Is well water safe?

[often dignified]

:confused:

I'm going to be moving back home in 4 months once school is out. We have well water, and a water softener. Can I use this in my tank?

[Hans]

everyone that comes in with a sample of their well water, the ph is like 8.8... so all i know is get it tested!

[PumaWard]

I have well water... non of my fish are harmed by it. pH is 7.8 and hardness is between 8 and 10 degrees (depending on the time of year).

I would try to avoid using the water that has been softened if you can, there *might* be something in it that you don't want to end up in your fishtank.

[aquariumfishguy]

Ages ago I had well water and it tested in with a pH of around 8. I dont know if this helps you any, but it does seem as though well water has a high pH.

[jeffro426]

I have well water and mine tests at around 8.0ph..my Mbuna love it!

[often dignified]

You might think I'm crazy, but my tap water in the apartment reads at pH 8.2 - 8.4 :eek:

Are there any special procedures for well water? Obviously I won't need a chlorine remover, but what about heavy metals and such?

[Canuck]

If you can drink it, fish can live in it. Your pH may be high or low depending on the geology of the area you live in, so you may want to test to ensure that its suitable for the fish you keep. Most water softeners remove the hardness by replacing the minerals with salt, so keep this in mind, if you grow plants or keep soft water fishes, (water softeners do not make soft water).

[aquariumfishguy]

Originally posted by Canuck
If you can drink it, fish can live in it.

...I wouldn't agree with this comment. Mainly because some water softeners are horrible for a fish's health. And some water which isn't treated can be equally harmful...if not worse. All fish are different. I wouldn't generalize and say if you can drink it, the fish will be fine. Thats just not true.

[travelinman1969]

Try to put this to rest. My tap water has a ph of 8.4, city water. I have a 150. I have low ph fish. I have it at 6.8. If I put 2 gallons of city water in my tank it raises the ph .5. Anything more than this, in a 24 hour period, is nuclear for them. I buy all my water from Wal-mart, for now, moving in 3 weeks and will get an R/O system. I spent over $300 in chemicals trying to bring this ph down, when I started the tank, kill the hardness, etc. The best I got was 8.2. I put 2 goldfish in the tank and they died within 2 hours. I tried the same without the chenicals and the same results. They say we can drink the water but my fish can't live in it. That's why I'm moving. Get an R/O system if you're worried.

[often dignified]

a RO system just doesn't seem worth it for my 10 gallon tank... I think I'll just buy it for $.50 a gallon and mix it with whatever water I'm using.

Do I have to worry about high mineral content in well water? I've heard it can be high in iron and be bad for fish...?

[travelinman1969]

Just stick with bottled water all the way if your not sure. I have a friend who says if he uses well water his water turns green.

[mrbigisbudgood]

Bottom line, have it tested.

I have awesome well water here in VA. 300ft deep in rock, no color, no odor, no floaties, I brought it in to be tested and the guy at the LFS wanted to either curse me or come get some of my water. Where I'm moving to in the next couple weeks, I'll need to get an RO because the water sucks big time.