Bore water

[Chuckmeister]

I'm having a bore dug early next year and converting my outside taps and retic. Is bore water acceptable to use across the range of cichlids ? eg softer american/ planted, malawi etc I'm not talking about perfect lake conditions etc but generally if you can use bore water across the board !!

[Buccal]

I have many years of experience using bore water.

It has extreme chemistry differences from one place to another,,, (even 500m apart).

So you have to test your water then decide.

Your best to send a sample of your scheme water and bore water to the water board for analysis testing,,, cost roughly $300 and worth it.

My bore had excellent levels of KH GH for over a year, Then caught me of guard and dropped to 4-5 KH which in my heavily loaded system saw that KH get chewed out to a further downwards measurement of 3-5 KH which scarily verged me on a Ph crash.

Your scheme water always tends to have a better balance of salts and elements.

Also unless your using truckloads of water,,, I'd suggest sticking to scheme. But like said, testing it will reveal.

I personally use scheme all the way.

If the ion reacts with the oxygen and turns things brown, don't use it.

If you do use it,,, build a churning circulator before it enters tank as its severely starved of oxygen.

In saying all this,,,, I use bore still on the Barra and koi,,,, but I load it up with carbonates and calcium chloride for use.

[Chuckmeister]

Thanks Buccal !! Sounds like a bit of messing around for me. I'll have to jig up a fitting on my hose to connect to my laundry or bathroom tap.

[Ged]

Chuck here are the details for testing your bore water once it has gone in at the ChemCentre (government organisation)

http://www.chemcentre.wa.gov.au/Our-Services/Environmental-Chemistry/Water/Domestic-Water

Domestic chemical analysis testing is $250