1kiowadog

i am in dier need of help with ways to soften hard water. it is well water

gm333

Your best bet will be an r/o unit. They are actually getting cheaper by the year.

1kiowadog

what is r/o unit

gm333

It is a waterfiter, this article will explain its process.
http://www.fishtankforums.com/fishtank/RO/DI_water

1kiowadog

is this filter for all of the water you use are just the fish tanks? I have 60 gallon with 5 lionheads abd 55 with 6 orandas. i really want to get a pleco for each tank. a small pleco not the commons ones. thanks so much for helping me. Lord knows I need all of the fish knowledge i can get.

Tommy Gun

Welcome to the forum 1kiowadog!

I only use my RO unit to make water for my tanks and the rest of my water goes through the traditional water softeners and what-not. I simply hook and unhook it to the basin sink in my basement and fill up some plastic garbage cans (which are not used for anything else) to store it until I need it.

Out of curiosity, is there a reason for why you are in 'dire need' of soft water? IMO and IME, if your fish are doing fine while in the current water conditions, you may not want to change things, or at least not change them suddenly. Atmittedly, I have barely any experience with goldfish, but on the other hand, I can't say I have read much, if any, other hobbyists who state that softwater is that important. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply anything, but rather trying to learn something on my part.

Regarding plecos...I am also not very sure which version, small or not, which would do well in a coldwater tank over the long term...although I am sure that keeping tropical fish in a coldwater tank, and vice versa, can lead to stress...which opens the door to a lot of other problems. Again, not trying to burst any bubbles, just bringing up points which we may not always consider.

1kiowadog

my tanks are 76 to 80 degrees. thought i needed softer h2o for the plecos I am not getting common plecos. 4'" to 13" my goldfish are peaceful and beautiful do wonders for my blood pressure long fan tails funny faces very tame. have royal pleco clown getting peppermint and queen arabrsque for the 60 gal. royal in 55

Tommy Gun

I see, that is good news in at least one aspect...you should be able to acclimate a pleco to your hard water without problems; which would be the 'safer' bet since it may prove to be somewhat 'tricky' to constantly maintain the same water chemistry all the time...and even if you use all RO water, you would then have to use products which would replace the needed trace elements since RO water, like Distilled water, is pure water or 'dead' water, meaning there isn't much, or anything, that will help support life in great amounts.

In fact, you can acclimate most any freshwater fish to a wide range of water chemistry, including an 'unnatural' pH, Gh, and Kh without putting them at a serious disadvantage. Even breeding is not an issue with most fish, however in some cases, those parameters might be more necessary than with others (an example might be discus). For example, I kept Malawi Cichlids in my tank with a relatively low Gh and Kh, as well as a pH of about 7.2 to 7.4 and wound up with more fry than I could give away...even though in Lake Malawi, the water chemistry is much different.

Even though this article might refer to saltwater livestock more than anything else, they are all practices and methods in which we can all use, even with freshwater livestock, to ensure that they are acclimated and able to avoid problems like osmotic shock and just general stress (which can easily lead to an entire dictionary of other problems/illnesses/diseases). To read that article, browse through the 'maintenance' articles of the Articles section by using that link, the link in the upper left hand corner of this, or any other forum page, the link in my signature below, or by clicking HERE to directly to the acclimation article.

Hope this helps. It is good to see someone who has a fondness for plecos above and beyond feeling like we need them for algae control alone. I hope that you can also share some pictures with us as well!

1kiowadog

will have to borrow neighbors camera have never shared pictures sounds like fun just wait until you see my goldfish! you have set my mind at ease the royal pleco seems to be doing finein the water i wish i knew wher to get more info on plecos books don't agree. thank you so much

Tommy Gun

No problem. While I realize that most magazines, books, and some internet sites always give a specific set up numbers or water chemistry that is natural to a specific fish, if you read far enough they usually hint at the fact that FW fish can acclimate to other parameters as well...the trick is to do so slowly enough as not to cause osmotic shock or un-due stress. In fact, I sometimes find it funny how certain magazine articles or books will state what sounds like a rigid set of water parameters but then have a picture of the specific fish in a tank with other fish that wouldn't be found in similar water or on the same continent. Community fish might be a great example of that sort of thing...from what I have observed, not very many hobbyists really considers water chemistry when stocking and don't have issues relating solely to natural water compatibility. I'm not saying that is right or wrong, just saying it supports the acclimation 'theory'.

Pictures are always a great thing! I can't say I have ever kept any goldfish, but after learning quite a bit about them from some more recent posts and threads, I might have to give some a try.