New Aquarium with Well Water?

Question

I have recently purchased a new five and a half gallon tank for my bedroom. I have cleaned it, filled it with water and started the filter to begin the cycling.

I know I have to watch the ammonia levels and the nitrate levels, but I live out in the rural desert and I'm on well water. We have our water regularly tested and it usually rates below normal water (No chlorine, ammonia, no chemicals, water softeners at all). It's very healthy water and completely chemical free.

Are ammonia and nitrate naturally occuring in the aquarium cycle (If so, where do they come from? I have not added anything else other than water conditioning liquid), and what should I watch for? How long should the cycling take? I'm not going to use it for tropical fish, just small fish like tetras, mollys, dwarf frogs and maybe a goldfish or two (I haven't really decided on the fish I want).

Thanks!

Also -- Are snails benifitial in any way?

I haven't introduced any fish at all. The tank is just filled with normal, plain water. No fish have ever been in the tank previously.

Answer 1

First of all if you are on a well you do not need to condition your water, the water conditioner is used to get rid of Chlorine and Chloramine (unless you guys are adding these things to your water. As far as ammonia here is why you get ammonia

You feed the fish, the uneaten food and the fish poop in the water begin to breakdown, one of the byproducts is ammonia (have you ever peed in a toilet and not flushed it all day only to come back and have the smell really strong like ammonia?) Ok so when there is ammonia in the water bacteria forms in the water, these bacteria eat the ammonia, but they excrete a byproduct called NITRITE, then bacteria forms that eats the NITRITE, these bacteria put out a byproduct called nitrAte, the only way to get rid of Nitrate (with out spending a fortune) is through water changes. Because you want these bacterias in your water you should NEVER change all the water in your aquarium otherwise you start the whole cycling process over again and you further traumatize your fish. Buy a test kit, and test your water once a day when you first start adding fish, you should notice that as the ammonia begins to dropm the Nitrites rise, about the time the ammonia hits zero the nitrites begin to drop and your nitrates begin to rise. DO NOT PUT SNAILS IN, they take over a tank. Live plants are more beneficial because they will use up some of the Nitrate and Nitrite

I have four 55 gallon aquariums, One 75 Gallon Aquarium, two 20 gallon aquariums and a ten gallon aquarium and I do not condition my water as I am on a well as well. Also if you really want to reduce the risk of killing your fish, call a few pet stores and see if they sell a product called biospira, its like $13.00 and needs to be refrigerated until used

Answer 2

molly's are tropical fish and well water would be find as long as you let the filter process the water for a day and then put the fush in. Leave the fish in a plastic bag and sit the platic bag in the water for ten minutes before letting the fish in the water or they might suffer from shock. I would also recommend buying conditioning drops adn drops that you use after adding new water to a tank. Your pet store will know exactly what i'm talking about

Answer 3

Okay so I know your tap water is not good but have you thought of charcoal filtration. you may be able to just get one of those brita filters that attach to your faucet. Charcoal is pretty amazing you may want to do some research. As far as PH you can buy chemicals to adjust and adding a buffer to help stabilize. but don't listen to that pet shop guy, it's not like he could possibly be using bottled water as his source he is able to keep his fish alive on your local tap.my best advice stop listening to that guy. If you do decide to go back to your aquarium I would suggest buying a few feeders to start your aquarium aging process and once you get everything stable find a new home for the feeders and get the tetras as they are pretty delicate fish and do not do so well in a new aquarium

Answer 4

Ok first off you shouldn't mix Goldfish with other fish. And secondly, don't worry about those things the water that you got from the well should be OK and ready. U should buy water conditioner. Eventhough ur water is from a well there might be a city nearby that produces pollution and might pollute the water table so add the conditioner. And don't get to complicated with checking the hardness, ammonia and all that other crap, because you don't have a 50 gallon tank.You will have to measure the PH of the water that is all. Start out with your small tank learn to be responsible with your fish and learn what fish are compatible with others and how to ake care of it. Then u can get a harder tank like one that is 29 gallons big. I started off with a 10 gallon and now i proudly have a 30 gallon tank.

Happy Fish Trails!!

Ask me if u have any further questions about wat fish you should put in your tank.

P.S. U should only put about 3 fish in your tank (so they feel comfortable and they don't fight for space)

Answer 5

Leave the filter alone for a while and just change water when ammonia or nitrite get over .5 ppm. When there is nitrate reading in the water it is then cycled. Don't let nitrate get over 20 ppm.

Answer 6

Ammonia is produced as a waste from the fish. It is then broken down into nitrites and nitrates by the bacteria in your tank and filter.

The cycling process typically takes 4-6 weeks.

Answer 7

I have been using well water in my 33 gallon tank for 15 years with never a problem . it is safe, has micro-organisms in it that are not pathogenic, and has a ph of 7. Go for it. water change 1/3 of the water when you change it. Snails will help control algae, and if you have more than one they may breed as mine did.

Answer 8

Ok this well. I lived on a farm for awhile. When you have well water you want to make sure that you get stuff that will make it safe for them. I'm on city water and I still have to put stuff in there so that they don't die. If your fish are dieing it cause of the water. Get some drops and other thing and do it that way. It will work.

Answer 9

Buy a reverse osmosis to filter the well water because it was copper, and other metals which are very bad for the fish. You can go to your grocery store and buy water there but, never use tap water unless you put it out for 1 week, It is still bad but not as bad.