Crazy well water

[fishorama]

How does one switch wells if needed or desirable? Sorry, I don't really understand (suburbanite). Is that possible? Feasible? Affordable? It seems daunting on many levels.

Sodium sulfate sounds like both your salty taste & bit of sulfur smell...bicarbonate, there's your high KH. Maybe RO filtration?

 

[Bartley]

I am a rancher. I have 3 different wells each over a mile away from the next for watering livestock. All I have to do is hop in my side by side and go retrieve the water from whichever well tests the best. These aren't shallow wells. These vary from around 200 to 600 feet deep.

 

[Bartley]

Pulled a sample from one of the other ones. Water tastes great no salty taste at all.
Gh 3
Kh 40
Forgot to test Ph but can tomorrow but I am guessing high.
Is the high KH going to have any negative side effects?

 

[Bartley]

We have RO system for our drinking water so that is always an option although I would like to avoid it if I have a reasonable alternative. May end up doing a blend of both.

 

[fishorama]

A blend is often the easiest option, mixing RO & tapwater & maybe some mineral additives if needed (3 GH is ok, a bit lowish but not bad. I don't know about high KH issues) I really can't envision driving out to get some water to do weekly tank water changes all the time. Maybe I'm just lazy or spoiled, lol.

 

[Bartley]

Does anyone see a problem with the salty tasting water? I can top off the evaporated portion with RO easily so concentration of salts doesn't get higher.
Is the high KH going to be a problem?
What else should I test for?
Will my fish adapt and survive? I am thinking of cardinal tetras, rummy nose tetras, maybe blue ram or dwarf gourami, corys.

 

[Bartley]

Thinking of switching to straight RO to avoid all issues with well water.
100% RO and add equilibrium and alkaline and acid buffer? Does that sound about right?
Just looking to do a community tank with a few low light plants.

 

[OrionGirl]

I'd worry about the salty water, TBH. Without testing, it would be difficult to make sure it wasn't climbing higher. I'd use the other well, still top off with RO in between. Less fiddly than reconstituting the RO water, but that's just me.

 

[Bartley]

The other well is 40 kh. Still seems aweful high to me. I still need to test the 3rd well.

 

[killiphil]

Your county health department could probably have it checked for you. If not try your agricultural agent. If they can't help, try the state agencies. For your own sake, and your family's, you need to know what's in your water. Just because the water came out of the ground does not make it safe. Some wells have high concentrations of
atrazine and other ag agents. Some also have heavy metal problems, mine run off problems, etc.