Shawn H

I am new to the hobby and doing the research before buying my first tank. I've decided to go with a large tank (125 gallons). I've been to many web sites and read the start up section in Fish Lore but cannot find anything about Well Water vs. City Water. My water comes from a deep well that is run through a softener. Although I do not have the concerns about chlorine as those on city water, I am worried about other contaminants that may exist from a well. What should I do to ensure the water I put in my tank is safe? How do I check for water hardness? I'm pretty sure I have no copper in the water but iron may exist. When does iron become harmful and how do I check for it? Any help I can get would be great.

Thanks

Shawn

Dino

Ihave been using well water here for almost 30 years with no issues.

IMO, well water is almost always better than city water.

More details when I am not rushed to get to work.

I will post back this afternoon.

Jim

Shawn, when I first had a fishtank about 20 years ago in Pennsylvania, we were on well water and my tank did great. In fact, I had so many more problems here in Florida (city water) that I started buying bottled water instead.
As for testing for hardness, copper, iron, etc... I have a "Freshwater Lab Deluxe" by a company called RedSea. It's mostly for planted aquariums, and includes tests for both general and carbonate hardness, and iron, as well as a few other things, but not copper. Not sure how to test for that.
If your water is running thru a softener, then you're already a step ahead. It's easy to make water harder, it's a pain to soften it. I'm not sure when iron becomes toxic. Technically it's a fertalizer for aquarium plants, and I check weekly to make sure I don't need to add some, so I know small doses aren't harmfull. In fact, if you do have traces of iron, you'd probably have great water for a planted aquarium.
Anyway, if you want my advice, go get a good test kit, or strips, and test your well water, just in case. If nothing weird shows up, I would go ahead and use it. God knows I wish I had well-water here.

Dino

It is very hard to get iron in concentrations high enough to harm fish.

Jim

that's what I thought. The only thing I can find about it is in reference to overdosing plants, but that's like any fert overdose. I can find nothing about overdosing fish.

Shawn H

Thanks for the tips. I'll post again after I get set up or have more questions.

Shawn

fishrfriendsntfood

i have the same problem but we dont have a softener and the rust settles to the bottom of a water bottle.so a little un sure

susitna-flower

I am on well water, and only worry about the temperature going into my tank. The ph is a little high 7.4 out of the well, but the fish I keep seem fine with it.

The thing I would worry about in your situation is.....WHAT is used in the system to soften the water. RO filtration is the only thing I know of that would soften water with absolutely no ill effects on fish. Water "softeners" often add salts to water....I would check this out before trusting it completely.

Chief_waterchanger

Do you not have a filter on your well pump to filter out the rust and other particulates?