Which water from supermarket can be used?

[Vincentwangzx]

Hi I have yet to install RO/DI unit in my home due to budget constraint, but I was thinking of buying from Giant to top up for now; which one is suitable? Those that indicate 'Pure Drinking Water'; are they distilled water? Thanks!


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[Urban Aquaria]

Look for those specifically labelled as distilled water... most others that are labeled as drinking water would most likely be mineral water that have additional dissolved content in it.

[Vincentwangzx]

Thanks UA, any brand u know of? I combed cold storage and they are either mineral water or pure drinking water which I don't know what it is.


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[Urban Aquaria]

Thanks UA, any brand u know of? I combed cold storage and they are either mineral water or pure drinking water which I don't know what it is.

I guess you'll just have to shop around the supermarkets to look for them (usually they are "house" brands, like NTUC or Giant), most of the major store outlets should have distilled water, it's a very common item.

Here is a link, if you prefer to shop online (sold in cartons of 12 x 1.5 litre bottles): http://www.fairprice.com.sg/webapp/w...5lt---10652512

[BFG]

It's Life brand if Im not wrong. How big is your tank?

[Dscheng]

I use NTUC pure drink water not the (LIFE) type. It is the cheapest.

[Jimmy]

I use NTUC pure drink water not the (LIFE) type. It is the cheapest.

Is this distilled?

[Dscheng]

Yup. TDS is 0 too.

[tetrakid]

Yup. TDS is 0 too.

Walau, you so smart measure the TDS.

Actually, I think pure drinking water and distilled water got no difference.
If they call it distilled water, then sales may be lower because people think can only use to top up car battery so they dare not drink it.
If they call it pure drinking water, then everyone will dare to drink it happily.

If you don't believe me, you can try ask a few friends or strangers to drink new bottle of battery water, I am sure they will dare not drink it.

[reefkeeper]

No, no, no, people. RO water is water filtered using the Reverse Osmosis process. RO, get it? RO water retains all the natural qualities of natural water.
On the other hand, distilled water does not have any of the natural qualities of natural water and is therefore not recommended. In fact, distilled water is not even recommended for human consumption because instead of replacing any deficiencies in minerals in a person, the effect when consumed, is a reversal process where the distilled water actually extract minerals from your system and depletes it. So it is the same with your aquarium.
Look for RO drinking water. It is quite common in Malaysia. In fact, in Malaysia we even have paid Alkaline water dispensers which is even more suitable for marine aquariums. If you cannot find it, mineral water will do but read the analysis to make sure that it is chlorine and copper free,which it usually is.

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[Urban Aquaria]

Yeah, its definitely not recommended to drink distilled water exclusively... a cup or two a day is fine if you are also consuming other types liquids and foods, or use for mixing and cooking. But if a person drinks only distilled water for extended periods of time, it can pull minerals from their body and leave them depleted of essential trace elements.

On the other hand, for aquarium keepers... especially those keeping sensitive shrimps of fishes, distilled water with TDS of 0 is mainly used for water top ups (due to evaporation), this helps to reduce the rate of overall TDS increase due to the constant top ups and keeps the parameters more stable for the livestock.

When using distilled water for water changes, users will usually dose in beneficial mineral additives to attain their target parameters and TDS, before doing the water change. This allows them to ensure that no chemicals/impurities are in the newly introduced water (which may harm their sensitive livestock), and they can control exactly what goes into the tank.

So there are specific uses for distilled water when it comes to aquarium keeping.

I do agree that it can be abit misleading when companies label their distilled water as just drinking water, because people may keep drinking it assuming that it is like mineral water (there should at least be a word "distilled" somewhere on the label). Thats why have to check carefully, especially if the purpose is to actually drink the water on a regular basis.

[tetrakid]

No, no, no, people. RO water is water filtered using the Reverse Osmosis process. RO, get it? RO water retains all the natural qualities of natural water.
On the other hand, distilled water does not have any of the natural qualities of natural water and is therefore not recommended. In fact, distilled water is not even recommended for human consumption because instead of replacing any deficiencies in minerals in a person, the effect when consumed, is a reversal process where the distilled water actually extract minerals from your system and depletes it. So it is the same with your aquarium.
Look for RO drinking water. It is quite common in Malaysia. In fact, in Malaysia we even have paid Alkaline water dispensers which is even more suitable for marine aquariums. If you cannot find it, mineral water will do but read the analysis to make sure that it is chlorine and copper free,which it usually is.

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Then it will be good to measure the TDS of pure drinking water as well.
If measured TDS is zero, then where got any minerals, no?

But of course must first make sure whether it's RO or not RO, otherwise no point.

[Vincentwangzx]

Thanks all for the reply! May I know why Alkaline water is suitable for marine tank? Won't it cause a spike in PH? For now I ordered a TDS meter and will get the Life brand water then. I have a 40 liter Nanotank and I just got my first inhabitant yesterday! First two actually. A Green Ricordea mushroom (I think, could be wrong), and a cleaner shrimp.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1435296111.808349.jpg


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[Urban Aquaria]

Thanks all for the reply! May I know why Alkaline water is suitable for marine tank? Won't it cause a spike in PH? For now I ordered a TDS meter and will get the Life brand water then. I have a 40 liter Nanotank and I just got my first inhabitant yesterday! First two actually. A Green Ricordea mushroom (I think, could be wrong), and a cleaner shrimp.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1435296111.808349.jpg

Marines tanks contain high PH alkaline water with high TDS... those processed alkaline water retain minerals which are closer to those conditions (still need to mix with marine grade salts before usage though).

Since you have a marine tank, remember to mix marine grade salts with the distilled water to build up its pH, mineral/salt content and TDS to the required levels, before using the water in your tank.

[BFG]

Marine tank only require that you use pure water ( 0 tds ) for making new salt water for water change and pure water ( 0 tds ) for water top off. Other than these 2 requirement, tds measurement are not used to measure the salt water itself.

Vincentwangzx, that ricordea doesnt look good to me, what is your sg ( specific gravity )?

[jjchew]

Use ro water the best.. save the hassle carry all this distilled water.. long term save $$$

[Vincentwangzx]

@BFG I discovered that the shop assistant got me a sebae anemone instead of a mushroom! And it came in looking like this from the start. I was just inexperienced in buying corals to know what to look out for.
My SG measured using a refractometer turned up a reading of 1.026 last night.


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[Urban Aquaria]

Marine tank only require that you use pure water ( 0 tds ) for making new salt water for water change and pure water ( 0 tds ) for water top off. Other than these 2 requirement, tds measurement are not used to measure the salt water itself.

Yeah, sorry about the typo... my mind was still in freshwater mode.

For marine tanks its specific gravity that is measured when making saltwater, rather than TDS.

[atwin]

Now NTUC at Whampoa having promotion for both LIFE and NTUC house brand.

[jjchew]

Tesco distilled water cheapest.. 1.5l Ard sgd $.60