FW aquariums, tropical fish, and water softeners - Aquarium Advice

black hills tj · 04-19-2007, 07:45 PM

Hey Everyone,

Most of you have seen my recent threads about losing my fish. I forgot too mention that I'm doing PWC's once a week now and larger changes, than my dad was doing before. He used to PWC once a month and it would be 25% or less. Well...now that I think of it the warm water in our house is run through a water softener. Could the salt from the water softener be too much for the fish since I'm doing more often and larger PWC's?

**Zagz** · 04-20-2007, 01:15 AM

It shouldn't affect your fish unless it has changed your ph too quickly. Has your ph been the same as before? Are you adding dechlorinator with your pwc's?

black hills tj · 04-20-2007, 01:24 AM

Well...2 weeks ago(before I really started doing PWC's, before we added new fish, and before i added a new light and live plants) my ph was around 6.5. When I tested yesterday before a 50% PWC it was 7.2. No I have not been adding dechlorinator.

LandGhoti · 04-20-2007, 10:40 AM

You should be adding dechlorinator when you do a water change, especially since you've increased the amount of water you're changing. Seachem Prime is a good one. It removes chloramines, detoxifies ammonia and nitrates (should there be any trace amounts), and helps the fish keep their slime coats.

I think you said you've significantly upped the amount of water you change in a PWC (and are doing them more often), so that could have something to do with all of your recent fish deaths, esp since you're not using a dechlorinator with so much new water going in.

black hills tj · 04-20-2007, 11:28 AM

Hmm...I'll do a 10% PWC today and be sure to add some dechlorinator. I know my dad has some Prime lieing around somewhere.

LandGhoti · 04-20-2007, 12:38 PM

If you don't need to do one, I'd leave the tank alone until you're next scheduled PWC. At this point, the water is already pretty much dechlorinated. Just make sure next time you add Prime (or some other dechlorinator) before the new water goes in.

black hills tj · 04-20-2007, 12:43 PM

PWC'd 5 gallons and added Prime this morning. Hopefully things started looking better soon.

04-19-2007, 07:45 PM	#1
black hills tj Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: black hills, south dakota Posts: 1,785	FW aquariums, tropical fish, and water softeners Hey Everyone, Most of you have seen my recent threads about losing my fish. I forgot too mention that I'm doing PWC's once a week now and larger changes, than my dad was doing before. He used to PWC once a month and it would be 25% or less. Well...now that I think of it the warm water in our house is run through a water softener. Could the salt from the water softener be too much for the fish since I'm doing more often and larger PWC's? __________________ <.^.>Mike<.^.> http://www.bhtj.net

04-20-2007, 01:24 AM	#3
black hills tj Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: black hills, south dakota Posts: 1,785	Well...2 weeks ago(before I really started doing PWC's, before we added new fish, and before i added a new light and live plants) my ph was around 6.5. When I tested yesterday before a 50% PWC it was 7.2. No I have not been adding dechlorinator. __________________ <.^.>Mike<.^.> http://www.bhtj.net

04-20-2007, 10:40 AM	#4
LandGhoti Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Le Midwest Posts: 828 Images: 6	You should be adding dechlorinator when you do a water change, especially since you've increased the amount of water you're changing. Seachem Prime is a good one. It removes chloramines, detoxifies ammonia and nitrates (should there be any trace amounts), and helps the fish keep their slime coats. I think you said you've significantly upped the amount of water you change in a PWC (and are doing them more often), so that could have something to do with all of your recent fish deaths, esp since you're not using a dechlorinator with so much new water going in. __________________ 29-gallon FW 1 yoyo loach, 2 polkadot loaches, 6 cherry barbs, 2 turquoise rainbows, 1 chinese algae eater, 2 harlequin rasboras; java fern, java moss, hornwort, Asian ambulia

04-20-2007, 11:28 AM	#5
black hills tj Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: black hills, south dakota Posts: 1,785	Hmm...I'll do a 10% PWC today and be sure to add some dechlorinator. I know my dad has some Prime lieing around somewhere. __________________ <.^.>Mike<.^.> http://www.bhtj.net

04-20-2007, 12:38 PM	#6
LandGhoti Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Le Midwest Posts: 828 Images: 6	If you don't need to do one, I'd leave the tank alone until you're next scheduled PWC. At this point, the water is already pretty much dechlorinated. Just make sure next time you add Prime (or some other dechlorinator) before the new water goes in. __________________ 29-gallon FW 1 yoyo loach, 2 polkadot loaches, 6 cherry barbs, 2 turquoise rainbows, 1 chinese algae eater, 2 harlequin rasboras; java fern, java moss, hornwort, Asian ambulia

04-20-2007, 12:43 PM	#7
black hills tj Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: black hills, south dakota Posts: 1,785	PWC'd 5 gallons and added Prime this morning. Hopefully things started looking better soon. __________________ <.^.>Mike<.^.> http://www.bhtj.net

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