RO/DI vs Distilled!!!!

[ClamFan]

Ok folks, Ive looked all over this forum and some others for the difference in using RO/DI vs Distilled water. I just cant justify buying an RO unit since Im in an apartment, and distilled is cheaper than going to Pollys or ER for water. I have used distilled for top off and and water changes for the last 3 weeks and have had no algae blooms. My tank is fairly new since upgrading from a 10g to a 20g tall. My tank has been set up since March, but then I upgraded to a 20g tall in April. I have a maxi jet closed loop and an aqueon hob power filter. Every week I do 2 1/2 gallon water changes. This tank was started with 10 lbs of dry rock and 2 lbs of live rock, all from Ben (scutterborn). Please tell me the good and/or bad of this. In September, I am planning on moving all of this to my 29g I got from Malofish. So if Im making a big mistake I need to know now. Thanks in advance.

[ducati996]

Just go to the windmill in pollys parking lot at $1 for 5gallons of r/o water u can't beat that

[ClamFan]

Just go to the windmill in pollys parking lot at $1 for 5gallons of r/o water u can't beat that

Ive done that in the past (one outside HEB) and had a really bad cyano outbreak so I don't really trust them but for $1 I might just have to. Have you used it? Tested it for tds?

[ducati996]

I use it all the time no problems what so ever

[footballdude2k3]

the TDS in distilled is usually higher, and that is what you are trying to avoid, but I am not saying that people cannot use it successfully.

[ramsey]

I'd buy a TDS meter and test it. You can get one pretty cheap and it's the only real way to know how pure the windmill water is. In fact, I'd use a TDS meter even I was buying distilled or LFS water anyway. That's just me though, there are numerous people that have successful tanks and use prime and tap water. If you want to use purified water though, an RO/DI unit is much, much cheaper in the long run, even compared to distilled water.

[ClamFan]

I didn't know that! I guess I just assumed it would be 0 because of distillation. But Ive been wrong before.

the TDS in distilled is usually higher, and that is what you are trying to avoid, but I am not saying that people cannot use it successfully.

Ramsey, your right about the long run. At some point I will get an RO unit but it will be a while. Until then I will be trying the windmill in Pollys parking lot. Never really paid attention to it before.

Thanks for the info.

[jason081180]

i also have seen that windmill in front of Polly's and wondered. is it really RO water or just filtered drinking water. it would be nice to get 5 gal for $1

[Gseclipse02]

always check the filter change day on those ... i used walmart and my rock was like a grass field ... i bought an rodi unit afterwards and i wouldnt really trust to many stores .... some stores thought it was ok to sell tap water (basically).... i mean rodi water.... the TDS will show/ prove everything

[Scutterborn]

I'm about to pull my RO/DI unit off line. Gonna go with carbon filtered tap.


-Ben-

[ClamFan]

Info on this would be great! Especially since we don't pay for water were I live. Free water for everyone!
I'm about to pull my RO/DI unit off line. Gonna go with carbon filtered tap.


-Ben-

[rrasco]

I just read a really good description on distilled VS RODI. Of course, I'll probably never find it again though.

[ClamFan]

If you do, please post the link!
I just read a really good description on distilled VS RODI. Of course, I'll probably never find it again though.

[Gseclipse02]

I'm about to pull my RO/DI unit off line. Gonna go with carbon filtered tap.


-Ben-


this is a terrible idea for some ... not all tap water is the same.... sounds like cyano issues will soon come .02

[FireWater]

Could be and couldn't be issues coming. Test the tap water first and see what levels you are getting.

Also, have you looked into a small under sink unit? With the smaller tanks you won't need a whole lot of water.

[Scutterborn]

I plan to run tests on my water and pull the saws reports. Ace and I live very close and I'm pretty sure we pull from the same source.


-Ben-

[FireWater]

More than likely you do Ben. It's other areas that concern me. Heck, in my neck of the woods there are no less than 3 sources and they all suck.

My advice would be to do your homework, read SAWS reports or whatever provider you have, and test frequently.

[ramsey]

I've considered using tap water as it would be a lot easier and cheaper. Two things have deterred me. First, I have no idea what all I'm putting in my tank and it could randomly change at any point. For example, does the aquifer levels impact what's in the water? I read on arc the other day that some town near Austin was going to drop a ton of chlorine in the water to flush the system or something. I know you can use prime, but I just wonder what all is in the water. The second thing is our water is very hard here. There's a lot of lime in the water. When I mix up salt mix, what are the numbers going to look like? With RO, I know that when I mix my salt, it's going to be very close to what it says on the box. I don't want to have to check my alk/calc levels every time I mix NSW.

Overall though, if you're not trying to keep an SPS tank, I think it might be worth a shot. I use it when cycling a tank, and I might even use it for water changes when I get my FOWLR set up. I do think that some people are RO zealots and act like you can't do it ever. I don't feel this way and was just at hobogato's house today and his tank is amazing. So it must not be too bad.

[jrossjr79]

I use a TDS meter on all the water I get. I have heard horror stories on using windmills or any of the other self serve water. I tend to go to my LFS and buy RO/DI water for 50 cents a gallon, or I will head to HEB to buy gallons of Distilled water. Both which have a TDS rating for the most part at 6, seen the distilled water go as high as 9. In a pinch, since I have sparkletts delivering water, I will use that, again only in a pinch and I dont have much other choice.