Water Softener Pillow

[reberly]

Just a corollary to my last post about our terrible water, has anyone used the Water Softener Pillow from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals? I've heard a couple people recommend them and I'm just wondering if you guys have had any experience with it.

Ryan

 

[justDIY]

I used to put sodium salt tablets in a plastic cup in place it in the tank in a futile effort to soften water as recommended by an lfs (they did it in all their tanks)

I eventually tired of having fish get 'trapped' in the cup or spilling it's salt all over the substrate, plus it didn't really seem to be making much difference

ap's pillow is probably just sodium or potassium salt tablets inside a tight nylon mesh bag ... it probably works better than the cup 'o salt method, but still, you're putting salt into your aquarium, your fish and plants might not like it

try softening your water with peatmoss and/or driftwood ... althougth instead of putting salt into your water, these put tanic acid (tanins), which will yellow the water and reduce it's ph, but you can counter the yellowing with filter carbon or water changes

 

[shawmutt]

Is that what that cup o' white crap is in all the fish tanks in petsmart?

 

[justDIY]

heh, yup, petsmart ... you'd think with their obvisouly complicated filtration system they would soften the water via RO or at least have a water-softener installed in the store, rather then a cup of salt in each tank.

I guess it helps with stress too, reducing electrolyte loss due to osmosis

 

[Bearfan]

I use the pillow as you described, not the worthless white cup. I put it in my second media cartridge in my Emporer 400. It needs to be replaced every other day until your softness is achieved. I bought a couple so I have on recharging in Dr. Wellfish's aquarium salt and water and one in the filter. It works well. I have very hard water around here and it softened it up nicely. I recommend them if you have hard water.