HEALTHY HABITAT - Promotes a thriving aquatic environment.
ECO FRIENDLY CHOICE - No batteries needed, just pure filtration.
COMPATIBILITY CHAMPION - Works with popular canister filters.
EFFORTLESS MAINTENANCE - Pre-dosed pouch for easy use.
TRANSFORM YOUR AQUARIUM - Say goodbye to hard water issues!
The API Aquarium Canister Filtration Water Softener Pillow is a game-changer for aquarium enthusiasts. This easy-to-use, pre-dosed pouch effectively softens hard water by reducing calcium and magnesium levels, ensuring a healthier environment for your fish. Compatible with most canister filters, it simplifies maintenance while promoting a thriving aquatic habitat.
Specifications
Pet Type
Fish
Product Dimensions
11.43 x 2.54 x 18.75 cm; 23 g
Item model number
49A
Pet Life Stage
Adult
Item Form
Granules
Allergen Information
Apple Free
Colour
No Color
Size
1 Count (Pack of 1)
Number of Items
1
Quantity
1
Compatible Devices
Marina i110 and i160 internal filters
Special features
Easy to replace
Batteries required
No
Batteries Included
No
Item Weight
23 g
Have a Question? See What Others Asked
I have a 5 gallon tank and a small filter that the pillow wont fit in , what do I do ?
Can i put in externall filter ?
Can you leave this in your filter after the 48-hour period
I have an 80l tank, can i pop this straight in with my carbon filter as my gh is too high?
Reviews
3.8
All from verified purchases
S**M
worked great in London's hard water
My water hardness was off the chart, followed instriction, worked great. It also helped to balance pH and KH.Althought initial charge of this pillow lats 48 hours (recharge needed with API salt, purchased seperatly), but my desired level was achived within 2 hours, therefore PLEASE CHECK EVERY HOUR, otherwise water will become too soft.
A**R
It works
Simply, it works after 1 Day with only one in my filter cartridge it nearly halved my GH from over 600ppm (30 degrees) to 350ppm (17 Degrees). Considering this treats only 70L of water and my tank is 110L and it was only in there for 24H im very impressed. After adding another one and after 48 Hours it went down to 142ppm (7Degrees)Only reason for 4/5 Stars is its kinda expensive considering you have to replace it after 3 uses but honestly the most expensive part is the salt you have to buy to recharge em. Kinda wish API would do a little kit with the pillow and the salt for a small discount
A**R
Miracle product
Just, WOW... My GH water levels were dangerously high, to the point that the test strip was leaking purple, far passing 28. In AN HOUR AND A HALF, I REPEAT... AN HOUR AND A HALF my readings dropped to 7 in a 45l tank! Minimal interference with PH, KH, nitrate and nitrite. I'd also like to add that I ordered this product in the morning and it was delivered and fish tank fixed in the same day! My Beautiful Betta Boy already seems much happier, alot less glass surfing and colour coming back on underbelly! Miracle product would highly recommend to anybody suffering with high GH.The only thing i would strongly suggest is to do regular checks on your tank while the water pillow is in use in the filter. Maybe every 45 mins/ hour. I wouldn't leave unattended as the product might work too well 😉 I don't even mind that I have to spend extra on aquarium salt to be able to reuse the product. The fact it's reusable is fantastic in itself. I don't know if you can tell, but I'm genuinely impressed 😂
M**S
Not sure if it works
I'm not sure if ir works. I checked water quality before and after use. Didn't see big difference. Not sure maybe I put it not in a right place in the fish tank. Used it in filters compartment. Anyway just saying that didn't work for me.
S**
Does not perform. No measurable difference in GH and KH with liquid tests. RO water preferred
Did absolutely nothing. If you want low pH and low GH water, get an RO unit. Many affordable options of RO units on amazon. This just is messy to use. I ended up putting it in a bucket of water from my tap just to see what the difference will be. No or negligible difference after 48 hours with a liquid GH and KH test
M**
Absolutely Works
Got great results and the desired GH, The fact it is rechargeable makes it excellent value 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
G**Y
It works but with limitations
This does what it says but having to recharge after every 2 days is a bit tedious, especially as by the time you get the water parameters correct it's now time to do a water change and you have to start over again 🙄Look into a RODI water filter if you have hard tap water and can't be bothered to rip apart your filter every 2 days wasting lots of salt in the process
D**S
Very effective. Delivered quickly.
This pillow has been in the external filter of my 25 litre nano tank for only about 12 hours, and it has lowered the GH from at least 180 mg/l (the highest my test strips can measure) to approximately zero! In a normal size tank it wouldn't have quite such an extreme effect as this. As I expected it has no effect on KH: this pillow performs ion-exchange of the calcium and magnesium ions, replacing them with sodium ions, but has no effect on the carbonate and bicarbonate ions - hence the reduction in GH but no effect on KH. If your aim is to reduce KH (and hence reduce pH) then this isn't the right product for you.In future I might not keep it in the filter because I don't really want zero GH, and instead drop it into the bucket of water overnight before doing a water change. My tank is newly set up and currently doesn't have any fish in it, so I'm experimenting with my water management.The instructions say to recharge it using a salt solution (sodium chloride), but I intend to try recharging it with a solution of potassium chloride instead. I think this should work, and will result in the pillow releasing potassium ions into my aquarium instead of sodium ions - which will be good for the plants and better for the fish.
Common Questions
Trustpilot
TrustScore 4.5 | 7,300+ reviews
Yusuf A.
Fantastic experience overall. Will recommend to friends and family.
1 month ago
Abdullah B.
Great price for an authentic product. Fast international shipping too!
Rinse pouch under tap water. Place pouch in path of water flow in the aquarium filter. The activity of the pillow lasts 48 hours. After 48 hours, recharging is necessary.
Box Contains
1 x API Aquarium Canister Filtration Water Softener Pillow
","image":["https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91G+jnGLYEL.jpg","https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91Iysz0kZ9L.jpg","https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61CD3BsZxbL.jpg","https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41mmiJnooXL.jpg","https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71XhhAyRlbL.jpg"],"offers":{"@type":"Offer","priceCurrency":"EUR","price":"40.88","itemCondition":"https://schema.org/NewCondition","availability":"https://schema.org/InStock","shippingDetails":{"deliveryTime":{"@type":"ShippingDeliveryTime","minValue":3,"maxValue":3,"unitCode":"d"}}},"category":" pumpsandfilters","review":[{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***M"},"datePublished":"9 December 2024","name":"worked great in London's hard water","reviewBody":"My water hardness was off the chart, followed instriction, worked great. It also helped to balance pH and KH.Althought initial charge of this pillow lats 48 hours (recharge needed with API salt, purchased seperatly), but my desired level was achived within 2 hours, therefore PLEASE CHECK EVERY HOUR, otherwise water will become too soft."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"A***R"},"datePublished":"13 September 2021","name":"It works","reviewBody":"Simply, it works after 1 Day with only one in my filter cartridge it nearly halved my GH from over 600ppm (30 degrees) to 350ppm (17 Degrees). Considering this treats only 70L of water and my tank is 110L and it was only in there for 24H im very impressed. After adding another one and after 48 Hours it went down to 142ppm (7Degrees)Only reason for 4/5 Stars is its kinda expensive considering you have to replace it after 3 uses but honestly the most expensive part is the salt you have to buy to recharge em. Kinda wish API would do a little kit with the pillow and the salt for a small discount"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"A***R"},"datePublished":"24 April 2025","name":"Miracle product","reviewBody":"Just, WOW... My GH water levels were dangerously high, to the point that the test strip was leaking purple, far passing 28. In AN HOUR AND A HALF, I REPEAT... AN HOUR AND A HALF my readings dropped to 7 in a 45l tank! Minimal interference with PH, KH, nitrate and nitrite. I'd also like to add that I ordered this product in the morning and it was delivered and fish tank fixed in the same day! My Beautiful Betta Boy already seems much happier, alot less glass surfing and colour coming back on underbelly! Miracle product would highly recommend to anybody suffering with high GH.The only thing i would strongly suggest is to do regular checks on your tank while the water pillow is in use in the filter. Maybe every 45 mins/ hour. I wouldn't leave unattended as the product might work too well 😉 I don't even mind that I have to spend extra on aquarium salt to be able to reuse the product. The fact it's reusable is fantastic in itself. I don't know if you can tell, but I'm genuinely impressed 😂"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"M***S"},"datePublished":"17 July 2021","name":"Not sure if it works","reviewBody":"I'm not sure if ir works. I checked water quality before and after use. Didn't see big difference. Not sure maybe I put it not in a right place in the fish tank. Used it in filters compartment. Anyway just saying that didn't work for me."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"1.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S*** "},"datePublished":"3 February 2025","name":"Does not perform. No measurable difference in GH and KH with liquid tests. RO water preferred","reviewBody":"Did absolutely nothing. If you want low pH and low GH water, get an RO unit. Many affordable options of RO units on amazon. This just is messy to use. I ended up putting it in a bucket of water from my tap just to see what the difference will be. No or negligible difference after 48 hours with a liquid GH and KH test"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"M*** "},"datePublished":"5 February 2025","name":"Absolutely Works","reviewBody":"Got great results and the desired GH, The fact it is rechargeable makes it excellent value 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"2.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"G***Y"},"datePublished":"7 July 2024","name":"It works but with limitations","reviewBody":"This does what it says but having to recharge after every 2 days is a bit tedious, especially as by the time you get the water parameters correct it's now time to do a water change and you have to start over again 🙄Look into a RODI water filter if you have hard tap water and can't be bothered to rip apart your filter every 2 days wasting lots of salt in the process"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"D***S"},"datePublished":"29 December 2015","name":"Very effective. Delivered quickly.","reviewBody":"This pillow has been in the external filter of my 25 litre nano tank for only about 12 hours, and it has lowered the GH from at least 180 mg/l (the highest my test strips can measure) to approximately zero! In a normal size tank it wouldn't have quite such an extreme effect as this. As I expected it has no effect on KH: this pillow performs ion-exchange of the calcium and magnesium ions, replacing them with sodium ions, but has no effect on the carbonate and bicarbonate ions - hence the reduction in GH but no effect on KH. If your aim is to reduce KH (and hence reduce pH) then this isn't the right product for you.In future I might not keep it in the filter because I don't really want zero GH, and instead drop it into the bucket of water overnight before doing a water change. My tank is newly set up and currently doesn't have any fish in it, so I'm experimenting with my water management.The instructions say to recharge it using a salt solution (sodium chloride), but I intend to try recharging it with a solution of potassium chloride instead. I think this should work, and will result in the pillow releasing potassium ions into my aquarium instead of sodium ions - which will be good for the plants and better for the fish."}],"aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":3.75,"bestRating":5,"ratingCount":8}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"I have a 5 gallon tank and a small filter that the pillow wont fit in , what do I do ?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Put it inside the tank, just drop it in the water and use something to hang it from the top of the glass, it doesn't need to be submerged completely, it is going to work as long as the granules are soaked."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can i put in externall filter ?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"You could but it depends on what canister the allpond solution small one the flow comes in the top so you could place it in the middle but otherwise try to get a small internal and put that in it I will become full after so long so you need to recharge it. also, I tried this for a 450 tds and it does work but it's not a true way to sustain a ph or keep tds at a certain place I tried over a long period of time wasted a ton of money. cut tap water with RO to a desired tds or RO and remineralize works. I had a ph of 8.4 at times due to plants I cut the water to 300 tds and that keeps it around 7.6 to 7.8 with small fluctuations because of plants. but has solved some issues with certain fish. sorry for a long answer but if that was the reason save your money and look into perhaps finding a way to use Ro ."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can you leave this in your filter after the 48-hour period","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Absolutely, you can leave it for weeks, it doesn't really matter. At some point, the content gets darker because it starts losing absorption capability but nothing to worry about."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"I have an 80l tank, can i pop this straight in with my carbon filter as my gh is too high?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"I have a 40L tank and placing this in my filter for 24hrs drops the GH from off the scale to mid level on my testing strips. I then keep it in a salt water solution until the next time the levels go high which for me is about every 3 partial water changes. My guess is this will do the job on your 80L tank but may take a little longer, remembering to monitor levels daily and remove when desired level is reached."}}]}]}
