Softened soft well water

[joltibo]

Is it safe to use softened well water?
I've been using treated tap water but need to transport it every time.
Or should I bypass the softener?
My well water is known to have some iron in it

There is no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates and Ph is around 7.4

Thanks

 

[mrvincent]

Softener is RODI ? You can use pure water and remineralize it before you put it in the tank...

 

[joltibo]

Softened, as in a household water softener machine (hardness)
The ones that you put salt rock in

 

[Sambo7475]

I've used softened water for years without problems, the most important thing is to keep it even. Wild swings in salinity can harm your fish, but a stable amount of salt (which replaces the iron) is not harmful in my experience.

 

[joltibo]

We're talking freshwater, right?
No calcium buildup?

 

[jlk]

I personally would bypass the softener and stick to the treated tap water. If you wanted to consider using softened water, do you have fish and/or plants that would be comfortable with this? One option to consider if you really wanted to use softened water is to switch to potassium instead of sodium. Much more expensive but it's supposed to be safer for fish and plants.

 

[joltibo]

That's the thing, I have well water that's very high in iron if not treated with the water softener
I guess I'll stick to getting tap water from a friend then...

 

[Sambo7475]

I haven't had calcium buildup be a problem in my tanks at all. If you have a source of unsoftened water you've been using and it's been working, I would stick to that. I wouldn't use softened water all of a sudden, as it could shock your tanks.

 

[joltibo]

I'm currently fish-less cycling..

 

[mrvincent]

High iron water can cause staghorn algae issues with med/high lights.

 

[joltibo]

Alright

 

[jlk]

That's the thing, I have well water that's very high in iron if not treated with the water softener
I guess I'll stick to getting tap water from a friend then...

Exactly how high is the iron level on your well water?

 

[jlk]

Exactly how high is the iron level on your well water?

 

[joltibo]

I don't have the exact results anymore
It's been tested a year ago

 

[jlk]

It may worth having the iron levels of your well tested before jumping to any conclusions here and assuming there is an issue with using your well water for a fw tank. Water softeners in general do not remove iron unless you are using products or a filtration process specifically designed for this purpose or unless your well is naturally acidic.

 

[joltibo]

I'll look into that

 

[joltibo]

I just noticed there's some white hard crust buildup on my heater (calcium ?)
What gives?

 

[Jmunroe]

I'm using water softener water now at my current home and have been for the last 3 years here. I have also used softener water on and off over the last 25 years of keeping a wide variety of with no problems or detectable effects. I wouldn't worry. I have done some research and found that the actual salt that ends up in the water is very minimal and undetectable.

 

[Proteus55]

Same here. I have never had a problem with my softener. I used to bypass it, but it wasn't worth the trouble and the fish are fine with it. If I was keeping Cichlids, ACs, I might think about it or simply add buffers. Mu Angels and tetras are fine with it.

 

[Ian086]

Doesn't Prime dissolve heavy metals in the water???