Well Water VS City Water

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C

connie honey

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Jul 12, 2010
3
I'm about to fill up my new fiberglass pool. I can use my well water or regular, old city water. Which do you recommend? I'm reading some scary stuff about mineral problems in pools using well water.
Thank you for being there/here for me.
 
I used our well water to fill up our fiberglass pool. The pool builder gave us some sort of filter to put on the end of our garden hose that helps filter out the minerals. We used it when we filled up and every time we have to add water. So far we have never had a problem. Our numbers are always fine. That being said, I'm sure in some areas the well water is very different. Maybe testing the well water and city water beforehand is a good idea?
 
If you have had or can have, an assay ran on your well water to insure it doesn't have metals you'll be fine to use the well and/or the public water.

Metals in well water is the biggest reason not to use it to fill your pool. Fiberglass is especially prone to staining.

If your well does have metals I'd suggest not using it to fill your pool.
 
I have no problem using my well water in my pool; we have done so since 1946 (before I was born). I also have $400 worth of lab tests showing it to be metal-free and hardness below what is desirable for pool water. If you want to use your well, get the water tested. You will then know what you are dealing with for both a possible initial fill and top-up and replacement water in the future. Wells vary widely in mineral content, even within the same town.

If you have to truck in city water, it's worth while doing the testing. If it's just a water bill, use the city water.
 
Peter,
I'm not sure what the filter is called. I will take a picture of it after work today and post it. I use it everytime I have to add water and when we initially filled the pool. Never an issue with metals or staining. Maybe it's the filter or maybe I'm just lucky.
 
lynns;connie,

It is almost impossible to filter iron mechanically from water.

Some type of chemical reaction (reverse osmosis is the most common) is required to do an effective job.

As Durk said, knowing what's in the well to begin with is really essential if you choose (or need) to use well water.
 
I've used this technique successfully on many pools filled with well (or even lake) water. We initially fill the pool up to brimming with water (you will lose water with this process, only 2 inches if you are lucky) do a monster shock and leave the pool for 24 hours until the water turns black (or very murky). This is the metals coming out of solution as they precipitate. At this point I attach the vacuum suction cleaner to the pole and prime the pipe etc. ready to clean the bottom later. Then we add a 150% dose of aluminium sulphate liquid flocculant usually early evening, let it circulate for 30 mins then shut down all the pumps. During the night the particles of oxides clump together in the water and if you go out with a torch you can see them floating in the water like soup. By the morning your water should be crystal clear with a drift of "stuff" on the bottom of the pool. DO NOT DISTURB. Now turn on your pump with all the valves set to suck only from your vacuum connection and to send to waste, and methodically and carefully clean the bottom of the pool. Don't stop at any point as all the water is going to waste. As soon as you are finished turn off the pump. Set the valves all back to normal filtration. Repeat if needed.
I don't consider myself at all an expert but I've used this technique various times on glass mosaic tiled pools and water heavy in iron and magnesium as well as calcium and it has worked a treat every time. I've also used it to remove stone dust when we have overused the well and "mined the aquifer". The key points are over fill the pool first, vacuum to waste
 
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