ok so im going to set up my 20 long at home. I have three water sources. Well water, soft water, and lake water. which is the best to use?
best source of water
- Thread starter belmont0182
- Start date
Well I'd have to say well water, although I'm not sure what you mean by "soft water". If you used lake water, who knows what kinda stuff you'd be introducing to your tank!
Soft water post-water softener is great for laundry but is not what blackwater fish want, it will be higher TDS than the water from before the water softener.
So lets start with questions - what are planning for your tank(s) and what is the GH and KH of the well water?
So lets start with questions - what are planning for your tank(s) and what is the GH and KH of the well water?
I'd stay away from both well water and lake water myself. Both would have organisms in them, which may or may not be beneficial to your fish. I've never had any problem with tap water, so long as I dechlorinated it before adding to the tank. Just my 2 cents.
I assumed that the water supply in question was from a private well, with or without transit through a softener. That would imply no municipal supply was available or it would have been listed as an alternative.
Municipal water supplies are supposed to be free of pathogens and pollution indicator species, but that does not in way mean they are sterile - they are not.
Municipal water supplies are supposed to be free of pathogens and pollution indicator species, but that does not in way mean they are sterile - they are not.
Absolutely! The city water is crawling with little bugs (most folks are in blissful denial of this fact.) But I think it's probably got fewer critters than well or lake water - although I must say, I've never seen any empirical data on that, and never really thought of it before.
Good luck with your choices, and let us know how it works out, OK?
Good luck with your choices, and let us know how it works out, OK?