# Any advice on how to soften water ?



## Sedentary Sloth (21 Aug 2020)

Hi guys
Looking for some advice on how to soften up my water ? I’m based in Stevenage and the water is ludicrous here, I’d like to soften it up because planning on setting up a Discuss planted tank
I’ve been told RO water is the best way but seems like a bit of a faf. Any advice is welcome!
Cheers


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## ian_m (21 Aug 2020)

Why is hard water such an issue ?

Much better to work with the water you have. An HMA filter setup would help clean the water, some even dechlorinate as well, if correct pre-filter is used.

Obviously RO gives you 100% pure water, at great cost of course, for each litre of RO water you will typically waste 4-10 litres of water, depending on pressure and temperature !!! Not environmentally friendly. You will then need to cut the water with tap water or remineralising salts before use.


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## hypnogogia (21 Aug 2020)

Use rainwater.  It’s free and soft.


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## Gill (21 Aug 2020)

The Discus we used to bring in, were always bread in Hard Water from a German Supplier.
Stendker Discus.
Uk Stores


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## JoshP12 (21 Aug 2020)

Gill said:


> The Discus we used to bring in, were always bread in Hard Water from a German Supplier.
> Stendker Discus.
> Uk Stores



What great links. Thank you for sharing.


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## Conort2 (21 Aug 2020)

Yeah you can use hard water if you go with stendkers, otherwise I’d recommend soft water. Quite a few shops sell the stendkers so shouldn’t be too hard to find. Think devotedly discus in East Sussex sell mainly stendkers.

Cheers

Conor


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## MirandaB (21 Aug 2020)

Depends on just how hard the water is,whilst Stendker are bred for harder water I wouldn't consider putting them in my tap water which comes out at about 8.5 PH and a tds of over 600ppm


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## rubadudbdub (10 Sep 2020)

https://www.spotlesswater.co.uk/news/story/stevenage-pure-water-filling-station

Stevenage have a spotless water if that's less faff.


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