"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
On Dec 22 I am having a water softner installed. I had 14 grain
hardness.
What would be the best method to acclimate the fish to the new softer
water
condition, or should I use the hard water from an unconditioned outside
cold
faucet to service the tank with. Since it will be the dead of winter,
should I also take this "outside hard" water and store it in the house
for
a few days to bring it up to temp or mix warm softened water with it.
Normally, I use a thermometer to adjust the temp from the faucet and
then
add water condtioner before refilling the tank.

My fish stock is as follows:


50 Gallon Tank:

2 Glass Catfish (Large, -P 1/24/04) (Small, -P 2/5/2004)
1 Glass Fish -P 1/24/04
1 Rainbow Shark -p 1/31/04
1 Flame Dwarf Gourami -p 1/24/04
4 Clown Loaches -p (2) 1/24/04 -P (2) 8/1/04
2 Dalmation Mollies (1 female -p 1/24/04) (1 female, -p 2/7/2004)
2 Silver Angelfish -p (1 female, 1 unknown) 1/24/04
1 Red Velvet Swordtails (1 female; -p1/24/04) (1 female -p1/31/04)
4 Long-finned Zebra Danios -p 1/31/04
1 Plecostomus catfish -p 2/29/04
1 Chinease Alge Eater ( 10/30/04)

5 Gallon Tank:
4 Sunset fin Wag Tail Mollies (1 female; 7/7/04) -p (2 males; 1 female)
8/15/04
3 Sunset Fin Wag Tail Mollie FRY (Born 11/18/04)


TOTAL 32


Do small water changes more often using your heated tap (softened) water.
Eventually all the water will be to the new recipe and the fish will
acclimate to it. It is true that softened water is not a natural mix
(soft but salty), but many fish will adjust to it if it's done gradually.
jmo
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