help transitioning to well water

[KittenFishMom]

I tested my well water with the API fresh water kit and the GH & Kh kit.

I got

Well water

pH 8.4

Ammonia 0.5 ppm

Nitrite 0 ppm

Nitrate 0 ppm

GH 1 drop

KH 15 drops, did not change

1 drop turned green

I left a voice mail at API to make sure I was doing the Khans GH test correctly.

It is star that our water is completely soft with such a high pH. I think maybe the water has a lot of magnesium, and almost no calcium.

I was surprised with the amount of ammonia in the well water. I let they well water sit in a partially filled open jug overnight before testing it.

I am working toward transitioning my tanks to well water from bottled spring water. I have neon tetras, peppered corys, kuhli loaches, yoyo loaches male bettas, and guppies I am rehoming. I also have a lot of plants and snails ans wondershell and crushed coral as a source of calcium for the guppies and growing fish.

I have been using Seachem Alanine Buffer to lower the pH and increase the K for the bottled spring water.  I'm not sure what to do about the well water. It seems to have a high pH and high Kh

All thoughts welcome.

Edited October 27, 2022 by KittenFishMom

[TheSwissAquarist]

Have you thought about adding some Indian almond leaves, or some water softener?

[OnlyGenusCaps]

I have well water that is not far off of yours, though I don't have the ammonia issue (thankfully). 

Starting with that ammonia, if you have  place you could put your water for changes for a day first this will allow you to put in  cycled sponge filter.  That should allow you to reduce or eliminate the ammonia, as it will be converted to less toxic forms of N.  It will also allow you to put a heater in and bring the water to temperature (my well water sits at about 5C - you may not have this issue).

In terms of the hardness and pH, I ended up shifting to species that liked those water parameters.  It made my life easier.  However, you can acclimate fish.  Slowly.  Others here will surely have better advice on precisely how to do that.

There is one thing that will give you total control over your water and fix both of your problems - a reverse osmosis ("RO") system.  It will pull the hardness and ammonia out.  It will provide the soft water that some fish prefer, so no acclimation.  It's a bit more drastic, but it could be worth it.  I love mine!  And so does my family, because they like the drinking water it creates.

Just some thoughts.  Good luck!

[gardenman]

To start with, there are wells and there are wells. I have a shallow well. Maybe twelve feet deep. A shallow well is very prone to wild swings. A deeper well (200-300 feet deep) is typically more stable and consistent. If you've got a shallow well your water quality can change very quickly so the water test you did yesterday can be a lot different tomorrow.  You'll want to test your well water fairly often to ensure it's more or less consistent at whatever reading you're getting.

Now, to get and maintain an adjusted water level takes either time or chemicals. Time is the easiest, cheapest, and often best option. Something like a Rubbermaid Brute trash can will hold 30+ gallons of water that you can slowly alter to meet the parameters you want in your tank. Organics in the water (peat, Indian almond leaves, etc.) will help to lower the pH and soften the water. (Or if you want harder water with a higher pH, crushed coral will do the job.) A cycled sponge filter will help remove the ammonia. A heater can get the water to the right temperature. 

The chemical options are the pH adjusters and something to lock up the ammonia like Prime. Both methods work. The slow, natural method tends to be safer and cheaper overall, but takes more time to set up and establish. It also takes up more space. 

[KittenFishMom]

I just did a more accurate test on KH. I got 286.4 ppm. The GH looks to be less than 17.9 ppm. I am getting a calcium test in the mail today. I might buy a n Mg test kit too.

If these numbers are stable. What could I stock in a 55 gallon tank that would like the water coming out of the tap, after dealing with the ammonia?

Is there much that can handle the water out of the tap if I have the BB in the tank handle the ammonia?

I do use IAL and crushed coral at the same time in the tanks.

Thanks for your help !!!!!!!!!!!

Here are the numbers from the first post so you don't have to scroll up:

pH 8.4

Ammonia 0.5 ppm

Nitrite 0 ppm

Nitrate 0 ppm

GH <17.9 ppm 1<dGH

KH  286.4 ppm dKH = 16

 

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by KittenFishMom

[KittenFishMom]

@gardenman I think what I want to do is lower the pH and increase the calcium. I just tested the calcium and it is <20 ppm Ca superscript 2. The water is already completely soft with no measurable GH, and the pH is already high at 8.4. Making the water harder with a lower pH has me stumped.

I see how using Prime or a cycled sponge filter can deal with the ammonia. 

Adding crushed coral raises the calcium and the pH which is already too high at 8.4  

I seem to be missing something to get the calcium up so the snails don't have spots, and the pH down and stable to a level most fish like it.