Distilled vs RO vs tap

TreeFiddy350

TreeFiddy350

Well-Known Member
So I’m currently looking around at RO systems.
I’ve heard that distilled water is similar to RO.
Would distilled water be better to use than tap water? Or even RO?
Also, with distilled, would you just add your nutes then ph after just like tap? Or...?
 
TacoMac

TacoMac

Well-Known Member
TreeFiddy350 said:
So I’m currently looking around at RO systems.
I’ve heard that distilled water is similar to RO.
Would distilled water be better to use than tap water? Or even RO?
Also, with distilled, would you just add your nutes then ph after just like tap? Or...?
Click to expand...
RO is the best.

Distilled is 2nd.

Bottled of any kind is third.

Tap is dead last.

You never have to PH RO water. It's a perfect 6.5 always. It never, ever changes. (Provided of course you keep the unit in good working order.)
 
B

burnpile

Well-Known Member
I thought ro only removed the "minerals", not changing ph. I use my tap which is 410 ppm and 6.0 ph. When I built my pool and they tested the water they said it was high in calcium and also contained magnesium. I have hard water here.
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Minerals and other things in water is what gives water a pH at all so either distilling or using reverse osmosis removes all minerals leaving a neutral pH. A pH pen has nothing to analyze so reports as close to neutral, 7.0 as it can but the reading is really meaningless.

RO is tops as it uses much less energy than distilled, remains oxygenated unlike distilled which is near devoid of oxygen and should be aerated before use. I aerate all water used on my plants.

Tap water can be from excellent to toxic for your plants. Get a water report from your supplier to know whats in it for sure tho that varies with the seasons from ground water sources. Tap water is treated to keep the pH above 7 if it already isn't to protect the infrastructure from corrosion caused by <pH7 water. Calcium carbonate is most often used to raise the pH.

Rain water is generally sightly acidic but near as pure as distilled so just a drop or two/gal of pH up will raise it to 7+.
 
B

Bookush34

Well-Known Member
I bought a stealth RO 150. Takes my 280ppm well water down to zero.

Definitely glad I bought it. We even fill out water jugs from it.

Ph out the tap is 7.3. RO water comes out about 6.8
 
Gquebed

Gquebed

Well-Known Member
burnpile said:
Why? been doing it for years (that may explain a few things)
Click to expand...
Youre not supposed to drink it for prolonged periods because it has nothing in it... and so it leeches calcium and such out of your body... weakens your bones... etc...
At least that is the argument. Not sure of the science behind it. But given what staright RO does to plants... there must be something to it.
 
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