Lime/Calcium Deposits

[PaulineMi]

I have well water that is as they say liquid rock. The water is aged in tanks underneath the tank it will be going into. I run RO water in a barrel and mix some with the well water in an attempt to lighten the calcium and iron build up in the tanks. There is also a whole house "big blue" filter at the main faucet.

I read somewhere that the calcium build up only occurs on the glass when the tank is left to dry out. That would imply the calcium is held in suspension which I'm not sure I believe. There is even a deposit of iron residue on the bottom of the aging tanks. Every other week I'm soaking the tanks overnight in a vinegar water mix then scraping and scrubbing them the next day. 

Based on what I'm experiencing I'm questioning if it would behoove me to keep the aging tanks full at all times?  Would aging the water in barrels or even tubs under the tanks prevent the build up, i.e., glass vs plastic barrel material?

[Mugwump]

   Luckily, we don't have our own well....sadly, we don't have our own well too  'City' water is getting expensive and not enough rain most times to handle our needs.
   That having been said, if we did have a well....I'd run some kind of deionized water system. It's the only sure way to get rid of the calcium, and iron. They have filters for iron, but not as effective, as I've read, as the deionized systems, which can be used for both issues.....there's other better water folks than me here tho...so someone will hopefully teach us both..

[BallAquatics]

Keeping them full has never helped around here.  I run a cube filter in my aging tanks now to help 'catch' the lime as it precipitates out of the water.  The rust, I don't really worry about.  Most of the buildup is in the bottom of the tanks and I do a break-down about twice a year.



Dennis

[PaulineMi]

I'm using an RO/DI system but only use a small amount of that water as part of a mix. The Big Blue filter has to be changed monthly and even then it is fully coated with rust.

The sponges are an interesting idea and I will try that. I assume they'll require frequent rinsing out to prevent clogging. That's a minor job compared to what I have to do now.

[BallAquatics]

The sponges are an interesting idea and I will try that. I assume they'll require frequent rinsing out to prevent clogging.

I pull mine and squeeze them out in a bucket once a week.  They collect enough lime/calcium to turn the water milky white in the cleaning bucket.

I found out one summer while filling kiddie pools for the grand kids, that if I run the water very slowly, there is much less rust that precipitates out of the water.  I'm not sure why as there are just too many factors that may be coming into play.

Dennis

[Rjb3]

Why don't you get a water softener? I recommend an Ecowater ECR 3500R30. No more calcium, magnesium, or iron.

[BallAquatics]

Why don't you get a water softener?

I have a fantastic water softener.  I use the hard well water for daphnia cultures, bbs cultures and to add buffer to my rain water.

Dennis

[Rjb3]

Oops. I meant Pauline.

[PaulineMi]

We have an insanely huge water softener.  I use unsoftened water due to all the questionable internet advice regarding the salt being bad for the fish. I tend to err on the side of caution even though I've read pretty convincing articles about some kind of exchange occuring that doesn't result in salt being deposited into the softened water.

I do know the softened water results in zero GH. I mix hard and softened water for my angels but I'm like a new mother with these Discus. The Dantum albino angels seem sensitive also.

So what is the opinion of the good folks on this forum regarding soft water in the aquarium?

[Rjb3]

When the chemical reaction takes place in the water softener sodium bicarbonate is released into the water. The negative sodium ions are used in the ion exchange turning sodium chloride into sodium bicarb. I tell people my fish never have upset stomachs.

[Mugwump]

I'll add that I raised those Dantums in tap water....I believe that Greg continued to raise them in Chicago tap water...although likely using an R/O blend for pairs/fry. Bill Palumbo. when he lived in Chicago raised some pretty dang good Discus in Chicago tap water.....Josie's in Chicago too...but while I'm sure blended R/O is her breeding regime...albeit raising, and grow out??  I'll bet it's the Chicago tap water.....PM/email her...

Bob hit the nail on the head...your water's more than likely perfect......spare tank experiment??

[PaulineMi]

Thanks Bob and Jon.  I know I can keep all my fish in tap water...just wasn't sure about the softener part. I had some problems with fish health back in the day which I believe was due to the zero GH of straight softened water.

My main issue is the calcium build up on the aging tanks. I will try the sponge filters per Dennis's method. Later I may just skip using RO and go the softened tap with a dose of straight well water and see how that works.

[BallAquatics]

Water from your water softener won't be 0 GH like RO or rain water.  In fact, fish don't perceive what we call 'softened' as soft water at all.  Water softeners remove one set of ions and replace them with another set that is more favorable to soaps and the like.  To the fish it's still hard water with either set of ions.....

Maybe Bill will give use the scientific explanation as to what actually happens to water when it passes through your typical household water softening system.

Dennis

[PaulineMi]

My well water tests at a GH of 14....it takes 14 drops of reagent to turn the water from green to red.  The softened tap water tests at 0...no green, the first drop turns red. I think...if I recall correctly...the magnesium is removed as part of the softening process. The fish need magnesium. The "softened" water still has a high TDS though....around 300.

I appreciate the input in this thread...   It gives me things to think about and try to understand. I thought I already had this figured out. Bill will really make me get my brain working. 

[LizStreithorst]

I'm not a fraction of the man Bill is when it comes to smart stuff but I know this...Everywhere I have lived in my fish keeping career my gH has been 0.  If there is gH at all it must be a trace amount.  It has never bothered my fish.  Remember, these fish come originally from the Amazon where the water is devoid of minerals.

Just out of curiosity, if the water from the softener is 300 TDS, what is you're kH?