is my tap water safe to drink?

[aquabite]

Quick question - I've been wondering about this for a while now. Should I be using the tap water that runs through my water softener? I checked with my city and they told me my average water hardness is 195 PPM.

Thanks in advance for your help, everyone.

[floras]

Honestly, it's tough to give a straight answer without knowing your aquarium's specifics. The type of fish you're keeping plays a huge role - some species are fine with hard water, while others need it soft.

Do you have GH and KH test kits handy? Test your water before and after the softener to see the difference it makes. I personally swear by liquid test kits, those strip tests just don't cut it for me.

[aquabite]

Honestly, it's tough to give a straight answer without knowing your aquarium's specifics. The type of fish you're keeping plays a huge role - some species are fine with hard water, while others need it soft.

Do you have GH and KH test kits handy? Test your water before and after the softener to see the difference it makes. I personally swear by liquid test kits, those strip tests just don't cut it for me.

@floras I have Bettas and shrimp in my tank. My water softener is salt-based, does that affect things?

[greensea_1]

I'm aware bettas generally prefer softer water.

[floras]

@floras I'm keeping Bettas and a few shrimp. To be honest, I'm not really sure how the salt in my water softener affects the water quality for them.

[kingrise]

Considering your water hardness is 195 PPM, I'd say it's on the harder side, so mixing it with some RO/DI water wouldn't be a bad idea. 50% RO/DI water could work well, but I'd advise against using 100% RO/DI, as that would be too soft.

[aquabite]

Considering your water hardness is 195 PPM, I'd say it's on the harder side, so mixing it with some RO/DI water wouldn't be a bad idea. 50% RO/DI water could work well, but I'd advise against using 100% RO/DI, as that would be too soft.

@kingrise Would distilled water be an option? Not really looking to use RO/DI if I can avoid it. Are there any natural ways to soften the water, like adding driftwood or something similar?

[kingrise]

@kingrise I'm not sure about distilled water, it's meant for human consumption, not aquariums. As for naturally softening the water, I've heard driftwood can be effective, or maybe even Indian almond leaves could work.

[aquabite]

Considering your water hardness is 195 PPM, I'd say it's on the harder side, so mixing it with some RO/DI water wouldn't be a bad idea. 50% RO/DI water could work well, but I'd advise against using 100% RO/DI, as that would be too soft.

I'm going to try the driftwood method by adding a centerpiece to my tank, sounds like a natural way to soften the water.

[Snout]

I'd advise against using water that's been through a softener in aquariums, the salt is indeed bad news for freshwater fish. Softeners work by swapping out hardness minerals for sodium ions, which freshwater fish can't handle in the long term.