Distilled water

[Chaim]

Hi, I’m thinking about starting a nano reef tank (currently have a 180 fowlr tank) can I use distilled water instead of rodi? How do the two compare?

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by Chaim

Hi, I’m thinking about starting a nano reef tank (currently have a 180 fowlr tank) can I use distilled water instead of rodi? How do the two compare?

The main difference between the 2 are the way they are processed but the end result is the same ( no ions, minerals or salts). Both need to be remineralized before being used in a freshwater tank but for marine tanks, if you are using a salt mix, that should suffice. Salt does not evaporate so using it to refill the marine tank as is for evaporation is fine.

[Aiken Drum]

Some volatile chemicals like chloramines arent removed by distillation.

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by Aiken Drum

Some volatile chemicals like chloramines arent removed by distillation.

Supposedly not by reverse osmosis either but I haven't heard of any store bought distilled water having chloramine showing up in tests. Not sure anyone at home would be making distilled water.

[Chaim]

Originally Posted by Andy Sager

Supposedly not by reverse osmosis either but I haven't heard of any store bought distilled water having chloramine showing up in tests. Not sure anyone at home would be making distilled water.

Even so I can just use prime to remove, no?

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by Chaim

Even so I can just use prime to remove, no?

Yes, the point was that the water, if it starts with chloramines, cannot be used without addressing that issue first.

[Colin_T]

Distilled water should be pure and I doubt chloramine would evaporate at the same rate as water.

[Andy Sager]

Originally Posted by Colin_T

Distilled water should be pure and I doubt chloramine would evaporate at the same rate as water.

After reading Aiken's Post here ( #3) I did a bit of googling and found that there was mixed posts from universities and water distillation companies as to whether distillation will remove chloramine but definitely does remove chlorine.
As for RO systems, they don't remove chloramines by going through the membranes but from going through the canisters that contain carbon or carbon like substances within the system.
I like to be " Better safe than sorry."