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Thread: Filter medium and gravel

  1. #1
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    Filter medium and gravel

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    Hi bros,
    Is it advisable to put water softener in the filter on a tank with soil gravel?
    Will the medium absorb any substance released by the soil?

    Thanks

  2. #2
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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    Just to check,

    1. what's the purpose of water softener?
    2. is yours a planted tank?
    3. what soil are you using?

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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    If your soil is those like ADA Amazonia, GEX soil or some other soil that has buffering capabilities that lower the pH of the water, then you don't have to buy water softeners.
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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    ADA soil is very good...

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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    Quote Originally Posted by barmby View Post
    Just to check,

    1. what's the purpose of water softener?
    2. is yours a planted tank?
    3. what soil are you using?
    Hi, thanks for your reply. Purpose of water softener is to keep SA cichlids. Mine will be a planted tank and soil will be either ada or gex.
    Im just concerned cos water softener will absorb metals, iron included, i suppose, and the ada soil packet says it releases iron into the water. So im wondering if it defeats the purpose of me adding softener.

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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    It does defeat the purpose. To keep SA cichlids, especially dwarves, you don't need such chemical additives. The use of peat or ketapang leaves in filter bags is sufficient to lower the pH of the water. Furthermore, the ADA soil will slowly affect the parameters of the water.
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  7. #7
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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    As what storm said, no need to spend money on water softnener

  8. #8
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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    Thanks bros. I might not be using a soil based gravel in my new setup. Therefore i might need to get water softener.

    I have used peat in the past, and i know the benefits of it, but have not tried water softener before, therefore it has incurred my interest. But how different is softener from peat as the description of both products are roughly the same? Can i put both together? As in softener to remove heavy metals, n peat to create tannic acids etc.

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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    Softeners rely on chemical ingredients to alter the hardness of the water, whereas peat uses natural humic acids to slowly alter it over time. If you want fast results then the softeners might be a good choice, especially since peat requires time to take effect. Though I figure the problem here is how to get the dose right, especially with small quantities of water (eg. 1ft tanks).
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  10. #10
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    Re: Filter medium and gravel

    Thanks for the valuable advice bros, i shall use peat as a media then

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