Facebook Member Question: Water

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Got this question from one of our FB members:

I need advice...so i got this 55g tank. I am new to the hobby so i did not use a rodi unit hoping to save money i just used our tap water ( we have well water). i started with 2 clowns and shortly added a pajama cardinal. finally i was ready to add something special. i got a foxface rabbit fish and a while later got a heniochus butterfly. after a month both died but the clowns and cardinal was just fine. i was wondering if not using filtered water was thee reason for their death? Any advice will help Thanks

 

[impur]

No way to really tell without having the water tested IMO. Was it dechlorinated? Is the well water soft or hard? Does it change throughout the year?

 

[CJO]

It's well water, so probably chlorine is not something to worry about. How old is the tank?

CJ

 

[AliciaP]

My parents can't keep even chromis alive in well water. I have been giving them some RODI water for all of their water changes for a month and another month and I'll make them try a fish again. Not sure what's wrong with the water being from a well, but something's happening even though their tests look fine.

 

[impur]

haha good point

 

[dmatt88]

Ya gotta test the water!

........what, me worry?

 

[Ace25]

Well water = farm run off, lots of pestisides getting into the water in most cases.

 

[Dave3112]

Well water = farm run off, lots of pestisides getting into the water in most cases.

Not always the case. I would say that if they are drinking it then that's not the case at all.

 

[AliciaP]

That's very interesting, they have cows out back. Not their farm, but always been there. And I think my great grandparents had their own farm of some sort, pigs, cows. There might be something to that.

 

[Ace25]

This is a good article about pestisides in drinking water.

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/drinkingwater.pdf

 

[BarbH]

I agree with testing the water, how long has the tank been running and what are the parameters ammonia nitrite and nitrate? Also I would question what may be in the water itself different mineral content that is in the water.

 

[AliciaP]

I don't know if the facebook person is drinking it, but my family isn't. It doesn't smell very appetizing. My parents filter the crap out of their drinking water

 

[jerky48183]

Is there a pet store around you that sells the water already mixed? I have 2 5 gallon water jugs that I take to the pet store and just buy my water. They sell it for 1.29 a gallon my tank is also a 55 gallon so it's only about 6.50 a week for water changes. My tank has about $300 worth of fish invertarates and corals and to me ill spend the extra just to be safe.

 

[Russellaqua]

How quickly after the previous fish were the others added? What were the acclimation procedures?

 

[ironworker]

I used nothing but my well water for almost a year with no problems I just recently purchased an rodi. It may depend on what state your in. I live in Tennessee where ground water is running through mostly limestone and my well is only 65 feet deep. I do k ow I have a high calcium content but I didn't have any problems with it I keep a mixed reef.

 

[Mr. D]

I agree with some earlier posts...it all just depends on the water and it should be tested for sure. If it smells...don't use or drink that **** nit.

I can attest to Jerkass's comment on buying water. It's cheap and depending on how often you do w.c.'s you can save time on the mixing the salt yourself as well as knowing the water is of good quality. Also, the aquarium stores are usually good (if you have a good store around) about giving you good r.o. water mixed at the correct salinity. However, I also used well water for a number of years, but only had clownfish, nothing fancy. The butterflies and foxfaces are generally more finicky than other fish. Clownfish are very hardy fish to be sure.