Borehole water - safe for aquarium?

Hi guys and gals

We've just bought a new house and will hopefully be moving in soon. It has a borehole and I was wondering; how do I determine if the water is safe for my aquarium? It should not have any chlorine, what else do I need to be careful of and where could I have it tested?

Thanks,

Sheldon

 

you will have to have it tested to be sure there is nothing in it.

 

Hi Gareth,

Where do I do something like that?

What would you have to test for?

Thanks,

Sheldon

 

I would think you would have to test for any heavy metals and so on not to sure were you can have it done but I am sure some one here will be able to advise you better than I can.

 

Thanks Gareth

... Waiting for more replies then...

 

you need to test it for any form of chemical poisoning, heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates and also remember it is like a river that will bring all of the above from upstream.

You would also need to constantly monitor the PH and hardness

 

Thanks Henk

Any idea where I could have this done? Who would do this? LFS?

Thanks!

 

Superbole, is it a well point or a genuine borehole? As most boreholes use copper pipes it would be unsuitable for aquarium use. Our well point water was tested by the people who installed our well point, unfortunately it contains alot of hard metals and harmful chemicals.

 

Hi Ruan

I'm not sure. I'll have to look into that. I suppose the "place" that can test the water will also tell me the amount of copper in the water as well.

I'll also try and fine a company that installs "well points" and boreholes and see if they can help me with the testing.

Thanks
Sheldon

 

Superbole this is risky to use under ground water.

 

best is to try the CSIR - they test these sort of things. as a borehole flows in from all sides you would need to do testing everytime you want to use it.

Friend of mine is a hydrogeologist at the CSIR - i will ask him who to speak to up north

 

Hi Donny, I thought it would be safer than municipal, but everyone here's answers are making me think twice...

Hi Henk, that's quite funny. I work at the CSIR and was just doing a search on the intraweb to see if I could find something...

If your friend knows who to speak to I'd really appreciate it!

I'm wanting to set up a big tank (in the planning phase) and it would be great if I could fill the tank first off from the borehole. Then use municipal water for water changes and fill ups...

Sheldon

 

I know a few breeders (down south jhb) using only borehole water.
They runing hundreds of liters a day with no ill efffects to the fish.

will PM you tel no
It will cost you a good few hundrend rands to do a comprehensive test at a private lab

 

Any of your water labs at the CSIR should be able to do it....

 

Thanks Khalid, pm received.

Thanks Henk I'll find one of the water labs here who are willing to help (even if it's just with advice). I have found a private company here on the CSIR grounds that does water testing. I don't know if I can post their details. If there is anyone who wants them they can just pm me and I'll forward them.

Sheldon

 

I live in Pta, and i use borehole water, i've always used borehole water in the tanks i've kept, from primary school till now. my fish are fine, and as for heavy metals, my snails are multiplying at an annoyinh rate, so there isn't enough of a copper trace (if any) in the water to affect the snails. or koi pond has also always been filled up with borehole water

as for poisons, i have friends who took they're water off the grid and use Jo Jo tanks filled with borehole water for all their household needs.

As for testing, you could try the CSIR in Meiring Naude street, or possibly the profs at TUKS biology/ecology/something-ology labs?

You should know that the pH is about 8 ish, and rather hard, i (by pure coincidence) brought my pH down with diy co2 injection

 

Hi Ferryman, thanks for the reply. I'm sure it will be safe, however, I love my fish, and would much rather go the extra step of having my water tested (especially if I can get someone here at the CSIR to help me).

Sheldon

 

We only have borehole water to our disposal, so it is used for everything including the tanks. Water changes are done directly from the tap. The fish are doing fine and some have spawned a few times. I would still recommend that you have it tested, just to make sure you don’t have any funnies in the water like E. Coli.

 

It's encouraging to hear how many people are using borehole water!

Need to move (hopefully by mid December) and then have the water tested.

Thanks again for all the responses!

Sheldon

 

Hi there

I sunk a borehole last year at the cost of 45K
I got the water tested ,unfortunately it has high nitrates and phosphotes,and a high e coli count.
So I can only use the water in the garden.
The best way to find your local tester is to ask your local borehole digger.
Expect to pay 1000-1500 for the test.
As they have to do microbial swabs to see if it's safe to drink.