Fish: Re: [tropical fish club] Questions from Fw: [Betta Splendens] Problem with my betta

I began looking through my notebooks for the info I wanted to bring here for everyone, however, I can't seem to find the one I need.
I do know that household water softeners are also not all safe, and I'm thinking maybe I am confusing the 2 when it comes to how many are safe and how many are not.
Filtration and softeners that use chemicals to soften and/or purify water should always be questioned, especially in marine tanks where the animals are much more sensitive.

In reference to water softeners, there are those that use sodium chloride and those that use potassium chloride as softening agents. This can potentially cause issues, but is in part dependent on the water chemistry before softening begins. Sodium chloride and potassium chloride can replace magnesium and calcium in the water. This can, over time, deplete a tank's water of both magnesium and calcium, which are needed for bone growth and organ function. High levels of potassium can negatively affect the nervous system of fish/aquatic animals. High potassium offsets the concentration of sodium in the nervous system causing nervous system malfunction. Lack of calcium can also cause many issues in the development and survival of inverts such as shrimp, snails, crabs, freshwater clams, etc. Most inverts utilize calcium for exoskeleton growth and development.

In fresh water it can be quite difficult to monitor magnesium and calcium levels in the water without specialized equipment (digital meters that are expensive), making this even more dangerous, because you don't see or realize there is a problem until the fish are already adversely affected, and by then it is usually too late to save the animals.

In a marine system these things are much easier to test for, and much easier to monitor/track.

Overall, it is safer not to use softened water in an aquarium unless it is coming from an RO/DI unit, and then in fresh water it must be mixed with tap water to replenish the minerals that are removed through the filtration system. In salt water these minerals are replenished with the marine salt mixture.

I will keep looking for the notebook I have with my notes about the water filtration systems, and I will also take a look at some of the more common systems being used today. Once I know what chemicals and etc. are being used for the filtration process then I can better offer an in dept explanation of potential dangers to the fish/aquarium animals.

Dawn

Dawn Moneyhan
Aquatics Specialist/Nutritionist
To learn more about me go to
http://www.helium.com/users/449334

--- On Tue, 3/8/11, Dawn Moneyhan <dawnshungryeyes4u2c@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Dawn Moneyhan <dawnshungryeyes4u2c@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [tropical fish club] Questions from Fw: [Betta Splendens] Problem with my betta
To: tropicalfishclub@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 3:04 PM

There are a number of water filters for the house, Brita being one of them, that are dangerous for fish, yes, that is very true. Its a matter of what method and chemicals each one uses for filtration. Not everything that is safe for people is safe for fish.

I don't have time at the moment to offer more details, but I will come back later and write again when I do.

Dawn

Dawn Moneyhan

Aquatics Specialist/Nutritionist

To learn more about me go to

http://www.helium.com/users/449334

--- On Tue, 3/8/11, Donna King <donnalynneking@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Donna King <donnalynneking@yahoo.com>

Subject: [tropical fish club] Questions from Fw: [Betta Splendens] Problem with my betta

To: "club" <tropicalfishclub@yahoogroups.com>

Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 11:38 AM

Anyone seen this sort of problem with the brita water filters? I know

of several people who use this for their fish water.

I would need way to much water for me to do this but I am curious.

How about those filter's you run on your sink faucet? I know Kim uses this for

her water changes.

Donna

----- Forwarded Message ----

From: kalen_hughes <hoyden_ish@hotmail.com>

Problem with my betta

Test strips are notoriously unreliable and Brita filters are actually quite bad

for fish, as they replace the calcium with sodium. People on other forums have

reported massive die-offs of fish and shrimp after using water softeners of this

sort.

-Kalen

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