomended for discus (and other fish) because they remove the Calcium from water (exchange to Na). Ca is essential for fish health and growth.

Gabriel

[Debra52]

I have been reading up on it to and I would be afraid of harming my discus and plants. I have been bypassing for many years and I guess I will just keep doing it. :)

[Dubiadiscus]

Hi Dubiadiscus,
I am not an expert but read somewhere that water softeners are not recomended for discus (and other fish) because they remove the Calcium from water (exchange to Na). Ca is essential for fish health and growth.

Gabriel

Hi gebriel , I might have to bypass mine, but if I do that means my water is goingbto be a lot harder do to the facy it is well water. Although I have had any issue with the discus or plant until I made the salt brand change. I will be testing my water for the hardness amd go from ther e

[3ggg]

Hi,
As I wrote I am not an expert, more an beginner with discus. Before you change anything on your system ask some more experienced user here. My recommendation was based on this source: http://americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html (search for "softener" on this page). It seems that most people with hard water are using RO blended with tap water.
Gabriel

[Dubiadiscus]

Hi,
As I wrote I am not an expert, more an beginner with discus. Before you change anything on your system ask some more experienced user here. My recommendation was based on this source: http://americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html (search for "softener" on this page). It seems that most people with hard water are using RO blended with tap water.
Gabriel

Hi gabriell, I understand im just doing research and trying to decide if I want to keep running through my softener or go directly from the well. I just think my water might be to hard and really dont want to add any more chemical to it. I jist know I never had any issue with the soften water.
John