Distill. H2O, yay or nay, I want your opinion!

[tah532]

I have a FOWLR 38gal tank, I am still contemplating using store bought distilled water as topoff and possibly as bulk water change. I heard differing views so far and want to hear many more opinions, so give'm to me! Also in the process of starting a 12gal nano reef, same question for this tank too. Thanx!

 

[wade1]

For a fish only, it will be fine using distilled. For a reef (corals) I would say no, but for fish its no problem. Its plenty clean enough.

If you are concerned, either run it thru a filter with activated carbon or run activated carbon on the tank.

Wade

 

[nanocat]

I use distilled in the nanos with corals with no problems, but with a 38g. I'd recommend an RO/DI unit. Buying distilled would get expense pretty quickly for water changes.

 

[PeeJ]

Problem with distilled is that is super soft and you lose some good stuff along with the bad. But I too have used it before.

As Nano said, getting your own filter is pretty cheap. I've seen 4 stage Ro/Di on Ebay for about 90 bucks. That's a heck of a deal. It would be worth the extra money to not have to lug all that damn water home. Trust me.

 

[Len]

Worked fine for me when I had a small tank years ago, but like PeeJ says, you'll be better off buying a RO/DI (in terms of convenience and long term cost).

 

[PeeJ]

I was under the impression that brining water home a few times a week wasnt a bad deal. But when I do 30 gallon water changes, it really, really, really......I mean really bites. Up stairs, mind you.

 

[wade1]

The main reason for not using distilled water in reefs (and its not a huge worry) is that anything more volatile than water (including alot of chlorination disinfection byproducts...) are still in the water you buy. Anything (like salts) that doesn't evaporate isn't a worry.

Hence the suggestion to run it through carbon.

Wade

 

[Speigalreef]

Depneding on Where you are, if you read the labels on the Store brand water, there should be one that is RO Treated