Water Softener

[espitzer]

I have well water and I'm on a water softening system for the house (it is necessary as the water is very hard and really not usable without the softener). I am very concerned about how this water will be for my discus (I'm cycling a couple of tanks and will be purchasing discus in the next 2 weeks or so).

I am currently using Sodium Chloride in the softener but I can use Potassium chloride if this would be better for the discus.

I am purchasing an RO unit, so I'm wondering if it is safe to use any of the water out of the softener to add back to the water once it is through the RO or whether i should just use RO water with a product like RO Vital.

Unfortunately, I don't know of a way to bypass the softener and get water directly from the well, the way the system is setup.

[Steve_Warner]

Hi all,
Espitzer, you should be able to get regular water from any hose bib around the house, as well(no pun intended) as the kitchen sink. I would hope that your hose bibs, at least, were not hooked up to the softener, 'cause all your plants in your yard are probably dead by now if it is. ;) Potassium Chloride is better to use, as you can use the tap water to also water your plants(fertilizer included), but I believe that P.C. is a little harder on the R/O membrane than Sodium Chloride. Just some thoughts.


Steve

[espitzer]

Steve,

Thanks. Makes sense that the hose bibs wouldn't be hooked up. I can verify this pretty easily with my GH test kit.

[kevster]

Actually most new houses in my neighborhood all have water softners and they are hooked up right where the water comes into the house so every outlet is soft water. You don't have to test, just look at your softner. Is the water line coming in through a wall? If so everything after is going to be soft water. if there are lines branching off before the softner than they are not passing through the softner. One thing is for sure, do not put the discus in water softner water. I lost 1/2 doz discus from them jumping out of the tank. Kevster