# Is Well Water Safe?



## DaveF

Hey everyone, I recently purchased a home in the country and am setting up a new 40 gallon tank for my various goldfish. The tank is set up and has a brand new Tetra filtration system that has been running for 2 days with Tetra AquaSafe (which supposedly makes tap water safe for fish) and also has a Tetra heater and brand new gravel. 

My question is, is the well water safe enough to put my goldfish in yet? And if not, how long should I wait?


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## A.J.

My city water comes from a well, but they still ad in chemicals and all that mess so I always use a water conditioner to neutralize it. If you're getting your water straight from a well on your land, I'd still use the AquaSafe just to error on the side of caution. 

As far as adding the fish in, well there is the cycling process and while I'm no expert at that part you can find information here and elsewhere on the net about fishless cycling vs cycling with fish.


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## flyin-lowe

Before you get any fish in the tank you need to get it cycled. This can take anywhere from a week to 6-8 weeks depending on what method you use. The best advice I can give you is to read up on the cycle before you rush into things. As far as the well water goes it really varies from well to well. The first thing I would do is to test the water parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates). I would also check hardness and total dissolve solids. This is not super important in most municipalities but some wells have some pretty bad water.


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## Shotgun

true that, you need to cycle your tank before you introduce fish into it. but to answer ur question, we need to know the water conditions of ur well water. whats the pH, hardness, ammonia? (probably none...) chlorine?

i actually am gifted to run off of a well and its great. my pH is around 7.0 moderatly hard water, no ammonia (like it should be... lol) and absolutly no trace amounts of chlorine. heck i dont even need to add any chemicals to the water before putting it into my tank, its from my sink to my tank!


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## jrman83

Cycling without fish is a choice. You need to decide which way you want to go. With fish you risk the chance of putting them through a lot and possibly leaving them.

I have well water and still add conditioner. Aquasafe eliminates metals in the water.


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## DaveF

My home is currently completely filtered. I am moving from one home (city water) to my new home (filtered well water) which has been cycling for 2 days now in a 40 gallon tank with AquaSafe and no, I have not yet tested the water for Ph or anything as of yet.

I only have 5 goldfish, and from my understanding they are very hearty and can withstand a tank change such as the one im proposing. I am not used to well water, and even tho its filtered, my fish are not used to it either.


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## dave in Iliamna

My fish made the transition fine, but well water varies quite a bit with the location.


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## beaslbob

IMHO any water that is safe for human consumption can be used for any fish tank.

But then I use live plants to condition the water and that may (probably?) make a huge difference. that and along with not doing water changes.

my .02


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## brimac40

Well water is different from well to well . The well water from my old house in the country is iron water . It turned my tub and sinks orange and had a strong , foul taste even when it was filtered (which I had to change filters every two days). It is safe to drink though , but I would not want to put my fish in it . 

Your tank has been running for 2 days , but did you add an ammonia source ? If not then it is not cycling , it is just a box of water . I would find some pure , unscented ammonia so you can do a fishless cycle . Weather fish are hardy or not , any ammonia will damage their gills .


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