Interesting Fact (well fairly interesting;))

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Catpicklesdog

Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Feb 25, 2007
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I often see/hear people ask whether or not they can use bottled water in their tanks. I used to be of the opinion it was better than nothing. Now I don't think that. Whilst I was having my lunch today I happened to be reading the info on my bottle of water and on the analysis info it included T.D.S (Totally Dissolved Solids).

At 180c it stated a T.D.S reading of 158!!!

An RO/DI unit produces a T.D.S reading of 0 (providing your membranes etc are new:)

Just thought I'd share! :)
 

GregAW

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Aug 25, 2008
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Sacramento, CA, USA
I've seen several studies which claim that you may as well drink tap water and save your money. Some bottled water is more contaminated than tap water and has been found to be less healthy for you. I've also read that a charcoal water filter cleans most contaminates from your tap water. SO now I am wondering, is a RO/DI filter system all it's cracked up to be.

Makes one stop and ponder the issues with water all around.
 

Sploke

resident boozehound
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Oct 20, 2005
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Well, an RO sytem usually has two stages of charcoal filtration before it goes to the membrane. Most of the carbon blocks I've seen will only adsorb particles down to about 1 micron. The RO membrane removes particles a lot smaller than that.
 

Hartman2287

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Feb 7, 2009
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Whidbey Island, WA
Most people (speeking for myself and assuming for the rest) are using distilled bottled water. I am pretty sure tap and spring bottled water contain phosphates, which you would want to avoid. I could be wrong, but thats my two cents.
 

GregAW

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Aug 25, 2008
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Sacramento, CA, USA
I just wonder though, is it really necessary to have such pure water for an aquarium? or has the hobby just tried to get to sophisticated? Never mind me, my mind is just contemplating life in general. :D
 

GregAW

AC Members
Aug 25, 2008
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Sacramento, CA, USA
I am pretty sure tap and spring bottled water contain phosphates, which you would want to avoid. I could be wrong, but thats my two cents.
But you can remove the phosphates with a sponge. You can neutralize chlorine or let it dissipate out naturally prior to using the water in your tank. Let's not forget that you can find iron, copper, and other metals in water. How about floride? What will it do and will a RO/DI filter remove all of these elements?
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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There are so many "unknowns" in the water that we don't even know about, never mind have tests for. I would rather start with "good water" via tests I can do instead of using things like phospate/chloramine removers on questionable water. Those charcoal filters simply remove the smell/taste, but they do nothing to remove TDS from tap water.

FYI:
Tap water = 150-500 TDS
Bottled water = 75-200 TDS
RO water = 20-50 TDS
RO/DI water = 0-20 TDS

So, with that info, it is usually better to get water from grocery store RO dispensers vs buying bottled water. Better quality (if they change filters regularly) and cheaper to buy from dispensers. I did that for many years myself (10 years) before I finally bought my own RO/DI unit for my house.
 

cjtabares

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Oct 17, 2007
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Bristol. RI
I just wonder though, is it really necessary to have such pure water for an aquarium? or has the hobby just tried to get to sophisticated? Never mind me, my mind is just contemplating life in general. :D

Is it necessary to have such pure water, i guess not i have seen many people with really nice tanks who say they dont use ro/di. But for my the extra $200 for such pure water was worth it less for me to worry about. I have over $5000 in my tank and dont want to see it crash or anything go wrong that could have been avoided with the $200 ro/di.
 

Amphiprion

Contain the Excitement...
Feb 14, 2007
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Mobile, Alabama
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They make sub-micron carbon and even sediment cartridges (I use a .2μm sediment cartridges and .6μm carbon cartridges). Drinking water is usually higher in TDS and hardness simply because it tastes better. If you sit a bottle of 18 megohm water along with a bottle of Evian spring water (both unlabeled) and asked me to tell you which tastes better, I'll be able to pick out the better tasting Evian every time. It just tastes better. Drinking water does not equate to tank water and vice versa.
 

ToeJam

MMORPG ADDICT!!
Jan 9, 2009
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Tacoma,WA
I often see/hear people ask whether or not they can use bottled water in their tanks. I used to be of the opinion it was better than nothing. Now I don't think that. Whilst I was having my lunch today I happened to be reading the info on my bottle of water and on the analysis info it included T.D.S (Totally Dissolved Solids).

At 180c it stated a T.D.S reading of 158!!!

An RO/DI unit produces a T.D.S reading of 0 (providing your membranes etc are new:)

Just thought I'd share! :)
HAh... i was already leery on bottled water since there are no regulations on them vs municipal from what I heard on news radio.

There was talk about a year ago that I barely recall some bottled water companies are taking water from the tap and selling it... I don't know if they are regulated now. I just know that I heard of this a while back that the water isn't so Fresh mountain springy as the label implies lol.

There was even mention of them using just carbon from the tap before bottling.
The information I got was from Michael Medved Talk show going over some news about it.
 
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