Distilled Water for evaporation?

I am using some distilled water for my 25G to top off for evaporation and RO/DI from the LFS for changes. Anyone see any issue in using distilled? I know there are a lot of threads on this out there, but I can't seem to get a straight answer. thanks.

 

plus, a full RO/DI system for a small 25G seems a bit much for my size tank unless someone can direct me otherwise.

 

Distilled is OK (better than RO only units), but not as pure as RODI.

You can usually buy RODI water from the LFS, but there's no guarantee they'll keep the unit maintained. That's why people keep their own RODI units.

Spectrapure had a sale on the CSP-DI for 145$.

 

Purchasing bottled distilled water would be my second choice behind owning my own RO/DI system. I would suggest you buy a TDS meter though if you are going to be buying water anywhere so you can ensure its quality.
TDS meters start at about $25 for a good quality meter like the HM Digital TDS-3 which is temperature compensated and has a nice digital temperature read out too.

 

thanks guys. do skimmers help to reduce some of the tds?

 

No they do not, they help remove excess biological crap from the water but not dissolved solids which are minerals that are dissolved in the water like Iron, sulfur and such.

I agree about getting a TDS meter. But then again if you take that 25 or 30 bucks and put away for an RODI you can get one with a meter on it for about 175 to 180.

I bought mine before I set up my Display tank, at the time I had a 10 gallon and a 16 gallon tank. I just got really tired of hauling water from the pet store and then having to carry it down stairs.

 

By also using the RO portion of your RO/DI for drinking water its a much easier purchase to justify. We were buying cases and cases of plastic throw away bottles of drinking water so the RO/DI was an easy sell to the wife. Now she fills a couple bottles half way with RO, sticks them in the freezer then pulls one out and tops it off with RO every once in awhile and has ice cold water with her all day. With the add on drinking water kit we also feed the refrigerator door drinking water and ice maker plus a RO faucet at both the kitchen and laundry sinks as well as the RO/DI for the aquariums. It has paid for itself over and over!