Bottled Water

[ryuku32]

So far I've used tap water, treated with API Tap Water Conditioner (to declorify and help w/ heavy metals or whatever). I really shouldn't be buying anything, so RO is out of question... How's this water sound.


Primo gets back to the basics by using either reverse osmosis or distillation to remove harmful contaminants from our water. By using a state-of-the-art purification process, Primo water achieves better than 99.999% purity.

After restoring the water to its pure form, we improve on Mother Nature by carefully adding a select mix of 3 pharmaceutical grade minerals to make it easier to enjoy the health benefits of better hydration.
These good-tasting, good-for-you minerals are calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate.

So the question is, are those minerals okay? It's got to be better than tap water, right? calcium chloride... i'd have to treat it with dechlorinate additive still?

[Germanman]

would still dechlorinate...never used premo so i cant judge it.

[Riverserver]

I didn't think you could use bottled water because of its high pH.

[Reefscape]

easy enough to check though...buy a bottle and do a set of water tests on it and post the results.....

Niko

[ryuku32]

Looks like very soft water with a pH of 6.5. Sound be fine after I add Instant Ocean, and treat for chlorine, eh? But what about top-off?

http://i18.tinypic.com/6ahhlzs.jpg

[ryuku32]

to compare, just dipped one in the water out my tap. looks like, pH 8.5 or even 9.0, KH over 240, and GH 30ppm.

[Germanman]

if you use it as top off ull have to buff it. my tap water is 8.1 and whenever i add it it brings my h down over night. so if u *** acidic water ur going to have major buffering issues. wouldnt use the tap. try out ro water form a grocery store.

[C&T]

My husband and found this store that sells R/0 water fairly cheapy...I think its about 50 cents a gallon. We got these big carbuoy type containers - you can get plastic water containers at Wal Mart. We spend a little over 5 dollars a week on water. (We actually buy 2 weeks worth supply at a time).

I don't know if you can find a place like that or not. But we were having periodic problems with Cyanobacteria, despite diligent "housekeeping". We had to resort to treating the whole tank for that,which we hated to do, then we started using the R/O water and have had absolutely no problems since then. Tank looks the best its ever been.
Five dollars eventually adds up tho....we are toying with the idea of our own system.....might be his birthday present!!

[ryuku32]

i happened across a placed called Good Water Cafe or something. they have a huge R/O system and u bring in your bottle. it's 99c/gal for RO/DI. They have carbon filtered, RO, and RO/DI. i didn't ask the price on the plain RO, but that's all I'd really need right?

[Reefscape]

Yes, plain RO water would certainly suffice...RO/DI of course would be better due to the extra filtration in the method.

Niko

[ryuku32]

when i was on a ship, the nukes produced DI water. for whatever reason the riser to the O3 level was removed, and we had to carry 5gallon bottles 9 decks up to our RADAR cooling room. We labeled them, "DI WATER DO NOT DRINK." I was told that DI water was so pure that drinking it would dehydrate you because it lacked any minerals which were needed in your body.
Is this true, or are sailors just ignorant? I'm almost certain drinking RO/DI cannot dehydrate you now, since I see it sold as drinking water... heh.

[SHK_ATK]

I would also test for copper, Just to be on the safe side.