water

[firemike2]

hey guys I know I shouldn't use tap water but I did now its causing phosphate problems and diatoms would it be safe to use destilled drinking water from groceries store are just get a filter system what is ur best thought please let me know soon

 

[AZDesertRat]

Distilled is the next best thing to RO/DI, it should be fine. Most people report the purple cap jugs from Wal Mart to be 0 TDS or very near that.

 

[gtbarsi]

If you are not going to buy a RO/DI filter, then I strongly recommend you find a LFS, that will sell you RO/DI water, and make up your mix with that.

As others have stated distilled water has to be cooled through a coil to cause the steam to condense back to water. You have no way to know if they are using a Copper coil, and as we all know Copper is bad news for our reef tanks. If they are using a Copper coil the copper will build up and eventually poison your reef tank.

Personally when I came to this realization I bought a RO/DI filter.

 

[firemike2]

oh ok when I was at the grocery store I saw this pur filter that u put on sink would something like that works it says on box it takes metals,microbial cysts,industrial chemicals chlorine,pharmaceuticals farmacos would this be something close to filtering water

 

[Mtwreef]

Is there some reason you don't want a rodi? really I believe the only way to have a sucsefull tank is starting with pure water it's like building a house you have to have a good foundation with out that it will come crashing down same goes for your tank bad water will eventually lead to a crash if I was you I would really think about getting a good rodi unit once you have it set up it really makes life easier.

 

[StikHedRon]

Distilled water is a very bad choice, you do not know what distilation process the supplier used. If they used copper coils your screwed if you are trying to keep a reef. And the supplier is in now way shape or form entitled to inform you of their process or changes to their process. This is a recipe for disater.

 

[StikHedRon]

I didn't read gtbarsi's response. So +1 on that one.

 

[firemike2]

ok thanks guys Ive found out that one of my closest local fish store and they sale ro/di water so I will be doing that just didn't have the money to buy a unit right now the store is helping me out now because I do want a successful reef tank