Confused about water hardness

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badbart

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
39
I have a 75 gallon plated tank. I have well water, a softener and I also have RO water. But I'm not sure which water I should use for my tank, I used the hard water in my old 20 gallon planted tank then switch to the soft water for my 75 gallon. I've been reading the water softened with salt is not good for the plants is this true? I should I switch back to the hard well water?
 
i have hard water too 200ppm with tanks full of plants. there are some plants that do need soft water but they are high light high co2 expensive plants. i would just use the reg well water. i do agree with neilanh with out any readings its hard to say. its like saying its hot out side but hot for me is 90 yet hot for my cousins in az is 110.
 
How hard is hard? Do you have some actual numbers you can show us, that will help us make a recommendation.

Well Water:
PH 7.8
GH 23
KH 14

Softened Water with a salt water softener
PH7.8
GH1
KH14

RO Water
GH >1
KH 3
 
i have hard water too 200ppm with tanks full of plants. there are some plants that do need soft water but they are high light high co2 expensive plants. i would just use the reg well water. i do agree with neilanh with out any readings its hard to say. its like saying its hot out side but hot for me is 90 yet hot for my cousins in az is 110.


Using the well water would be easier, I was reading the salt in a water softener is not good for plants. I was going to do 30% water changes everyday to try to get the salt out of the tank.
 
it should be fine with the well water. if you were really worried you could cut the ro water with well water. that would bring it down but again i think its fine using well water.
 
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