Distilled water question

[kevincaughey]

Hello group.
I use distilled water to do my water changes. I have a small tank (14 gallon)
so it doesn't take a lot. My question is..
Do I need to add anything to the distilled water? I use this because my last fish tank had bad algae from tap water and I want to try something different this time.

Is distilled water good like it is or does it need chemicals added to it.

Thanks

[Tuscaquatics]

What kind of distilled water are you using? You really shouldn't have to add anything to it. I got by with Walmart distilled for a while until I got an RODI, which I highly recommend you do. You're gonna hear that from everyone else in this thread anyway, it might as well be from me.

[sedor]

Nope distilled water is fine all by itself, just more expensive than making your own. When all I had was a 14, I bought my water too. I'll tell ya, I sure don't miss lugging a 5G bucket back and forth every other week though.

[jdieck]

Hello group.
I use distilled water to do my water changes. I have a small tank (14 gallon)
so it doesn't take a lot. My question is..
Do I need to add anything to the distilled water? I use this because my last fish tank had bad algae from tap water and I want to try something different this time.

Is distilled water good like it is or does it need chemicals added to it.

Thanks

In general distilled water is OK to use just be aware that some distilled water is produced using copper condesning coils and may contain traces of the metal so I would recommend using the same brand that others have tried without problems.

[kevincaughey]

I have been getting it from walmart, we shop walmart every week so I get a few jugs each time/ I would love to have a RODI unit Tuscaquatics but unless you want to buy me one Ill have to spend $.79 a gallon...LOL
I hope to get one some day, Im just getting my tank setup so its low on the list right now. This is a very expensive hobby..



Anyone near lynchburg VA reading this with some CHEAP frags to sell me?

[Tuscaquatics]

I hear ya. But believe it or not, you should jack the RODI a couple notches up on the list of things to get. I got mine on eBay for 100 bucks. 0 ppm. I've said it on other threads, and I'll say it again, it's the best money I've spent so far aside from my skimmer.

With distilled water, though it might not have tons of nutrients in it, still has a few ppm. A lot of that ends up being metals and things of that nature. Obviously these things won't evaporate out of the tank, so they pile up with every water change.

So after a few months of using distilled in my tank, I started noticing things slowly falling apart. So I threw down a hundred bucks on the RODI and there's nothing better than putting 0 ppm water into your reef.

[MatthewAD]

A lot of that ends up being metals and things of that nature. Obviously these things won't evaporate out of the tank, so they pile up with every water change.

Metals and other things that don't evaporate are exactly what distilling takes out of water, it evaporates it and then condenses it, anything that doesn't evaporate is left out. It's the nature of the beast. :)

Walmart distilled water, in their little 1 gallon jug reads 1 TDS on my meter. RO/DI from my tap is 0-1 TDS from my barely used DI resin.

Not much difference IMO.

[jchase1970]

distilled water is very pure, normally, but as been mentioned it can pick up copper from the distillation process and you never know for sure what process is used.

[eric@tampa]

Do your self a favor and save for a rodi.Buckeyefieldsupply is where I got my 100gpd for $137 shipped,belive me its worth it.

[Tilmo2180]

IMO one should have an RODI and refractometer before they add water to the tank. But thats something I learned after I put my first tank together. At .79 cents a gallon it would pay for itself in 125 gallons :)

[Dustin1300]

Agreed, look at your long term savings. You'll come ahead with the RODI unit;)

IMO one should have an RODI and refractometer before they add water to the tank. But thats something I learned after I put my first tank together. At .79 cents a gallon it would pay for itself in 125 gallons :)

[jchase1970]

not just the money saved but the hassle of having to go get water every week.