Well water

[jefftse]

I'm about to move into my new house and it has well water.  Is something I need to worry about for my aquarium?

 

Second question.  I would like to do a close loop but I don't want to drill the tank.  I need there is a way doing that.  Any idea? 

 

Thanks
Jeff

[Geoffwehler]

My, and most well water is fine through an RO/DI unit. Only testing will verify without more info.

 

You would need to use an overflow box if drilling isn't an option. I would drill though. It's not that difficult with a steady hand.

[OldReefer]

I tried to build a closed loop without drilling and I found out it was really hard to do.   I ended up with a "sculpture garden" of various PVC contraptions that never worked.  

 

Any reasonable closed loop is going to move more water than you can comfortably and reliably pull over the side of the tank with a siphon.   It was also remarkably easy to pull air into the system and fill the tank with bubbles.

[Coral Hind]

I built a closed loop with a mag 9.5 on my 120g tank. Just used hose going up to PVC which was used for the final up and over part at the tank's rim. I left one hose longer so it could be lifted up and filled with water to prime it. Once primed it stayed primed and worked fine for years.

[jefftse]

I just don't want to drill my brand new and regret later.  I'm trying not to put many holes as possible. 

 

@Geoffwehler:  What am I supposed to test my water? 

[Origami]

I'm on a well as are a number of members here. I find that I have acidic water (high in CO2) which can deplete your DI resin quickly. This is the same situation that DaveS has reported. I've confirmed this recently by separating mixed bed resin into its anion and cation constituents and running each separately. I find that my anion resin depletes very quickly (with a few hundred gallons of production) indicating presence of a negative ion getting past the membrane which I suspect is CO2. That's one possibility. Another is that you may find that you have low water pressure and may want to invest in a booster pump.

 

As for a closed loop without drilling. We had a member here once by the name of "FishWife." Look for her build thread here. I believe that her and her husband built and "over the top" closed loop for their tank.

[Matt LeBaron]

I had to get a booster pump when I went on well water. I haven't noticed the quick depleting DI resin that some have but I think it will vary by region significantly.

[jefftse]

Where do I find a booster pump?

[Origami]

Where do I find a booster pump?

Bulk Reef Supply or Air Water Ice. Different models at each, I think. BRS has a video on how to install theirs.

 

(Sent from my phone)

 

 

[jefftse]

Thank you, Origami!

 

Another question and many to come! 

 

I need to get more rocks for my new tank.  Do you think it's okay to cure live rocks with no RO/DI water with prime? 

[wade]

I do not use a booster pump and get decent output from my RODI, although a pump would certainly increase my output since my house is only at 40psi.  That said, I also had my water tested and in western MD (Frederick area) I have hard neutral water. There is also measurable nitrate and high silicates in it - those alone require good filtration or I'll get nuisance algae.  Luckily all VOCs, bacteria, pesticides and such came up undetectable.

 

I used to use my water straight into an african cichlid tank and they loved it.

 

Curing without RODI is most likely fine. I would not, however, use light on it.  If you have silica, nitrites, nitrates, iron or phosphates in your incoming water it can cause algae growth.

[Origami]

Just FYI: The minimum specified pressure for the Dow Filmtec TW30-1812-75 - the 75 gallon per day membrane that many of us use is 30 psi. At 30 SPI, you can expect that the membrane will produce close to 40 gallons per day IF the water temperature is at a nice 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Production increases from there about 17 gallons per day for every 10 psi of pressure according to the data sheet. Thus, at 50 psi, the membrane produces about 75 gpd. Temperature has a huge impact on production, though. For example, while at a fixed 50 psi, the membrane produces around 75 gallons per day if the water temperature is 77F. However, at 50F, that production drops 44% to around 42 gpd. Worst then is cold, cold water and low pressure - then you wait. If you can warm the water, for example, by passing the source water through a lot of tubing so that the room temperature warms it some before it gets to the membrane, you can help improve performance without a booster.

[ToddR]

I use well water that goes through a 20 micron sediment filter then though a 5 micron carbon cartridge. This filters it for my whole house. TDS out of the tap is 40. Works great in my softy tank. Other people on the forum are running SPS tanks with water straight from the tap.

[Origami]

TDS out of the tap is 40. Works great in my softy tank.

Wow. Now that's pretty darned incredible.

[wade]

Mine is 200.... 

 

I actually prefilter all of my well water to remove any potential particulates.  It passes through a whole house filter and a softener, then into the RODI.  I should probably consider a booster pump to not waste as much.

[ToddR]

Wow. Now that's pretty darned incredible.

I'm WWWAAAYYY out in the boonies and have a deep well in sandstone. I keep an RO on hand just in case it goes away.

[Origami]

A few miles south of Hamilton, here. 130 ppm, carbon filtered out of the tap.