Well Water parameters, any suggestions?

[mitchar19]

I'm about to move to a house with well water in about two weeks. I just tested the water and here are the results

Ph-7.0
Kh- 6
Gh- 5
Ammonia- 0
Nitrate- 0
Nitrite- 0

From my understanding these paramters should be fine but I just wanted to double check, so is this water ok to use?

A few other questions I have.

Do I need to add dechlor or prime to this water?
Do I need to age this water?
Thanks

[RandalB]

Sounds pretty good for growout, what's the pH after 24 hours?

RandalB

[mitchar19]

I will have to test that. I'm guessing though if Ph stays stable within .2 in 24 hours, then I will not need to store water?

What about prime, do I need to add it to the water?

[phidelt85]

I don't use any additives to my well water; you shouldn't need to since you don't have chlorine in water(unless your adding it) and your ammonia is @ 0. I've got similar number to yours however, my pH goes way up after 24 hours. I don't store any water; match temp>out of the tap> into the tank.

[poconogal]

I'm on well water too - out of tap: PH 7.8 in spring and summer, 8.2-8.4 fall and winter. It shoots up after 24 hours. KH 4 and GH 5, no ammonia, nitrite or nitrates and TDS about 110. Weird water... it's well buffered, but not by calcium.

I use straight unaged tap since once in my tank, the water's PH does not shoot up - the fish load keeps the tank running at about 8.0 fall and winter, and once the tap PH starts to drop in the spring, the tank gradually drops to about 7.6-7.8. I use no additives whatsoever, I just match the temp when doing WC. Using Prime or anything like it would be pointless since you have no ammonia, etc. or chlorine/chloramine.

The Discus are doing very well and I have 3 spawning pairs.

[Elite Aquaria]

Connie,

It is my understanding that most well water does not have a very high level of oxygen. I have a friend who swears that If I drill a well I will need to store the water to add oxygen back into the water. Do you have a way to check for this?

Dan

[poconogal]

It is my understanding that most well water does not have a very high level of oxygen. I have a friend who swears that If I drill a well I will need to store the water to add oxygen back into the water. Do you have a way to check for this?

Dan, I don't know if that's true, but I can say for sure that I have NEVER had a problem with low oxygen in my tank either before, during or after any WCs. My Discus have never gone to the surface, have never exhibited any signs whatsoever of there not being enough oxygen, so while the oxygen level may be lower, I doubt that it is insufficient. I also have an air pump in use and my canister's spray bar is a few inches under the water's surface, pointed upwards so that the water coming out of the spray bar is creating lots of surface movement.

[Don Trinko]

Your well water is better than my city water! No amonia, nitrates or nitrites but my dh =7, kh = 17 and ph=7.5. For my Discus I mix ro water from Wallmart with my city water. Don T.

[poconogal]

Your well water is better than my city water! No amonia, nitrates or nitrites but my dh =7, kh = 17 and ph=7.5. For my Discus I mix ro water from Wallmart with my city water. Don T.
You can get RO water from Wal-Mart? Boy, they really DO have everything!

[Don Trinko]

It's .37/gal if you bring your own containers. I tryed one of those $33 tap water filters but I only got abought 15 gal before it needed a cartridge.
Don t.

[poconogal]

It's .37/gal if you bring your own containers. I tryed one of those $33 tap water filters but I only got abought 15 gal before it needed a cartridge.
Don t.

Don, yep, those cartridges are pretty expensive too. I have that filter also, it worked well but I only got 2.5 WCs (about 90 gals) out of one, which is actually way better than you got... hmmm, and your on city water?

My LFS gives RO water for free, but too much trouble for me. If my well water ever becomes a problem, I'll probably go that route, though. That's one thing about well water, you never know when something may have polluted the ground water, even from 20 miles away!