One of the first decisions you will have to make when you get a turtle is how to fill up the turtle tank. As you have probably heard, water quality is extremely important to the health and well-being of a turtle. Therefore, it is extremely important to know exactly where the water is coming from.
In today’s article, we will discuss everything you need to know about well water for fish tanks.
Is Well Water Safe for Turtles?
Most of the time, well water is safe for turtles. While it does tend to have more minerals in it, the water can easily be treated to make it safe for your turtle.
In general, well water usually has a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium. When water has a lot of calcium and magnesium, it is referred to as “hard water.” Hard water can be harmful to your turtle, as it can cause deposits and erosions to occur on your turtle’s shell. If this occurs, you should learn how to moisturize a turtle shell.
Luckily, hard water can easily be treated by putting in a water conditioner. You can buy water conditioners online from amazon for less than $10.
How to put well water in fish tank
If you do plan on using well water, I would strongly recommend testing the water before you put it in your tank. For starters, you should check the pH level of the water. The ideal pH level for the water in a turtle tank is between 7.4 and 8.0. Since well water tends to have a higher pH, you might need to add some salt or some water conditioner to lower the pH.
Aside from pH level, I would also suggest that you test for Nitrate and Nitrites. Both of these compounds are very harmful to turtles. Therefore, if your test reveals that your water has any Nitrate or Nitrites, you should replace the water immediately.
I would also recommend that you do water changes at least every other week. This will help keep the water in your tank fresh and unpolluted. When you do a water change, you should take out around 25% of the water in the tank and replace it with new water.
If you start to notice white residue in your tank, this is a clear sign that you have “hard water.” These deposits can form on the glass of your aquarium, and also on the shell of your turtle. If this occurs, you should exchange the water immediately. It is also important to have a filter for your turtle tank in order to maintain a healthy water chemistry.
Is it better to use water from the tap?
While city water usually is not hard water, it does come with its own set of issues. For example, it is common for city water to be treated with chlorine. If the concentration is high enough, chlorine can be harmful to your turtle.
Therefore, as I suggested with well water, you should also test the water from the faucet before you put it in your fish tank.
Alternatives to well water: What sort of water to use for fish tank
One often source of water that is frequently overlooked is rainwater. Compared to all the other options, rainwater is by far the cleanest and safest water to use for your turtle tank. You can easily collect water during a rainstorm, and later use it for your turtle tank.