Using Water From my Dehumidifier

[Anonymous]

For years, I have been buying deionized / R.O. H20 for my reef tank. I live in Fla and have a dehumidifier going all the time, collecting and disgarding the water for years. I recently started to use the "reclaimed" H2O, when I purchased a new dehumidifier. Nothing bad has happened in my tank. The guys at the local reef aquarium store tell me it is absolutely fine, especially since there is no copper in it. What are your thoughts???

 

[Anonymous]

Stu

Provided there are no copper parts in the dehumidifier, the water should be fine. It's basically distilled water; moisture in the air replaces heated water, which provides a source of water for the condensor. GREAT IDEA!! - I may have to look into getting a dehumidifier now. It's either that or the solar still I have been planning to build.

Corbin

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http://home.att.net/~corbinwest

 

[Anonymous]

I would have the water tested first.

 

[Anonymous]

Do you have the plans for the solar distiller?

Thanks,

Ken

 

[Anonymous]

As far as I know, all dehumidifiers use copper coils. Moisture forms on these coils and drips into a holding container. If this is the case with your dehumidifier, I would cease the use of the "free" water fast. Copper will leach into it as it drips from the coils. If you really want to be sure, get a copper test kit and see. I would not chance my reef to possible copper poisoning.



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#reefs channel operator

 

[Anonymous]

Ken -

I have several plans for solar distillers (somewhere around here). The simplest and easiest design is just a box with a glass or acrylic top, which is angled at about a 30-45 degree angle. A trough is located at the lower end of the glass. Basically, you just place a container of water in the bottom of the box, close it up, and the water will evaporate, condense on the glass, then run down into the trough. Most designs have a line from the trough to another container to collect the distilled water. These solar distillers don't produce a huge amount of water, so if you have a big tank and need a lot of top off water it may be necessary to build more than one. Check out the web - there are many designs floating around out there. There are quite a few companies which make solar distillers, especially with the all of the Y2K panic, but they are usually a bit pricey.

Corbin

 

[Anonymous]

I would worry about contaminants in the air that could be condensed by the dehumidifier.