Let's talk about well water......

[SparKy697]

I have an old well in my house that I really do not use since I converted to city water a year ago. I got the idea to run some tests on the water today and see what it looked like, here are my results:

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
dKH - 35!
dGH - 46!!
pH - 6.7

One problem that I can see is the high level of Iron and some H2S. This sounds a lot like the liquid rock that I keep hearing about. I'm planning on setting up a test tank to see how it works out.

The hardness levels are so far out of typical range that I do not trust them. Taking a sample to work to get real tests done.

Any thoughts or issues you can see with using this water for a planted tank?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I feel your pain. I'm moving this to the Planted Forum since it pertains to plants.

 

[hashbaz]

Why is the pH so low? shouldn't it be closer to 8 or even 9?

Some planted tanks have really hard water and are absolutely stunning. Glenc's and Travis's tanks come to mind.

 

[SparKy697]

I think that is a good question.

I calibrated my pH probe before testing to make sure it was accurate, but it does seem odd. I plan on leaving the sample out for 24 hours and test again. This test was right out of the tap.

 

[IceH2O]

I'd run the water for a while then take a reading. Since its been sitting its possible that the hardness is a false reading. All those minerals built up over the years since its not really moving.

 

[SparKy697]

While the water is not used in the house, it does get used to water the garden. When I took my sample the hose had been running for nearly an hour. Actually that is what gave me the idea to test it. The well was in constant use until last summer so it had not really been sitting that long. The pH is the part that really throws me at the moment.

 

[happygirl65]

I have a recent similar circumstance. Our well water is PH 6.6 GH 11, KH 8
but it is fed by mountain springs. I recently tested the water in the pond which holds the water before it trickles down hill through the ground into the well and the GH and KH were much lower 5 and 4.
But I do know there are a lot of rocks down the well that would account for that.

The strange thing to me was that a few months ago in the winter time, the PH was higher....so I think I must have been doing something wrong before. The water in my 55 gal planted stays consistant at 8.0ph but I think the rocks are responsible for the increase.

 

[SparKy697]

Ok,

I tested the pH today and it is reading 8.1

I did aerate the sample over night to help oxidise the iron and h2s. I wonder if that helped alter the pH in the water?