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saltkreep88
03/25/2009, 06:07 PM
What grocery store water is best suited for a reef, DI or RO? i only need five gallons a week so it will be cost affective. Please don't answer - buy an RODI unit. Does anyone have any recommendations, store or brand? Thanks
WaterKeeper
03/25/2009, 06:09 PM
Not brands but most distilled is just fine.
saltkreep88
03/25/2009, 06:22 PM
Will DI have 0 TDS, no copper problems? Thanks
96GTRagTop
03/25/2009, 06:24 PM
just be sure to run a test on the water before you put it in the tank...... i use Distilled bottled water from rite-aid but every once in a while i've noticed the nitrate level to be 10 instead of 0.
Patrick12
03/25/2009, 06:45 PM
Either your test kit or your Rite Aid have a problem then. Distilled water should have 0 nitrates.....even with a Salifert test kit.

Any distilled water should be pretty good stuff....even better than RO....if it is truly distilled.
saltkreep88
03/25/2009, 06:56 PM
I heard there can be copper in distilled water from the pipes at the plant, is this true?
Crustman
03/25/2009, 07:14 PM
If you have a Walmart Grocery store they may have Culligan water. Just fill up a 7 gallon jug for 2.50 or 33 cents a gallon. It is RO water with zero TDS.
Patriot54
03/25/2009, 08:29 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14692441#post14692441 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Crustman
If you have a Walmart Grocery store they may have Culligan water. Just fill up a 7 gallon jug for 2.50 or 33 cents a gallon. It is RO water with zero TDS.

But when they clean those out the use harmful cleaners. Just buy 5 gallons of RO water from walmart.
WaterKeeper
03/26/2009, 08:27 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14692306#post14692306 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltkreep88
I heard there can be copper in distilled water from the pipes at the plant, is this true?
Not a problem these days but it was in the past when copper condenser coils were common. The EPA imposed a limit on copper in drinking water and, since some people drink distilled, it now comes from glass or block tin condenser distillation units.
Reefer Brandon
03/26/2009, 08:56 AM
The EPA imposed a limit, but not a total ban? Nah, I would NEVER use distilled water in a reef tank. It's too risky. This hobby is expensive enough without risking it all just because you want to buy cheap water.

Do you have an LFS that sells RO water by the gallon?
shuguley
03/26/2009, 09:05 AM
I used to buy the 1 gallon bottled water from Wal Mart labled "Drinking Water" before I purchased my RO/DI unit. The Wal Mart "Drinking Water" is RO water and I didn't have any problems with it, I used it for months, I just got sick of lugging water home from the store.
MileHighFish
03/26/2009, 09:25 AM
I have used the machines in front of my local albertsons.. the water has TDS of about 5 I have had algae issues so I know there is phosphates in the water.. Check around your town most places has "water stores" they will usually test the water for you and its normally zeroed out..
chris4869
03/26/2009, 02:20 PM
The RO water most stores sell are allowed to have a little TDS by the fed, so I wouldn't be surprise if they don't change the filter right away.
fasteddie99
03/26/2009, 04:53 PM
I've been using distilled water (purple lid) from walmart for about 6 months now and have no problems with it. In fact I started my tank 10 months ago using RO from the LFS, I did this for the first 4 months. Then one day just decided to try distilled and completely switched with top off and changes and my tank never knew the difference.
loosecannon
03/26/2009, 06:43 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14691942#post14691942 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltkreep88
What grocery store water is best suited for a reef, DI or RO? i only need five gallons a week so it will be cost affective. Please don't answer - buy an RODI unit. Does anyone have any recommendations, store or brand? Thanks Walmart sales water that`s ro, sitiment , chorcole , and u/v . .33 cents a gal. . :smokin:
Patriot54
03/26/2009, 06:47 PM
Good ole' Wally World. lol
saltkreep88
03/26/2009, 07:59 PM
Thanks everyone for your input
Kenmx10
03/26/2009, 08:59 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14692213#post14692213 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Patrick12
Either your test kit or your Rite Aid have a problem then. Distilled water should have 0 nitrates.....even with a Salifert test kit.

Any distilled water should be pretty good stuff....even better than RO....if it is truly distilled.

That is a bold statement. Can you supply the data to back up your claim? I would like to see it.