Distilled vs RO

[MtnDewMan]

Okay ... simple question, right?
For water changes or tap off water ... How does Distilled water stack up to RO water?

You can get distilled water very cheap at a grocery store, and for a small tank, it may be even more cost effective than purchasing an RO unit.

What are your opinions?

[geedoug]

main drawback to distilled is the possibility of copper contamination from the distilling apperatus. At the very least I would run it through a Tap Water Purifer(tm) deionizer, you should get long life outta the DI cartridge if you're filtering distilled water

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I thought I was me, but I was wrong

[MtnDewMan]

Thanks for the info ...

Another question ...

How do you set up a tap water purifier when using gallon jugs of water, no water from the tap?

Suggestions?

[gregt]

I believe someone makes a 'pour-through' filter that attaches to a pitcher. You could empty the gallon jug into the pitcher, and you're all set.

Sounds like a real pain in the neck, though.

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-Greg
Greg's Aquarium Links (http://t5.tzo.com:8888/aquarium/)

[Alice]

Sounds like a royal pain to me, too. Believe me, if you're hauling water, your waterchanges will get farther apart http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/wink.gif Go with an at-home system.

~Alice

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Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too!

[geedoug]

Get a 5g water jug from sporting goods store. I use a 6g square Coleman jug with an O2 connector(for joining tubing) siliconed into the vent hole. I then dump mixed KAlk water in it and it feeds a float valve in the sump. Same thing would work for TWP, running distilled water 5 gal at a time. It would be really PURE water at that point. There is prolly some little trick level switch you could use to turn on a PH and pump pure water into the tank to replace evaporation if you really wanna get trick http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


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I thought I was me, but I was wrong

[Wind]

Do you know which brand of water can have copper? I just purchased 2.5 Gallons of Alhambra distilled water? Does it contain Copper?

[Brooke]

Alice-

You are soooo right. If you have a big tank, hauling water is going to get old. Definately look into some at-home options.
They aren't as expensive as you might think if you factor in the cost of buckets, gas, strain on your back, and paying by the gallon.

Brooke

[DAN THE MAN]

Wind, most water distilled now days is not condensed in copper pipes. And traces of copper and the cost of copper are the reasons. If you are conserned get a copper test and test your water. I use distilled water from wal-mart have been for 3 years and have tested their water and my own and there was no copper. :)