spring water

[dunning72]

What are the advantages or disadvantages of using bottled spring water from the store? It is the cheapest for 30 gal.

 

[kelly]

Disadvantages, are that there is no real control on the quality of the water. I have heard on this board of water with ammonia and phosphates in it. I would check the water before you decide to use it, a complete check for ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, etc.

 

[dunning72]

Thanks, Kelly. I don't need much water, what would you recommend? Distilled, ionized??

 

[kelly]

I would try 1 gallon of the distilled, and test it before adding salt. I have not heard of anyone using ionized water, but distilled I have.

 

[fshhub]

distilled, but test that too, it could have some phosphates(so i've heard)
as for spring, yes, do be cautious, often it has phos., trates or amm., PLUS the fact that what makes it a spring gives it a very high chance of having MINERALS, some of which you may desire in a tank, but iron and other metals, you do not want,and they could be in it too
oh, and often anymore, spring water isn't spring water, if youread the label dclosely, it is bottled from a treatment company much like a town plant, not taken directly form a spring, this is why aquafina is so $$, it is run through a RO unit, first

 

[wally]

A lot of the bottled water sold in grocery stores is R.O. water and works well. Wal-Mart sells it for 58 cents a gallon it has a green label on the jug. Just look at the labels it should say "reverse osmosis" on it somewhere.

 

[ebeckels]

are u sure walmart sells RO water??? I bought distilled water from them. I didn't see RO water, but then again, I didn't ask.

 

[tombraider118]

Reverse osmosis sound good i use it now