Here in kansas as in many parts around here, we are dry. I have a windmill well that I keep running into my pond but there's not near enough volume to keep up. Could I put a high volume pump into the well to keep the pond full or is well water bad for the fish?

Two factors must be taken into consideration:
1. your well water quality,
2. how many gallons of well water are you adding in relation to how many gallons of water are in your pond.

Problems arise when enough well water is added to a pond that the well water's contents do not have time to precipitate out of solution and/or there is not sufficient oxygenation of the well water.

FWIW, I keep my pond topped off with a dedicated well...about 250' deep with a 5hp sub. pump, puts out about 50gpm.

No problems that I'm aware of because of it. I know well water is very low in oxygen, but I aerate, so I guess that takes care of it.

The only question I would have is wouldn't putting in an electric pump in a windmill driven well kind of defeat the purpose?

Tom Parker

99% of the time, well water is great for fish. Here's where you should be cautious. Each well is drilled for a specific purpose, and designed to deliver a given range of flow. If your well isn't large enough or wasn't finished to create a higher volume, a bigger pump won't help. Consult with a well driller in your neck of the woods and pose those questions.
To be confident of water quality, have it analyzed by a competent lab to find out what's in it. Then, you'll know for sure.

Tom, The windmill was originally for keeping a cattle stock tank full but will not keep up with a 1+ acre pond not to mention that it doesn't always blow in Kansas (no wind...no water). I was thinking about removing the windmill and putting down a higher volume pump in the same hole. Where would a guy start looking for a lab that could test the water and determine if it was okay for fish. If I were to fill the pond right now, I'm guessing that I would be doubling the amount of water with well water. Thanks for the posts.

As far as finding a lab, you could talk to a commercial realtor, and find out a few names of labs that do Phase I Environmental Studies (which is typically done if one is buying a commercial property).

Then talk to the labs and see who does water testing.

Survey companies may also know some labs.

Re; labs for water testing
Check with the county health department. I had a well checked once and the tests were performed at a local hospital.
The next stupid question I have would be "what are we looking for? Presumably, suitable for human consumption? Or, are there elements that are considered NG for human but OK for fish...?

There is a company here in Dallas that can test the water for you. All you have to do is mail in your samples and they'll get you the results.

Contact them first for specific sampling instructions before mailing anything in.

Pope Testing Laboratories, Inc.
Consulting Analytical Chemists
2220 Hinton Drive
Irving, TX 75061
972.871.2892 voice
972.871.7452 fax

Here's what parameters will need to be tested:
Bacteriological Test
Calcium
Magnesium
Sodium
Bicarbonate
Carbonate
Sulphate
Chloride
Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP)
Sodium Abosorption Ratio (SAR)
pH

SAR and SSP give an indication of the ratio of the desireable and undesireable salts.

It is important to submit two samples 1) directly from the well water and 2) a sample from the pond (away from where the well is filling).

Hope this info helps. Good luck!