Distilled Water

[HowardW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7062252#post7062252 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SeaShel
Just a bit of info from someone who works in the bottled water industry. On whatever water you choose to use, check the pH. Distilled and purified waters are usually considerably lower pH than what we want in our aquariums. This includes what comes out of a household RO unit.
I personally use a water that is "drinking water" on the label. The pH is considerably higher and safer for the aquarium. The minute amount of minerals added are pharmaceutical grade anyway (no contaminants) and therefore, don't interfere.

I believe this is incorrect. I don't believe it's necessary to check the PH on RO/DI or distilled water you are adding as top off water because the buffering agents in the water do not evaporate, so you will not lower the PH in your tank by adding RO or distilled water regardless of the difference in PH.

I would however make sure the company who sells the bottled distilled water is not using copper tubes in the distillation process if you keep inverts.

 

[cyberpanther]

Sorry SeaShel, but I have to politely disagree. I would never want to put any chemicals, additives, vitamins, minerals, or the like into my tank via "drinking water", without knowing exactly what was in the water, and in what quantities they occured in prior to adding it to my aquarium. Furthermore, the PH of saltwater, or even fresh water for that matter can be changed rather easily, and without chemical intervention. Therefore PH is really not a problem since it can be easily and naturally altered, and should really be disregarded in that respect (when referring to which water to choose since the PH can be altered without chemicals). Therefore, the cleaner distilled or RO water would be preferred since it would not contain unknown additives, or naturally occuring trace minerals, metals, chemicals, etc that were not removed during the normal filtering process for "drinking water", but would have been removed more thoroughly during the distilled or RO filtering process IMO.

 

[reefD]

totally agree. it really doesnt matter what the ph of the water is. as all adavanced reefers know in order to have a successfull aquarium buffering agents must be used. therefor we all have buffered our tanks. thus the hardness levels are well in range. in case you dont know what i mean by hardness this means the ability of the water to hold its ph and not change with other factors. thus the top off water has no effect on the ph and niether does anything else that may effect it due to the water being at the correct buffered levels. the ph of the distilled or drinking fresh water doesnt make a difference. also salt mix (instant ocean does this) will immediately bring the water to desired ph range when mixed. now the ability for the new saltwater to remain at desired ph depends on you adding buffering agents in the long run. which we regularly do anyways.

 

[Alexj716]

That is excellent info cyberpanther and reefD. Thanks

 

[xtrstangx]

Got that RO/DI yet?

 

[nepuck]

RO/DI water costs me .17/gal (not incl. initial hardware purchase). Heck of a lot cheaper than $1.50 for distilled. Cough-up the bucks for your own RO/DI and not only will you save money in the long run but it's a whole lot more convenient.

 

[Alexj716]

Yeah, I've come to that conclusion. I'm looking at a few on ebay right now.

 

[nepuck]

make sure you get a meter, otherwise you won't know when to change the filters.