Water Issue Solution

[PaulineMi]

Yep, Jon that's about got it covered.  We had the filter for several years but my hose connection was pre-filter.  Now I can connect the hose for my tank water after it runs through the filter.  And with all the water changes I'm doing there will be lots of filter media being used around here.

Now I'm going to surf the web to find about a hydrogen peroxide injection system for our well water.  It may actually involve the well so that may be pushing the limits of what I can get away with. Sounds expensive. Lol.

It's all for the fish. 

[Frank The Plumber]

In Chicago we use the water from the lake. It's nice water and needs little done to it for most of us. I rarely get out into the areas where they use wells, the lake water is piped out all the way to Naperville in a radius some 50 miles from the lake. This makes us less than informed upon the specifics of water filtration and we have specialists who do only drinking water and filtration, our market allows for specialization because it is so large. That's why I am sort of curious to know if the contents were some filter sleeves of various micron sizes. That would have been my choice to try to squeeze the iron out.

[Rjb3]

In the ion exchange water softening process, Calcium and Magnesium chloride are trapped in the resin bed for removal later. Sodium bicarbonate is released to the water in the exchange. I use soft water and my fish never have an upset stomach.

[PaulineMi]

Here's information on the filter.  I found them on Amazon for $19 + $1.99 delivery charge with an auto-delivery system. Delivery schedule is flexible. I chose one every three months.

http://www.allfilters.com/wholehousewaterfilters/replacementfilters/culligan-rfc-bbsa

My concern with water softener water is that the fish need the calcium and magnesium that the system removes for proper osmosis. When I tested the pH, GH & KH on our water softener water the GH was zero.

[Mugwump]

I'd check the local 'Farm & Barn'..'Farm & Fleet' , 'Lowe's', 'Menard's', etc....prices may surprise you and no shipping costs...

[Rjb3]

R.O.'s take everything out, too. The fish can get all the calcium and magnesium they need from the foods you feed them.

Take a look at bottled water labels. Some remove everything from the water and then use calcium carbonate for flavor. Calcium carbonate . . . . . . . egg shells.

[PaulineMi]

I've always thought the process of osmosis in fish is achieved via their cellular exchange of minerals in the water rather than having anything to to with their digestion.  I've read articles like the one in the attached link when I discovered zero GH readings years back while trying to understand caring for fish and aquatic plants. 

http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2006/12/how-do-fish-drink.html

So is it possible that fish can get what's missing in the water from their food?   Isn't it necessary to reconstitute RO water? . Ouch...my brain is starting to hurt again.  Lol.

[Rjb3]

It's a given that pH regulates how the nutrients are absorbed. However, there is a paragraph that states minerals and trace minerals are replenished by the food they eat.

Take Vitamin D, for instance. Although sun light (UV B radiation at 290-315 nanometers) stimulates vitamin D synthesis, Cod liver oil in their diet is an excellent way to receive it internally. The fish oil also keeps the cell walls in good shape to help the process of osmosis.