Natterjak
Aquarium Advice Regular
This may be a really stupid question, but is it okay to use purified drinking water (the kind you get from those machines at the grocery store) for tank water?
Using Drinking Water?
- Thread starter Natterjak
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
First of all, what a pain to lug all the water I would need on a regular basis (2+ gal/day) from my local market.
Second, those machines are notorious for poor maintenance, I would be suspect. I often wonder what kind of filtration they are getting at thousands of gallons per day when I can't get more than 100 gal out of my until at full pressure (which I don't have, so I get about 20/day)
Don't skimp on the most basic requirement...water. Buy an RO/DI.
Second, those machines are notorious for poor maintenance, I would be suspect. I often wonder what kind of filtration they are getting at thousands of gallons per day when I can't get more than 100 gal out of my until at full pressure (which I don't have, so I get about 20/day)
Don't skimp on the most basic requirement...water. Buy an RO/DI.
Natterjak
Aquarium Advice Regular
Well at the moment, it's either lug the water from the store or the LFS, and the store happens to be closer. 
We plan on getting an RO/DI unit soon, but until then, we're stuck hauling a couple of 5-gallon jugs around.
We plan on getting an RO/DI unit soon, but until then, we're stuck hauling a couple of 5-gallon jugs around.
Salttanker
Aquarium Advice Addict
How do we know that this water is even truly put through the RO process and not just some toilet water? I wound't use it. At best, I would use distilled water from a well known manufacturer if I didn't have an RO system.
Mike
Mike
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
The only thing that would suggest it's not toilet water is that you would have to pump from the toilet to the machine...and no one that is ripping people off like that would go to that much effort...unless it was a two story building and the machine was on the first floor.
I guess overhead pipes coming into the machine would be a bad sign.
I guess overhead pipes coming into the machine would be a bad sign.
Salttanker
Aquarium Advice Addict
Could we also factor in copper piping as a possibility? The source is unknown with a vending machine.
Mike
Mike
Bearfan
Aquarium Advice Addict
Very true.
phishead
Aquarium Advice Activist
Some "health food" stores have RO machines that allow you to bring your own container and refill. Near me, I know that Vitamin Cottage, Whole Foods, Alfalfa's and Wild Oats have them. (that's what I used to use to make beer!) now it's RO. Otherwise, if it is marked "Spring Water or Natural" it mine as well be coming out of your faucet. As a last resort I would use the distilled.
Salttanker
Aquarium Advice Addict
Spring water is actually all natural from springs underground. However, distilled water would be the best for a marine tank if you don't have an RO.
Mike
phishead
Aquarium Advice Activist
Sorry, I should have said, that water marked "spring" does not guarantee any level of filtering or purity. Many peoples water comes from springs underground. That does not mean that it is ok for a reef tank. Thanks!
