Water softener with my Vieja

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FishKing5

FishKing5

Aimara
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Oct 24, 2013
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So Ive been curious about this. I have a water softener that I use in the house and have been using the water that goes through the softener for my water for my vieja species. Is this alright or should I just bypass it and use the normal tap water that I'd quite a lot harder for these fish. The general hardness that comes from the water softener reads 0 and a pH around 7. I know these fish prefer harder water but can they adapt just fine to softer water? The water softener wasn't working up until about a week and a half ago so I was using just the normal hard water from the tap but slowly acclimated them to the soft water now since it was fixed. So should I bypass it and just use the harder star or is the water from the softener just fine to use. Thanks
 
Are they wild caught? If so, go with the one that more closely resembles where they come from.

If not, then stay steady. As I'm sure you know the changing back and fourth is usually what does fish in. Pick one and stick to it. I personally would stick with the non softened water. Especially if that's what you where already doing.


*Edit* I'll even go as far to say if their F1's you should make your best efforts to try to mimic their wild water parameters. But really after that stability is more important. IMO
 
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Covetous said:
Are they wild caught? If so, go with the one that more closely resembles where they come from.

If not, then stay steady. As I'm sure you know the changing back and fourth is usually what does fish in. Pick one and stick to it. I personally would stick with the non softened water. Especially if that's what you where already doing.
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Well they have now been in the softer water for about a week now. They're not wild caught, but I'm getting a group of vieja melanura Rio sarstun from Don Conkels tomorrow but am unsure what generation they are and his are pond raised. Think it's best to just keep the soft water going or should I slowly acclimate them back to the harder water?
 
There should be an unsoftened tap somewhere in the house???
Especially with the incoming stock. I'd use the harder water, which is what Central American and Mexican fish thrive in.
Conkel has typical Florida water which is generally hard and alkaline in his vats and ponds.
The fish that I have received from him always went straight into my 7.8 pH, 250ppm Total Hardness water without so much s a blink.
 
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As duanes said, Florida water is usually pretty hard. I have never spoken to Don but Id assume he doesn't have giant water softeners filtering the water to his ponds.

Is there a reason you want to use the water softener on your tank? Is it just easier to fill with or soemthing along those lines?
 
Covetous said:
As duanes said, Florida water is usually pretty hard. I have never spoken to Don but Id assume he doesn't have giant water softeners filtering the water to his ponds.

Is there a reason you want to use the water softener on your tank? Is it just easier to fill with or soemthing along those lines?
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No its just something that's on in the house but I can turn off and bypass it so I won't have to use the soft water from it then. I'll just acclimate them back to the harder water.
 
FishKing5 said:
No its just something that's on in the house but I can turn off and bypass it so I won't have to use the soft water from it then. I'll just acclimate them back to the harder water.
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You can do what you want to, but if it was my tank. I'd just slowly go back to the hard water. Then leave it.
I don't think a week of soft water is gonna mess with em too much. You'll be fine.
 
Covetous said:
You can do what you want to, but if it was my tank. I'd just slowly go back to the hard water. Then leave it.
I don't think a week of soft water is gonna mess with em too much. You'll be fine.
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Ya I'll just slowly acclimate them back to the hard water. Think doing 25 percent per water change would be alright? Bi daily? They're in a 125 right now.
 
FishKing5 said:
Ya I'll just slowly acclimate them back to the hard water. Think doing 25 percent per water change would be alright? Bi daily? They're in a 125 right now.
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I'd just do a 20% a day for 5 days. Then go back to your normal routine.
 
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