Primo Water

NanoReefNoob · 02/09/2016, 07:34 PM

Hey quick question, I know using tap water is bad for the reef system and the best solution is and RO/DI system. However my RO/DI system took a dump on me and I do not have a LFS near by. I was wondering if using the purified water like Primo would work just as good. It says on the filter process that it is a 5 stage filtering process but i can not find specifics. Just wondering your thoughts as I can not afford another RO/DI unit at this time. Thanks

jstack · 02/09/2016, 07:46 PM

bring a tds meter and test it

CStrickland · 02/09/2016, 08:09 PM

The thing about rodi, is it doesn't taste very good.
We are used to a certain amount of non h2o in our water and we miss it when it's not there. So they wouldn't make a lot of money selling pure water for drinking. They do sell pure water, it's labeled as "distilled" even though the fine print usually says "distilled by ro di." People use distilled water for things that have to be pure like steam irons that would get clogged from residue, and baby formula.

Different brands of "drinking water" will have their own mix of non-h2o that they either leave I when they take the water from a spring, or municipal supply of the city they contract with for a source; or that they add back after purifying the water. Without knowing what that stuff is, I wouldn't use "drinking water" in my tank. Especially when you can buy distilled water from Walmart for $1 a gallon. IMO buying that and adding salt is the best option. Lots of happy smaller tanks run this way.

Whichever type of water you buy, I'd double check the tds of each jug and treat it with a conditioner like Prime in case they use copper pipes or fittings at the bottling plant. Just to be on the safe side.

A.Astore · 02/09/2016, 09:08 PM

+1 on the distilled! I used it for years in my nano because I just couldn't see making my own water via RODI when I needed so little. I think it is even cheaper at the grocery store here (like 80 cents a gallon).

NanoReefNoob · 02/09/2016, 10:04 PM

Sounds good thanks for the help guys

Kardjunkie · 02/09/2016, 11:56 PM

+1 distilled water for a small tank. I have done this for a little while with a twenty nine gallon tank. .88 a gallon at my Walmart. Even though the other night I almost went the bottle your own. It says reverse osmosis but then something filtering for tasting better so I went and got my usual, since it would have only saved me .50 on each gallon.

rburch203 · 02/10/2016, 03:44 PM

Primo is ro water however they add minerals for taste. I would stick to distilled

02/09/2016, 07:34 PM	#1
NanoReefNoob Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Yuma, AZ Posts: 241	Primo Water Hey quick question, I know using tap water is bad for the reef system and the best solution is and RO/DI system. However my RO/DI system took a dump on me and I do not have a LFS near by. I was wondering if using the purified water like Primo would work just as good. It says on the filter process that it is a 5 stage filtering process but i can not find specifics. Just wondering your thoughts as I can not afford another RO/DI unit at this time. Thanks __________________ This is only a hobby if you are having fun, ether wise it is work. Current Tank Info: 72G fresh water, Reef tank build in progress.

02/09/2016, 08:09 PM	#3
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	The thing about rodi, is it doesn't taste very good. We are used to a certain amount of non h2o in our water and we miss it when it's not there. So they wouldn't make a lot of money selling pure water for drinking. They do sell pure water, it's labeled as "distilled" even though the fine print usually says "distilled by ro di." People use distilled water for things that have to be pure like steam irons that would get clogged from residue, and baby formula. Different brands of "drinking water" will have their own mix of non-h2o that they either leave I when they take the water from a spring, or municipal supply of the city they contract with for a source; or that they add back after purifying the water. Without knowing what that stuff is, I wouldn't use "drinking water" in my tank. Especially when you can buy distilled water from Walmart for $1 a gallon. IMO buying that and adding salt is the best option. Lots of happy smaller tanks run this way. Whichever type of water you buy, I'd double check the tds of each jug and treat it with a conditioner like Prime in case they use copper pipes or fittings at the bottling plant. Just to be on the safe side. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

02/09/2016, 10:04 PM	#5
NanoReefNoob Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Yuma, AZ Posts: 241	Sounds good thanks for the help guys __________________ This is only a hobby if you are having fun, ether wise it is work. Current Tank Info: 72G fresh water, Reef tank build in progress.

02/09/2016, 11:56 PM	#6
Kardjunkie Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 128	+1 distilled water for a small tank. I have done this for a little while with a twenty nine gallon tank. .88 a gallon at my Walmart. Even though the other night I almost went the bottle your own. It says reverse osmosis but then something filtering for tasting better so I went and got my usual, since it would have only saved me .50 on each gallon. __________________ "Never memorize something that you can look up." - Albert Einstein ...and he didn't even have google! Current Tank Info: BioCube 29 with InTank Media Basket - Building 75 gallon bow front

02/09/2016, 07:46 PM	#2
jstack Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: abq,nm Posts: 290	bring a tds meter and test it

02/09/2016, 09:08 PM	#4
A.Astore Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Waynesboro, VA Posts: 418	+1 on the distilled! I used it for years in my nano because I just couldn't see making my own water via RODI when I needed so little. I think it is even cheaper at the grocery store here (like 80 cents a gallon).

02/10/2016, 03:44 PM	#7
rburch203 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 98	Primo is ro water however they add minerals for taste. I would stick to distilled