Best Water source...

[Acerone]

I don't have a ro/di unit so what would be my 2nd best choice of water? Would that be distilled?

[Acerone]

MIGHTY MITE w/ DI is another way to go I hear....

[Zestay]

your LFS might sell natraul sea water. or RO water.

[Kaos]

IME getting your own RO/DI unit is by far the best way to go. It is the cheapest long term and the only way to guarantee the quality of your water. I have tried distilled and LFS RO/DI water only to have them come back and bite me in the end. Things may go fine for awhile but then you will eventually get a bad batch of water that will take you months to clear up. It's really not worth it no matter how you look at it.

[melanotaenia]

I disagree; most distillation factories test their water pretty frequently; I would be wary of sometimes using LFS R/O depending on how good they are about changing their cartridges, but sealed containers of distilled water are pretty consistent.

[Kaos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13307957#post13307957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melanotaenia
I disagree; most distillation factories test their water pretty frequently; I would be wary of sometimes using LFS R/O depending on how good they are about changing their cartridges, but sealed containers of distilled water are pretty consistent.

My experience says otherwise. I had a tank that was doing perfectly fine w/ no algae. Then I started noticing a spot here and there. Before long I started to get infested w/ the stuff. The only thing it could have been was the distilled water so I checked it. Sure enough that was it. What it boils down to is the distilled water manufacterers are not making the stuff for the aquarium trade, they are making it for consumption. If it has some PO4 or other DS it doesn't mean anything to them as long as it's safe to drink. My tap water is safe to drink but definitely not safe for my tank (I tried it when I first started this hobby under the instruction of my LFS).

[MikePowell]

I would not get water RO/DI water from one of the most "reputable" LFS in my area b/c when I asked the owner if they had a TDS meter she said that it had been lost for years. When I asked her how do they test their RO/DI water she says they kinda hope it's coming out good.

[Acerone]

Thanks guys.. I decided to purchase the MIGHTY MITE RO/DI unit and a TDS meter...