Arsenic in Water Harmful to Fish?

[bbradtmiller]

Hello, we recently purchased a house, and they well water has slitghlty high arsenic levels. EPA allows 10ppb and the well water tested 15ppb. We will have a filter for our drinking water, but I am wondering if the low levels will effect fish, will it be harmful to them? Most likely they water that will be used for the tanks will not be coming from the kitchen sink filter.

Thanks!!

 

[Drstrangelove]

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/arsenic-in-well-water.693073/#post-7811724

Reminds me of a another thread.

Levels of 19-48 ug/L, or 19-48 ppb have been found to negatively affect many aquatic organisms, including finfish over a relatively short span of time (4-7 days.)

Affect is a broad term which might include only swimming difficulties, but longer term exposure should be more dangerous, and be lethal.

Nitrobacter can be impacted as low as 100 ppb.

 

[Yoimbrian]

A whole house carbon filter is not that expensive, and in addition to arsenic (40-70% reduction) is good at removing random organics and radon and all sorts of crap in well water. It's worth it

And I'd still do a specialty filter for the drinking water, btw.

 

[Itsadeepbluesea]

I'm not 100% sure, but I would suspect they would do ok in the short term. However long term I think it would shorten their lives due to various illness and conditions related to long term exposure.

 

[bbradtmiller]

Thanks everyone, this has been very helpful!