Well water for cycling!

zoajunkie83 · Dec 5, 2014

Question. I'm using ro/di set up for my water and its taking a long time! Question is would it be safe to add some tap water to my tank. Its a 74 tower with a 20l sump. I'm just starting it and will be going through a full month cycle? And info on this? Thanks as I never felt with well water situations before.

143MPCo · Dec 5, 2014

IMO city water i.e. "tap water", is always a BIG no no, for reasons that it might contains chloramines/cholorine and definitely a lot of nitrates and phosphate along with metals in it, all poising a danger to your reef tank. The use of RO/DI water will be best bet.

Well -water requires you to test the water to begin with to determine if it suitable.

Whats the PSI on the pressure gauge read at?

You might want to consider adding booster pump to help aid in RO/DI what production.

Windy · Dec 5, 2014

It depends on the quality of the well water! No one can answer your question without more information. Where do you live? Has the well been tested?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 5, 2014

Well water can easily have elevated metals (like copper) that I wouldn't want to add to my tank, even during cycling.

zoajunkie83 · Dec 5, 2014

I I will find out more info. I just started renting the place and all I was told is the water is safe. Not knowing about for a reef. I have a 20l ZOA tank and have been using ro/di well water with it and have had no problems yet just good growth over the past 2 months. Thanks for the advice given. More info for me to research.

Trex · Dec 5, 2014

Water is the biggest component of our tanks, not something that I could compromise with --- especially when using tap would be for speeding up the set up. If something goes wrong, that is a huge variable that you have added. Take your time and stick with the RO/DI water.

Heck, I am in the process of filling my 210 with RO/DI water, talk about taking a long time. Been about a week and the tank is half full (( not including the sump )). It is a painfully slow process, but I know that in the end, it will be well worth the wait.

AZDesertRat · Dec 5, 2014

Unless you have a recent chemical analysis of the well I would not do it. While treated surface water may contain more organics, well water could contain metals and minerals (inorganics) you may not want in addition to things like contaminants from nearby septic or leach systems, leaking underground ful storage tanks, pesticides and herbicides or even run off from streets or paved areas if it is shallow and in a congested area or not designed and constructed with proper well head protection in mind. Probably not a good idea.

If you are that impatient this soon this may not be the hobby for you. Only bad things happen quickly in this hobby, ALL good things take time, so patience is a virtue.

zoajunkie83 · Dec 5, 2014

Yes good advice. I been doing saltwater since 2002 so not new and know patience is a big deal for success with this hobby totally agree. Just wondering cause I never have been in a place with well water. I will have it tested and checked out. Thanks all for the advice I need. I will not be using tap water and having it tested. I have invested a lot in to my collection and will wait and check it out.

zoajunkie83 · Dec 5, 2014

BTW I live in the mountains and no city or farm lands within a 10 mile radius. But still taking special precautions!!!

AZDesertRat · Dec 5, 2014

The problem is "well water" is such a broad, generic term. Deep well, shallow well, driven well or drilled well, cased well or open hole, modern well, older historic well, sealed base or point of entry such as a pitles adapter and sanitary seal or casing protruding out of the ground, domestic or private single user well or community well, regulated or non regulated by health agencies, chlorinated or non chlorinated, under the influence of surface water or not, septic and leach systems that lead to ammonia or nitrate issues, alluvial fill, sandstone, shale, iron bacteria, sulfate reducing bacteria, or other mineral rich strata, there are too many variables to say.

I started my water treatment career as a drillers helper back in the early 1970's so know quite a bit about them and many of the questions to ask and what should be tested or not. A local environmental testing lab should be able to set you up with a sampling plan and containers and analyze it at a reasonable cost, I use this firm but there are thousands across the country.
http://www.legend-group.com/services/homeowners/privatewells

zoajunkie83 · Dec 5, 2014

Copy that. Thanks azdesertrat. That's why I asked. I knew I would get more better info on here. I always check if I'm unsure. This is my full diy tank the whole time I been doing this hobby since I got out of the air force so I want everything perfect. You got a good knowledge of all of this and appreciate your time! I miss the days of well filtered base water!

AZDesertRat · Dec 5, 2014

Me too. I used to manage a large private water system that was totally unfiltered ground water and other than being hard it tasted great, we didn't even chlorinate it until around 1985 and never had bacteria problems.