Purified water has phosphates?

[808jaymakoa]

So I'm 8 months into this hobby and after 8 months I only now realized my purified water I buy in gallon jugs from supermarket has trace amounts of phosphates. I don't have an algae issue but my display tank has less than .25 ppm phosphate. And after 8 months I finally decided to test the water i put in my tank and It has about .20 ppm. I thought r/o or purified wasn't supposed to have phosphates. I guess I was wrong. I guess I'll be switching to a different water source. Anybody use purified water by gallon jugs that have 0ppm phosphates

 

[deboy69]

Have you checked the TDS also of your water source

KCCO

 

[808jaymakoa]

No I haven't checked tds. I don't have a tds meter. That's next on the list of things to get. Should purified water by the gallon jug have solids in the water.

 

[deboy69]

Depends on when the filters get changed out. Who knows how often if ever they have been changed in those things

KCCO

 

[808jaymakoa]

Are you talking about the water stations that you fill yourself.

This is what I buy.

 

[deboy69]

Yes.

KCCO

 

[808jaymakoa]

I buy these sealed off of the shelf at my local supermarket. I don't fill them myself. It hasn't been an issue yet but I just couldn't believe it has any phosphates in it at all. I shoulda checked but I assumed. I'm gonna find a new source that has zero. I know .20ppm isn't much but I want a 0

 

[mike007]

That is so true that is why we have been telling everyone to check there make up water. If they don't maintain there filters it can have nitrates, phosphates etc. in there water. Be carefull and check that water.

 

[808jaymakoa]

That is so true that is why we have been telling everyone to check there make up water. If they don't maintain there filters it can have nitrates, phosphates etc. in there water. Be carefull and check that water.

Yup I can't say I learned the hard way but its another lesson learned. I called the distributor to ask if there is supposed to be phosphates in their purified water and I'm waiting for a response back.

 

[mike007]

It is better to have your own ro system but you have to keep a check on it and change filters when needed. We have windmill express here and they check ther systems every week. They also do alot of different steps to there water to insure it is top notch quality.

 

[AZDesertRat]

How are you testing the phosphates? Phosphates and phosphorous and extremely hard to test with the best of lab instruments and almost impossible to test with any reliability in ultrapure waters. TDS or conductivity are the only reliable tests for RO/DI or distilled water.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm not 100% sure because it's been 8 years since I did the 'water from the grocery store' thing.
But I think there is a difference between 'Purified' water and 'Distilled' water. You should be using distilled water which should be as good as RO/DI water.

 

[808jaymakoa]

I have an API test kit that tests phosphates. And is distilled better than purified water?

 

[AZDesertRat]

Purified water is usualy just RO or nano filtration often followed by remineralization where the add some stuff back for taste. I wouldn't put much faith in the API kit, like others they suck for testing pure water. They are designed to test phosphates in saltwater not tap water or pure water.

 

[beaslbob]

FWIW

I believe your phosphates are more from the processes going on in your tank then the input water.

Afterall, phosphates come from your bioload and are reduced by various algae plus other photosynthesis.

my .02

 

[Peterock]

Chive on brother!!

I get my water from those Glacier dispensors at the grocery store. Water is expensive in my town and I hate running my RO unit and wasting so much water. Maybe I just need a new RO unit but $7 for 20 gallons in 10-15 minutes is a deal for me. Plus I get to stand outside while the wife does the shopping. (I hate being the cart slave). Anyway, I have a TDS meter and I test the water sometimes. It's usually very low. Let me tell you some of the looks I get standing outside safeway with four white jugs examining some strange tool stiking out of a glass shot glass.

Never bought the gallon jugs before though.

 

[beaslbob]

Chive on brother!!

I get my water from those Glacier dispensors at the grocery store. Water is expensive in my town and I hate running my RO unit and wasting so much water. Maybe I just need a new RO unit but $7 for 20 gallons in 10-15 minutes is a deal for me. Plus I get to stand outside while the wife does the shopping. (I hate being the cart slave). Anyway, I have a TDS meter and I test the water sometimes. It's usually very low. Let me tell you some of the looks I get standing outside safeway with four white jugs examining some strange tool stiking out of a glass shot glass.

Never bought the gallon jugs before though.

Yea just like me handing out white powder at club meetings.