Have Well Water. Why Is There Chlorine in My Pond?

[seandelevan]

Got a water testing kit for my aquarium a few days ago. Wasn’t shocked at all that the test read there was no chlorine detected since I’m on a well. For the fun of it I did my pond. 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates, 0 ammonia….put traces of chlorine were detected. Huh? Is there something in nature that naturally produces chlorine?

 

[GBBUDD]

It is possible at one time or another your well had issues and they may have dumped some down in the well to kill bacteria etc if you have a shallow well its even more likely

 

[Mgessert]

Could there be tannins or some other color tint to the water that made it look like there was chlorine?

 

[Lisak1]

Have you ever salted your pond?

 

[Stephen Noble]

Have you ever salted your pond?

Bingo, exactly what I was thinking. Salt dumped in a pond that has some stray voltage from an electrical device and the potential for chlorine exists.

 

[rubyduby]

I'm impressed with these answers...I would never have thought that this could be possible!

 

[j.w]

Test your well water just to make sure or maybe you already did. Shouldn't be in there tho but I would want to know just to eliminate all possibilities.

 

[seandelevan]

Test your well water just to make sure or maybe you already did. Shouldn't be in there tho but I would want to know just to eliminate all possibilities.

Done that…and the two aquariums that I have all came back negative…

 

[seandelevan]

Bingo, exactly what I was thinking. Salt dumped in a pond that has some stray voltage from an electrical device and the potential for chlorine exists.

in my research that’s what I’ve seen…I do have quit a few granite rocks in and around the pond. Would they leach salt/sodium into the pond? I’m not a chemist so I have no idea if that’s a thing or not lol.

 

[GBBUDD]

No the amounts would be infantile at best, now shale or lime stone could be another story

 

[Stephen Noble]

I find your question very interesting and would like to figure out what is causing the chlorine. Is your pond lined? As @Lisak1 asked, is there any salt in the pond? Could there be runoff from your yard flowing into the pond? Do you have any electrical equipment (pump/filter/heater/lighting) inside the pond? What about shale or limestone as @GBBUDD asked?

 

[seandelevan]

Test your well water just to make sure or maybe you already did. Shouldn't be in there tho but I would want to know just to eliminate all possibilities.

Going to test it again this afternoon….