I plan to be moving soon to a home with well water. I have tested water and found it perfect re: ammonia,nitrite and nitrate (0) and ph also good 7-7.2...but it is both very soft and high alkaline. The TDS is 324. There is some smell of sulfur.
I would like to know if anyone has experience with this.
I plan to begin integrating this water into my existing tanks for move to new home in 2 months. Right now I do bi-weekly water changes, 30% r/o to 70% purchased spring water. My tap water now has higher then good-for-fish nitrite level, so I am happy at the thought of being able to simply use the well water in future, but perplexed re: high softness and high alkalinity and wonder if this,or the element of sulfur possibly other miners a problem. The well water is quite drinkable and is treated via filtration, water softener. The fish in tanks are loaches, catfish, rainbow shark, plecos, and swordtails. The TDS in my tanks currently range from 231-270.
Well water
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Re: Well water
What region of Florida?
What type of filter do you have? Also, try to avoid using the water softener water for fish. You strip the calcium and magnesium in favor of sodium. Probably not good to drink this either. Your house should be plumbed so that showers/toilets get the softened water. You might want to make sure that your TDS reading is on the non-softened water. It is elevated, but nothing to concerning.
If the sulfur smell is from sulfide, I'd recommend having a water holding tank and simple aeration can help. A small canister filter and a day or two can help. I like to run carbon as well just for metal/other stuff screening. Use a good LPC, avoid VPC's for aquarium use.
Soft water with a high alkalinity (do you know what the alkalinity was?) can be from a water softener unit as well. Typical hardness tests are for the quantification of Ca and Mg ions, and alkalinity, which is usually put in terms of CaCO3 is usually inorganic carbon equilibria and other acid change resistant ions.
What type of filter do you have? Also, try to avoid using the water softener water for fish. You strip the calcium and magnesium in favor of sodium. Probably not good to drink this either. Your house should be plumbed so that showers/toilets get the softened water. You might want to make sure that your TDS reading is on the non-softened water. It is elevated, but nothing to concerning.
If the sulfur smell is from sulfide, I'd recommend having a water holding tank and simple aeration can help. A small canister filter and a day or two can help. I like to run carbon as well just for metal/other stuff screening. Use a good LPC, avoid VPC's for aquarium use.
Soft water with a high alkalinity (do you know what the alkalinity was?) can be from a water softener unit as well. Typical hardness tests are for the quantification of Ca and Mg ions, and alkalinity, which is usually put in terms of CaCO3 is usually inorganic carbon equilibria and other acid change resistant ions.
Re: Well water
I live in southeast Florida, the house with well is in Jupiter. I just bought house, will be a couple months before I move there. I will find out more re. Existing filtration/softening system, thanks for info
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