Which water source would you use? Tests included.

[LuapYllier]

I just got results back on two water tests for sources of water in my home. However, I really have no idea what I am looking at. I will be building a large pond for goldfish and other tropical varieties and have the option to source the water from either. Which would you use, and why? Is there anything I should be concerned about?

If I did not list a contaminant then it was below minimum detection level.

Well spigot...
Calcium 33.5 mg/L
Copper 0.009 mg/L
Iron 0.129 mg/L
Lithium 0 mg/L
Magnesium 9.46 mg/L
Potassium 3.3 mg/L
Silica 3.3 mg/L
Sodium 23 mg/L
Strontium 0.658 mg/L
Zinc 0.009 mg/L

Alkalinity 32 mg/L
Hardness 120 mg/L
pH 6.1
Total Dissolved Solids 180 mg/L
Turbidity 1.2 NTU

Chloride 27 mg/L
Fluoride 0 mg/L
Nitrate as N 3.3 mg/L
Sulfate 58 mg/L

City Water...
Calcium 92 mg/L
Copper 0 mg/L
Iron 0 mg/L
Lithium 0.011 mg/L
Magnesium 34.28 mg/L
Potassium 2.3 mg/L
Silica 24.5 mg/L
Sodium 41 mg/L
Strontium 3.334 mg/L
Zink 0.008 mg/L

Alkalinity 160 mg/L
Hardness 370 mg/L
pH 7.7
Total Dissolved Solids 520
Turbidity 0

Chloride 110 mg/L
Fluoride 0.6 mg/L
Nitrate as N 0 mg/L
Sulfate 120 mg/L

 

[brokensword]

I'd use the city water as the pH is acidic from your well, which means you'll be battling every time you add water (KH and GH will be low). @addy1 had that issue, though she overcame it. She'll chime in with an opinion, too.

 

[LuapYllier]

I'd use the city water as the pH is acidic from your well, which means you'll be battling every time you add water (KH and GH will be low). @addy1 had that issue, though she overcame it. She'll chime in with an opinion, too.

I assume that this battle with acid is more difficult than the battle with chlorine/chloride from the city water?

 

[brokensword]

you'd first have to condition your pond so it has a good KH and GH to battle any changes when you add the acidic water. And over time, a higher pH will come down (become more acidic) naturally. It's either condition the pond and then you get free water but you'll make it more acidic each time, hence why you'll need buffers to absorb the acid and keep the pH from crashing. My water is high pH but basic, so naturally becoming more acidic works as every time I add water for topoffs, it'll put more minerals/higher pH water back in. As I said, addy will notice and tell you how she did it as her water was like pH5 or so, much worse than yours. It involved a year of conditioning with egg shells etc. It can be done; depends on how much patience you have and if you want to deal with either acid topoffs or chlorine neutralization each time.

 

[LuapYllier]

you'd first have to condition your pond so it has a good KH and GH to battle any changes when you add the acidic water. And over time, a higher pH will come down (become more acidic) naturally. It's either condition the pond and then you get free water but you'll make it more acidic each time, hence why you'll need buffers to absorb the acid and keep the pH from crashing. My water is high pH but basic, so naturally becoming more acidic works as every time I add water for topoffs, it'll put more minerals/higher pH water back in. As I said, addy will notice and tell you how she did it as her water was like pH5 or so, much worse than yours. It involved a year of conditioning with egg shells etc. It can be done; depends on how much patience you have and if you want to deal with either acid topoffs or chlorine neutralization each time.

LOL...so short answer, YES, more difficult haha.