Which Is Better in a Freshwater Aquarium: Hard or Soft Water?

Before you set up your first aquarium, you should first have the water in your home tested for hardness, as well as for chlorine and other potential contaminants. If you prepare properly and choose the right fish, you can enjoy as much success with hard water as soft. The key is to choose your fish wisely and adapt the water to their needs.

  1. Type of Fish

    • Fish can thrive in both hard and soft water, but some species prefer one or the other. For instance, angelfish and discus are well suited to soft water, and they often fail to thrive in a hard water environment. Other fish do better in a hard water environment. The key is to do your research before you bring those fish home from the pet store.

    Your Water

    • It is often a good idea to design your aquarium and choose your fish based on the type of water you have, rather than try to change the water in the tank. If you have hard water, look for species that come from parts of the world where the water has a similar hardness. If your water is soft, keeping fish that love soft water can be rewarding.

    Time Commitment

    • You can use chemicals and natural products to reduce or enhance the hardness in your water, but changing the quality of the water in the tank can be time consuming. Even if you do use water softening or hardening chemicals, you must carefully monitor the hardness of the water and adjust it as necessary to keep your fish healthy. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, you can adjust your water and choose the fish you want.

    Personal Choice

    • In the end, the choice of hard or soft water for your aquarium is a matter of personal choice. Some hobbyists prefer to choose their fish based on the type of water they have in their homes, especially if they have well water that does not have to be treated prior to use. Other hobbyists are willing to put in the extra time and effort necessary to make hard water soft or vice versa, just so they can keep the fish they really want to keep.