distilled Water?

scarpenter · 08/08/2006, 01:30 PM

Can you disstill water by letting it sit for 24 hours?

TekCat · 08/08/2006, 01:37 PM

just sitting water will not make it distilled.

water gets distilled by the same process used to make moonshine

Unless you have the nesessary equipment better choice is to get it from food store or walmart.

Everyone seems to agree that RO/DI is way better than distilled water, because commercially distilled water equipment uses copper pipes so there might be traces of it which will accumulate in your tank.

hth

sir_dudeguy · 08/08/2006, 01:37 PM

i think you can but i wouldnt do it...its cheaper just to go to watermart and get their ro water.

Wryknow · 08/08/2006, 01:38 PM

No. Letting water sit will help to break down the chlorine in treated water but it will not remove the other contaminants. I you want to use the water for a reef it is highly recommended that you use water that has been filtered with a reverse osmosis (RO) unit and/or a de-ionization unit (DI.)

TekCat · 08/08/2006, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wryknow
... Letting water sit will help to break down the chlorine in treated water but it will not remove the other contaminants....

It is true if your water was treated with chlorine, however nowdays they put cloramine also, which will not disintegrate by letting water sit. You'd have to use dechlorinators for chloramine.

In any case, your options are buy RO/DI or distilled water, or get RO/DI unit and make water yourself, which will be alot more economical in the long run. I've done calculations a year ago to prove it to my significant other as a justification to get a unit, and a gallon of RO/DI water made at home literally costs less than a penny (not counting water cost from the city)

ReefON!!!!

scarpenter · 08/08/2006, 02:11 PM

why can't you just go to Lowes and get a faucet filter from say PUR and call it a day?

sir_dudeguy · 08/08/2006, 02:14 PM

oh, srry, misread the question. thought you were asking if you can use distilled water. But letting water sit doesnt distill it.
To get distilled water, i believe they boil water, and collect all the steam/evap from it...this leaves all the stuff that was in it down in the "'pan/pot" where it started (i dont know exactly what they boil it in...prolly not a pan or pot tho lol...but for the sake of this post...)

as far as your only options being buy ro water or get an ro unit, i agree and dissagree at the same time...yes ro water is much better, but if your tap water is pretty good, you might be able to use it. I use tap water some, and have seen no side affects from it. I treat it for chloramine and let it sit for a day or so and then use it, and its always been fine. But we have better water here than most i think so idk...

TekCat · 08/08/2006, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scarpenter
why can't you just go to Lowes and get a faucet filter from say PUR and call it a day?

Because these faucet filters are do not remove much from water, granted that they are good for removing chlorine, but as far as nitrates, copper, silicates, viruses, and other exotic junk that is highly undesirable in your tank just passes through.

08/08/2006, 01:30 PM	#1
scarpenter Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tupelo, MS Posts: 436	distilled Water? Can you disstill water by letting it sit for 24 hours?

08/08/2006, 01:37 PM	#3
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	i think you can but i wouldnt do it...its cheaper just to go to watermart and get their ro water. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

08/08/2006, 01:38 PM	#4
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	No. Letting water sit will help to break down the chlorine in treated water but it will not remove the other contaminants. I you want to use the water for a reef it is highly recommended that you use water that has been filtered with a reverse osmosis (RO) unit and/or a de-ionization unit (DI.) __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

08/08/2006, 02:14 PM	#7
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	oh, srry, misread the question. thought you were asking if you can use distilled water. But letting water sit doesnt distill it. To get distilled water, i believe they boil water, and collect all the steam/evap from it...this leaves all the stuff that was in it down in the "'pan/pot" where it started (i dont know exactly what they boil it in...prolly not a pan or pot tho lol...but for the sake of this post...) as far as your only options being buy ro water or get an ro unit, i agree and dissagree at the same time...yes ro water is much better, but if your tap water is pretty good, you might be able to use it. I use tap water some, and have seen no side affects from it. I treat it for chloramine and let it sit for a day or so and then use it, and its always been fine. But we have better water here than most i think so idk... __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

08/08/2006, 01:37 PM	#2
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	just sitting water will not make it distilled. water gets distilled by the same process used to make moonshine Unless you have the nesessary equipment better choice is to get it from food store or walmart. Everyone seems to agree that RO/DI is way better than distilled water, because commercially distilled water equipment uses copper pipes so there might be traces of it which will accumulate in your tank. hth

08/08/2006, 02:11 PM	#6
scarpenter Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tupelo, MS Posts: 436	why can't you just go to Lowes and get a faucet filter from say PUR and call it a day?