Is anyone using distilled water in there reef?

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Hatter

I picked up a water distiller at a yard sale for 10 bucks! it'll do about a gallon in 5 to 6 hours. Is this as good as an RO unit? I'm thinking the distilled water should be 100% pure. and by the looks of the crud on the bottom of the pot after a few gallons, its goota be better than nothing

missed the part about you already have it LOL. do you have a pic, and model number or anything?

Steve

[Hatter]

its just a counter top unit from sears probably. And i havnt had it long enough to notice my power bill. I could be wrong, but don't RO's waste alot of water? And since I pay for water... whats the difference? With the amount of time I've got it running, I'm sure it will burn out eventually and i'll have to do somthing else.
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[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Hatter

I could be wrong, but don't RO's waste alot of water? And since I pay for water... whats the difference?

water is a heck of a lot cheeper than power, thats the differance. the one I am talking about has two 2200 watt elements in it, so running thoes 24 hours you will get 25 gal of water. the 50 gal of water you waist running a 25gpd ro is a tiny fraction of that, and if you want you can repurpose that wast water to a tub, watering your garden, ect..

I have been working with comercial deselination plants for the last 22 years and believe me they are not the most economical way to make water, but they can provide the purest and have the capability to produce huge amounts. the ones I last worked on would make 791 gal of absolute pure water every hour, a ro with that output would be way to much money to buy.

you have it so use it, when it is dead, or you want more output, look for a RO to replace it.

Steve

[Bryan]

I thought distilled water was not a good way to go as many use copper tubes for the heating and copper ions can end up in the output.

[Bob]

I use a distiller...I also run the water through a carbon filter first...although mine is a larger one...also runs off my hotwater tank..might be more expensive tham ro...but no waste water and cleaner....you might have to add tracce elements to your tank...always good anyway

[mike31154]

Hmm, what else do suppose may be distilled with that little unit? Wasn't aware that such small distillers were out there. I've read a lot about vodka dosing but could never figure out why anyone would waste perfectly good vodka on their fish tank. Now if this little distiller could.....

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Bryan

I thought distilled water was not a good way to go as many use copper tubes for the heating and copper ions can end up in the output.

Cheep ones may, but expensive ones would get away from copper. as for how much copper you would get into the distilled water I woudl say it would be nothing to worry about as the copper is usaly the cooling side not the heating. the heating surface would be the same in that little one as your kettle.

Steve