# Distilled / Deionised Water



## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

From what I've managed to find out so far distilling and deionising water are simply two different methods of achieving the same result.

My question is, do you think deionised water from halfords would be ok for me to mix my EI ferts?


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (27 Feb 2013)

Porksword said:


> From what I've managed to find out so far distilling and deionising water are simply two different methods of achieving the same result.
> 
> My question is, do you think deionised water from halfords would be ok for me to mix my EI ferts?



Ive got an RO. But I'm in richmond near scotch corner. You could have brought loads of 25ltr containers and filled them up!


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

Haha thanks mate but Scotch Corner is a fair drive from newcastle plus I'll have nowhere to put the stuff.

Was looking at the 5 litre bottle at halfords as that would last a while


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## Alastair (27 Feb 2013)

Yes I've used it before only because I had it left from my attempt at 4dkh. 
Any reason why you don't want to use plain old boiled and cooled tap water?


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

Alastair your a freaking Genious!!!

If I can use that for my EI mix that saves alot of hassle, I must have been thinking about topping of an SW or something, lol.


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## ian_m (27 Feb 2013)

Porksword said:


> My question is, do you think deionised water from halfords would be ok for me to mix my EI ferts?


Yes no problem, but the idea of EI is to keep it simple stupid (KISS) and low cost. Using boiled water, lowers the Ca and Mg content as well as removing any chlorine/chloramine from the water. Also dissolving the EI ferts in warm water is trivially easier than cold water.


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

ian_m said:


> Yes no problem, but the idea of EI is to keep it simple stupid (KISS) and low cost. Using boiled water, lowers the Ca and Mg content as well as removing any chlorine/chloramine from the water. Also dissolving the EI ferts in warm water is trivially easier than cold water.


 
Thanks Ian having a bit of a dumb moment. After reading Alastairs post there was much facepalming, I must have read it a million times on this forum in past.

"KISS" - are you ex military by any chance?


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## ian_m (27 Feb 2013)

Porksword said:


> "KISS" - are you ex military by any chance?


Nope. Just work in designing and building computer hardware and software systems. In my line of work I meet far too many people who fail to step back and KISS !!!

Salesman "Yes, yes, yes...we should deploy a triple redundant server system running our really expensive version of Linux, with flashing light, will work really well"
Me. "What's wrong with piece of string and cardboard box ?"
Salesman "Well nothing really....except doesn't have a flashing light?"


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

Ah right just hadn't heard that term in a while.


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## ian_m (27 Feb 2013)

Next dumb moment, you are going to ask what set of scales to buy to measure our your EI salts ?

(Hint to answer, tea spoons are much cheaper, I got 100 for £1 from a pound shop).


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

ian_m said:


> Next dumb moment, you are going to ask what set of scales to buy to measure our your EI salts ?
> 
> (Hint to answer, tea spoons are much cheaper, I got 100 for £1 from a pound shop).


 
Haha nah mate bought some rather sensitive scales a while back, they only cost a tenner too


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## dw1305 (27 Feb 2013)

Hi all,


ian_m said:


> Using boiled water, lowers the Ca and Mg content as well as removing any chlorine/chloramine from the water. Also dissolving the EI ferts in warm water is trivially easier than cold water.


This does work, but you need to pour the water into a separate container as soon as the kettle has boiled, or the carbonates that have come out of solution (as "scale" as the water warms) will go back into solution as it cools.

How about rain water? cheap and naturally distilled.

cheers Darrel


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

Thanks for that Darrel, I'll just wait for it to click off then dump it into a cup or bowl.

Would living next to a factory factor into collecting rainwater or am I overthinking it?


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## Alastair (27 Feb 2013)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> This does work, but you need to pour the water into a separate container as soon as the kettle has boiled, or the carbonates that have come out of solution (as "scale" as the water warms) will go back into solution as it cools.
> 
> ...



Do you run a carbon filter or anything before the rain water enters the water butts Darrel??


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## dw1305 (27 Feb 2013)

Hi all,


Alastair said:


> Do you run a carbon filter or anything before the rain water enters the water butts Darrel??


No, I just have some _Daphnia_ in the water butts, when you come to use the water (for water changes) I just check that it has some swimming _Daphnia_ in it <Environmental Inquiry - Bioassays Using Daphnia>.

_Daphnia_ are actually quite sensitive to a whole range of pollutants (and presumably in a similar manner to other Crustaceans like shrimps) and are widely used in the water industry as "Canaries". <Daphnia bioassay - Google Scholar>

cheers Darrel


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## dw1305 (27 Feb 2013)

Hi all,


Porksword said:


> Would living next to a factory factor into collecting rainwater or am I overthinking it?


Could do, but it would depend what they make/use.

cheers Darrel


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Could do, but it would depend what they make/use.
> 
> cheers Darrel


 
 Mainly pharmaceuticals but not sure if thats a good or bad thing.


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## dw1305 (27 Feb 2013)

Hi all,


Porksword said:


> Mainly pharmaceuticals but not sure if thats a good or bad thing.


I think it should be all right, but that is the beauty of the _Daphnia, _you can feed them to your fish and they do a job for you 24/7_, _365 days a year_. _

Another thing I should have said that having some dead leaves, or other sources of humic compounds, is a good idea (particularly with shrimps as they both produce browsing surfaces, see Basil's post here: <What other novel fresh foods do you feed your shrimp? | UK Aquatic Plant Society>) because they add tannins and humic acids that can chelate and complex metal ions like zinc and copper <Humic substances | The Skeptical Aquarist> & <Chelation | The Skeptical Aquarist>.

cheers Darrel


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

Cheers mate thats awesome!


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## Alastair (27 Feb 2013)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> No, I just have some _Daphnia_ in the water butts, when you come to use the water (for water changes) I just check that it has some swimming _Daphnia_ in it <Environmental Inquiry - Bioassays Using Daphnia>.
> 
> ...


This is off topic from the original post I know but if needed what could be used to help filter out nasties before rain water enters the barrel??


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

Alastair said:


> This is off topic from the original postquote]


 
It doesn't matter mate my questions have been answered, thanks to all of you.


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## kirk (27 Feb 2013)

If you know of a local window cleaner using the pole system they will be using distilled water at 0 ppl for a streak free finish.Maybe a quick chat will get you a ltr or two. I used to be a window cleaner and I'm down to my last 5 gallon drum. I use it for cleaning the outside of the tank and around the home.


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## O'Neil (27 Feb 2013)

kap k said:


> If you know of a local window cleaner using the pole system they will be using distilled water at 0 ppl for a streak free finish.Maybe a quick chat will get you a ltr or two. I used to be a window cleaner and I'm down to my last 5 gallon drum. I use it for cleaning the outside of the tank and around the home.


 
Got it sorted now mate just gonna use the boiled water method and mite set up a water butt in the back garden, but thats good advice.

Cheers mate.


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## ian_m (27 Feb 2013)

kap k said:


> If you know of a local window cleaner using the pole system they will be using distilled water at 0 ppl for a streak free finish.Maybe a quick chat will get you a ltr or two. I used to be a window cleaner and I'm down to my last 5 gallon drum. I use it for cleaning the outside of the tank and around the home.


 They all use RO water now for final rinse. Some equipment in vans sucks back in the dirty water, filters it another pass at RO and ready to wash again. Our window cleaner goes a whole day with one fill of water.


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## kirk (27 Feb 2013)

Ro is what I used but it wasn't sucked back up. I used a portable with a multi speed pump, from containers. I wasn't a take two bottles into the shower I was a wash and go. so Ro to clean and rinse.


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## ian_m (27 Feb 2013)

All window cleaners round our neck of the woods use white transits with the RO and filtering equipment in the back of the van and very long hoses!!!


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## kirk (27 Feb 2013)

It's not all about the length of your hose its how you use it.


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## dw1305 (28 Feb 2013)

Hi all,


Alastair said:


> This is off topic from the original post I know but if needed what could be used to help filter out nasties before rain water enters the barrel??


Have a look at this thread: <If it's yellow, let it mellow and RO is the devil | UK Aquatic Plant Society>

cheers Darrel


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