Well Water vs City Water

[SparKy697]

I have a well that I used for water until this past year. I'm now tied into the city system.

My well is not the best. Lots of iron and quite hard. I still have a good softener which I believe is what is called an ion exchange softener. I even have an r/o unit.

My question is which is better to use?
Pure well water with no treatment?
Softened water from the well with most of the iron removed as well as the minerals that make it hard?
Softened water that has been run through the r/o?
Or just stick with the city water and do the de-chlorination thing?

[JDogg]

Originally Posted by SparKy697

I have a well that I used for water until this past year. I'm now tied into the city system.

My well is not the best. Lots of iron and quite hard. I still have a good softener which I believe is what is called an ion exchange softener. I even have an r/o unit.

My question is which is better to use?
Pure well water with no treatment?
Softened water from the well with most of the iron removed as well as the minerals that make it hard?
Softened water that has been run through the r/o?
Or just stick with the city water and do the de-chlorination thing?

what ions are exchanged in you water softener if it is puting Na and Cl in your water i would not use that in your tank

[farmgirl]

Chances are that your new city water is drawing their water from the same bedrock as your well. The only difference is that they have to add chemicals. My fish thrive in my well water, the hardness doesn't seem to affect them at all. It does have high mineral content, so you'll have to mabey clean your glass more often, and watch out for the calcification line at the waterline. If you don't keep it wiped off weekly, it'll get very hard as you know. If I were a fish, I would rather swim in untreated water!! I do not treat my well water at all, but like I said, I do a little extra tank work now for it.

[SparKy697]

if it is puting Na and Cl in your water i would not use that in your tank

That is exactly what is being exchanged so that answers that question.

Chances are that your new city water is drawing their water from the same bedrock as your well.

My well is 160' deep but the city water is considered surface water. It is drawn out of Lake Michigan. How about the iron in the water. I don't have any numbers but if you take a class of it out of the well (un-softened) and set it in the sunlight, it will turn rusty color in no time.

Btw, I used the city water in my tank to start with.

[farmgirl]

Wow, that's a lot of iron for sure. In that case I would lean towards your city water, I bet one of the moderators would know if high iron is toxic to the fish. Sorry I wasn't more help.

[SparKy697]

Yes it is a lot of iron, I was so happy to get city water! I have white socks now!

[JDogg]

Originally Posted by SparKy697

Yes it is a lot of iron, I was so happy to get city water! I have white socks now!

use the city water IMO

[hc8719]

if chlorine and chloromine kills fish, what indication does it give people that drink it.

iron is good for people, infact they noticed that people back 100+ years ago had much more iron in their systems because of cooking on it so often

though i cant say if the fish care for it

[JDogg]

Originally Posted by hc8719

if chlorine and chloromine kills fish, what indication does it give people that drink it.

iron is good for people, infact they noticed that people back 100+ years ago had much more iron in their systems because of cooking on it so often

though i cant say if the fish care for it

plant the tank very heavy and the plants can use up the iron...

[newfound77951]

The house I used to live in had very hard, anoxic well water and there was a softener system on the house. I was not in charge of cleaning the system and consequently had very variable tap water in terms of hardness....some days it was off the charts and some days it was very soft. Lead to pH swings in my tank and the eventual loss of some fish until I figured out what was wrong. Switched to bringing "city" (well, public system, not really a huge city) water home from work which I dechlorinated. Fish were happy. Now I have moved and have my own well which has very soft water but at least it's consistent! I add a bit of bicarbonate to stabilize the pH and the fish are still happy....I'm happier too 'cause I can use my python again to fill up the tank!