Hard water

[javsto]

I just recently found out that the water filter my landlord/uncle had installed last summer is actually a water softener/filter. That being said, is softened water any good to use in a mister/dripper or is there anything i could use as a secondary treatment in the water for any reptiles or pets for that matter? I currently have 2 dogs, 2 cockatiels and a bunch of fresh water tropical fish that either drink, live or wash with this "softened" water not to mention myself.

 

[carol5208]

I personally don't think anything else is necessary. The softener will remove the calcium and magnesium which is the materials that corrodes stuff. I don't do anything to my water and my cham is fine and my cockatiel is going 8 yrs strong along with my fish who are thriving!!! This is just my opinion of course!

 

[javsto]

thats what i thought as well, nothing wrong with anyone or anything here but i wasent sure cause aside from the filter there is an additional secondary tank in another room filled with a salt like substance thats supposed to soften the water but since i never personally service the machine im not too sure what it is

 

[Carlton]

thats what i thought as well, nothing wrong with anyone or anything here but i wasent sure cause aside from the filter there is an additional secondary tank in another room filled with a salt like substance thats supposed to soften the water but since i never personally service the machine im not too sure what it is

Yes, most likely that secondary tank is filled with specially formulated salt. Softeners do add a small amount of salt to the so-called "softened" water you use. How much depends on the softener settings. The harder your water is the higher the setting needs to be. If the settings are low it won't be a big concern.

 

[oldmann]

If your softener is doing its job correctly all the salt should be washed down the drain. There may be a very minute amount left on the resin beads that gets into your water.

The salt is used to clean the resin bed in the cylinder. It also creates a charge on the beads that attract the bad things. The final cycle of most softeners is to rinse out the salt and pack down the beads of resin to do their job.

This is at least how I understand water softeners.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

My water has a softner as well. But it tastes so awful I only use r/o cause I can't stand the taste. I don't even water my plants with it, much less my son or animals. So why does mine taste so bad?

 

[MINItron]

Water softeners work by removing the calcium and magnesium ions in the hard water. They are replaced with sodium ions. When the filter medium is loaded with calcium and magnesium the softener runs a regeneration cycle that flushes an extremely strong brine through the beads to recharge the system with sodium ions and prepare it to work again.

The softened water does have some sodium content, but it should not be noticeable. There is another type of regenerating salt that can be used that does not be have sodium, but I can't think of what it is off the top of my head.

If there are other contaminants besides the calcium carbonate and magnesium salts in you water that make you water taste bad the water softener will do nothing to improve the taste of the water. You would have to take a two-step approach of softening then filtering your water to make it more palatable.

 

[javsto]

all that gobeldygook is chinease to me but in any case my water tastes "normal" so i assume that i cah use it to mist if need be with out having to use any sort of water treatment for the cham???

 

[Elizadolots]

You should really check with your local water authority to see what's in the water and then with the company that services the softener to see what their system does.

I'm not a fan of fluoride, I suspect it's evil for chameleons, so I take pains to give my chameleon fluoride free water.

Not everyone agrees with me.

You need to make your judgments based on what you've read and let that dictate what you do with your water.

 

[jcal]

My cham developed edema and i believe my water softner was to blame. I stopped using tap water and the problem went away quickly. I would advise against using it.