Anyone using water softened tapwater in their reef?

[Beverly]

We're moving in a couple of weeks to a brand new house and are installing a water softener. We've used Prime-treated tapwater in our 25g since setting it up and intend to use only Prime-treated softened water for it after moving.

We aren't planning to use RO or RO/Di on the tank except for top-up, but are unsure about using Prime-treated softened water. Will softened water be better than using normal tapwater?

Any comments on this issue will be greatly appreicated.

TIA

[Proteus]

What's the point of RO if your topping up with tap water

[Beverly]

I am topping off with RO.

Any comments about the water softener?

[Ross]

Water softeners are typically only on hot water lines.
Use cold water and you'll be ok

[Proteus]

Sorry I read it backwards

I talk to ken from blue world about this a while ago and he ensured me it was safe.

[warriorcookie]

This may be safe, but what about nutrient issues with tap water? How do you know what's going into the system every time you do a water change?

My LFS sells RO/DI for 50cents/gal. Your water changes would cost $1.25...

If you have an RO system already for top off why not use it for water change as well?

[Proteus]

Ecspesially now when you TDS is 200 ppm. For that size of tank its cheap to use ro.

It's not absolutely necessary but if the options there I'd choose ro

[molotov]

I'm so confused why you would use treated water to fill your tank yet use RO/DI water for your top offs???? Why would you use RO/DI for top off when your original water is treated? I would say use only treated water for everything or RO water for everything of course with the emphasis on RO/DI for everything. Anyways.........

You'll also not want to plumb your water softener to the water lines that feed your outside taps. You wouldn't want to be watering your lawn or flower beds with water that you've treated with a water softener. Just my $0.02

[tang daddy]

If you're using store bought Ro water then why not just use the same store bought water on initial set up and waterchanges, at that point you may aswell install an Rodi, the cost if top up water is mostlikely $5 a week or say half that your looking at $260 a year or $130 if half, kinda doesn't make sense why you would risk a reef tank crashing over a couple hundred dollars being saved.... IMO and not trying to be a jerk or come off like a donkey it just doesn't make sense....

In Vancouver were lucky we don't have to use softeners because our water is very soft to begin with, but I guess in Edmonton and las Vegas it's a must....

[Beverly]

Still not getting into any aspect of the great RO vs. tapwater debate. Find another thread for that, guys

Yup, thought of that - the outdoor taps will not be plumbed into the water softener.