Water Softener

blueberlin · Feb 25, 2010

Hi all,

The house I am looking at moving to has a water softener placed between the house's water main and all of the house's internal pipes. I remember vaguely from when I lived in the states that a water softener uses salts ? to soften the water, so that the water is poisonous to plants. I am looking for input about how this would affect an aquarium. The few posts I have been able to find on the forum have suggested curcumventing the water softener. This leads me to think that it would indeed be poisonous to newts, too - correct?

-Eva

Jennewt · Feb 25, 2010

A water softener removes calcium and replaces it with sodium, so you end up with water that is lightly salted and calcium-depleted. I don't think it would be toxic to newts, but it certainly wouldn't be the best kind of water for them. I agree that it would be best if you can circumvent it.

oceanblue · Feb 26, 2010

Jennewt has accurately described what water softeners do. You can add in a bit of calcium as calcium chloride to your water and other salts to convert your water to a modified Holtfreters solution but getting an unsoftened feed is recommended for human drinking as well as newts.

Epidemiological studies link hard water with good health and the salt load in artificially softened water can significantly raise human salt intake as well as cutting calcium.

Softened water is fine for washing machines and immersion heaters, but bypass this gadget for drinking if you can.

Kaysie · Feb 26, 2010

Look to see if there's an external faucet (for hoses and such in the garden) that has bypassed the water softener. This is what I did at my parent's house.

blueberlin · Feb 27, 2010

Thanks so much, everyone. It's still all theoretical for me at this point because the house is in Illinois and I am still in Berlin, but it has been a point of concern for me. Now I know what to look for. Thank you!

-Eva

SludgeMunkey · Feb 27, 2010

Most, if not all permanent install water softeners like the one you describe have a bypass loop integral so that one can change out filters and the like without having to shut off the entire supply to the house. Merely switch the valve over to "bypass" and then let your tap run for a bit to flush out the soft water. Or if you like, leave it bypassed, drain the exchange tower and not use it ever.

blueberlin · Mar 16, 2010

So, it is slowly getting to the time where an inspector will view the house for me. As I am still here in Berlin, my brother will go along with the inspector. I have requested that the water quality be tested. I'm not really sure what else I can do at this point. It seems to me, after reading here, that it would make more sense to put smaller softeners directly behind the laundry and dish washers, rather than filter all water through it. I don't know whether that is a realistic plan, though.

-Eva

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Water Softener

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