Bleached well water okay for fish?

[SuperSword48]

I bleached my well water about 6 days ago and stopped smelling chlorine in the hot water tank about 3 days ago. I was wondering if the water would be okay to put in my fish tanks as I already had to skip one week of cleaning and the nitrates are getting higher then I'd like.

 

[coralbandit]

Sounds OK to me.
If you could test for chlorine it would be helpful, but generally speaking if you don't smell it, then you should be OK.
Many tanks can manage/mitigate a nominal amount of chlorine without issue.

 

[Blacksheep1]

I’m not familiar with this situation but would a dechlorinator help ?

 

[coralbandit]

I’m not familiar with this situation but would a dechlorinator help ?

Yes 100% but since OP has a well I suspected they do not have prime or the like.

 

[MasterPython]

If you are concerned it is still there and don't have dechlorinater you could let the water sit out overnight.

 

[SuperSword48]

If you are concerned it is still there and don't have dechlorinater you could let the water sit out overnight.

I have prime, I always dose prime just in case of heavy metals or the such. But I didn't know if the bleach would cause an issue or if using my regular dose of prime wouldn't be enough

 

[Cherryshrimp420]

You should not bleach anything. It will add way too much free chlorine.

The amount of free chlorine in your tap is very low, as the chlorine and chloramines would have reacted with organics through the water system. But with bleach most of it will still be free chlorine.

Also, not sure what the benefits of disinfection would be. A cycled tank is full of bacteria, you want these naturally occuring bacteria in order to seed your tank

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Can i ask why you bleached your water?

 

[John58ford]

A few people seem confused here and I think I see why.

"Bleaching well water" or "shocking the well" or "sanitizing a well casing" is a pretty common practice. Usually every few years or after flood water combined with power outages or failures in backflow prevention you need to do this to stop your well from developing excessive bacteria. You shut down the pump, open up there vents or bypass valves and put in a calculated quantity of bleach based on depth and diameter. This might sound strange to some (especially those with city provided "treated" tap water their whole life) but I've lived it with private wells in past homes. Currently we have a home with a community well and it gets shocked every 3-4 years too.

As far as the original question, I also believe you too be fine. Most with water devoid of chlorine develop a sensitive nose for the stuff, if you can't smell it it's probably gone. You can get test kits for it, but since this is a rare situation you can just aerate it if you're really worried. But since you already use prime, a normal dose should do the trick just fine.

As a side note question, what "heavy metals" did your well test positive for that you think prime is helping with? If you have testing done and can offer this information I have been especially interested in the subject as it comes up every now and again around here.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

A few people seem confused here and I think I see why.

"Bleaching well water" or "shocking the well" or "sanitizing a well casing" is a pretty common practice. Usually every few years or after flood water combined with power outages or failures in backflow prevention you need to do this to stop your well from developing excessive bacteria. You shut down the pump, open up there vents or bypass valves and put in a calculated quantity of bleach based on depth and diameter. This might sound strange to some (especially those with city provided "treated" tap water their whole life) but I've lived it with private wells in past homes. Currently we have a home with a community well and it gets shocked every 3-4 years too.

As far as the original question, I also believe you too be fine. Most with water devoid of chlorine develop a sensitive nose for the stuff, if you can't smell it it's probably gone. You can get test kits for it, but since this is a rare situation you can just aerate it if you're really worried. But since you already use prime, a normal dose should do the trick just fine.

As a side note question, what "heavy metals" did your well test positive for that you think prime is helping with? If you have testing done and can offer this information I have been especially interested in the subject as it comes up every now and again around here.

Oh, interesting, I moved into a house with well water several months ago, I don't now about what I should be doing other than adding salt. I just discovered its about time to test the water again.

,

 

[GlennO]

Oh, interesting, I moved into a house with well water several months ago, I don't now about what I should be doing other than adding salt. I just discovered its about time to test the water again.

,

What does the salt do?

I'll admit I was shocked to read of someone 'bleaching' their water but I suppose it's not so different from a water authority adding chlorine to the city water supply. I agree that if you can't smell any hint of chlorine it's probably safe to use provided that you use a standard dose of dechlorinator. I think personally I would be a bit nervous doing it for the first time and would want to test it first.

 

[Noroomforshoe]

Well water/ water softener salt turns excess minerals into sodium ions. I was so upset about the salt, i thought I would have to rehome my loaches or quit fish keeping or buy a different house that doesn't use well water. but nope, the fish are fine. I add Fresh Trace to new water and I have not lost a fish. but it sounds like I still have things to learn about well water,

 

[ProudPapa]

For further information, private wells don't all need to be "shocked." I've lived in homes with well water since 1969, and have never done it (and my father didn't when I was still a child). I also don't use Prime, so unless a fish keeper knows the well water has heavy metals there is almost certainly no need to use Prime.

 

[SuperSword48]

Well water/ water softener salt turns excess minerals into sodium ions. I was so upset about the salt, i thought I would have to rehome my loaches or quit fish keeping or buy a different house that doesn't use well water. but nope, the fish are fine. I add Fresh Trace to new water and I have not lost a fish. but it sounds like I still have things to learn about well water,

I’ve never heard of well water softener salt, does it damage your piping or does it completely bind in the well? Also the well was bleached because it was thought to contain an iron eating bacteria which could cause damage to the piping, my well water contains high amounts of iron.

 

[ProudPapa]

I’ve never heard of well water softener salt, does it damage your piping or does it completely bind in the well? Also the well was bleached because it was thought to contain an iron eating bacteria which could cause damage to the piping, my well water contains high amounts of iron.

I assume that referred to the salt that's used in traditional water softener systems.

 

[Frank the Fish guy]

I have prime, I always dose prime just in case of heavy metals or the such. But I didn't know if the bleach would cause an issue or if using my regular dose of prime wouldn't be enough

Definitely use the dechlorinator. The regular dose is fine for the residual chlorine assuming you can't smell it. If you can smell it, then don't use the water yet.

When I shock my well, I have tested for chlorine and seen toxic levels that would harm fish up to a week later. The well is sealed so the chlorine does not escape.

 

[SuperSword48]

Definitely use the dechlorinator. The regular dose is fine for the residual chlorine assuming you can't smell it. If you can smell it, then don't use the water yet.

When I shock my well, I have tested for chlorine and seen toxic levels that would harm fish up to a week later. The well is sealed so the chlorine does not escape.

Was it toxic amounts even when you couldn't smell it?

 

[Itiwhetu]

Chlorine is an inert gas in water, so if you agitate it then it dissipates. If you use a garden hose with a spray Nosel on it, almost all the Chlorine we gone before it hits the tank.

 

[Frank the Fish guy]

Was it toxic amounts even when you couldn't smell it?

Yes, for almost a week. Very small amounts are toxic to fish that you can't smell.

 

[SuperSword48]

Yes, for almost a week. Very small amounts are toxic to fish that you can't smell.

Got it, I'll be extra sure to use prime this week then.

 

[Frank the Fish guy]

Just use the regular amount and don't go overboard. Excess dechlorinator can sometimes deplete your oxygen (depending on your water).