springwater ,yes or no?

[tikkit]

I was wondering if anyone had any advice on using spring water for fish only setup? Isn't this water supposed to be pure filtered through the rocks?

 

[beth]

tikkit, what you want to look at is water that has been purified by reverse osmosis [RO] or distilled [DI] water. Spring water may or may not be ok. Look at the label on the water to see how it was processed.
Welcome to Saltwaterfish.com!

 

[tikkit]

beth, I'm sorry, iread my thread and realized i didn't say this water is coming from a spring filtered down through the hills pretty close to my house. it's been running as long as i can remember,and people have been going to it and drinking it for years . thats not to say it's good , i'm just not for sure.

 

[beth]

No, no one here would know either, unless you have the water tested. I think, though, its too much trouble to go down to the spring and haul water back home.
Think about investing in a Reverse Osmosis system. They can be had for around $200. Or, you can ask your local water company to test the spring water for you. If they won't, they should be able to tell you where you can get a sample tested.

 

[humuhumu]

Ground water is always low in dissolved oxygen and high in minerals. The DO isn't a problem, but minerals can be. I used well water with good results for awhile in Northern CA. Now I'm using RO/DI. I'm more comfortable with knowing what I'm putting into my tank.

 

[sly]

Spring water can be unreliable. If a large rain comes it can fill up the water with minerals which could throw off the balance of a saltwater tank. Also there could be bacterial spores or other contaminates that could affect the water as well. It's best to use a filter on any water you add to the tank. RO is the best, but I have good success out of my Tap Water filter made by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals.

 

[tikkit]

everyone, thanks for all the great info. i'm very new to saltwater.