Distilled vs RO vs tap

Hi Guys,
TF...if you're under 250 ppm or so on your tap...It's probably fine. But depends on what those 250 ppm are. Otherwise RO.

There was an instance some 20 years ago or so...where a girl fasted for several weeks drinking only distilled water. Messed with her electrolytes and her heart stopped. Tap water or a sandwich would have saved her life. But with media hysteria...I think that's where the "don't drink distilled water" thing came from.

My water is 80 ppm and around 7.5ph. Once nutes are added...ph is perfect. Plants are loving it.
JD

TacoMac said:

Odd. In 32 years of doing RO I've never once had anything other than 6.5.

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It varies. Maybe calibrate your meter but mine is always neutral from the store and from my system. Some systems even up the PH to close to 8 as supposedly their are health benefits though that's not proven.

Gquebed said:

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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It's fine to drink but yes maybe worth taking into account.

Rain water in you live in a rural area my plants love it when I collect enough for a good watering. If not I use RO. Distilled water can contain heavy metals many distillers use copper vessels and tubing PH changes in that source water can leach copper into the final product.

I can assure you that no commercial maker of distilled water uses copper vessels or tubing. I have a PolarBear distiller and it's all SS too. Costs more for the electricity to make distilled than to buy good RO so I'm going to sell the damn thing and use that money to get the parts I need to build my own RO unit. Was $3000 new.

OldMedUser said:

I can assure you that no commercial maker of distilled water uses copper vessels or tubing. I have a PolarBear distiller and it's all SS too. Costs more for the electricity to make distilled than to buy good RO so I'm going to sell the damn thing and use that money to get the parts I need to build my own RO unit. Was $3000 new.

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Good lord! A nice RO unit is around 200$

Hugo Phurst said:

My tap water pH 6.2 PPM 325, works for me.

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6.5 110ppm out of my tap Detroit has an amazing water system..

icetech said:

6.5 110ppm out of my tap Detroit has an amazing water system..

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Lucky man, my well water is 600ppm and PH 8. But I have an RO system and catch rain when I can.

NirvanaMesa said:

Good lord! A nice RO unit is around 200$

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I didn't buy it. Came with the house when I bought it 17 years ago. Need a new heating element installed. Already have one that the previous owner bought if I can find the damn thing. The boiling tank is crusty as hell too from our hard water so will be taking it apart and it'll look like new when I'm done. The element is the same as used in a water heater so easy to replace. Only 120V and not 240 like the water heater ones.

GrowBoss RO. my PPM is under 10. The $179 unit takes about 15 minutes per gallon, but i have crap pressure. Filling up a 5 gallon container happens quick if you dont sit and watch it.

as for not drinking it. Eat, and it wont be a problem, lol.. You are supposed to get 4700mg of potassium daily, which is about 13 bananas worth, but just adding in some " NoSalt" from walmart, even just a few grams a day takes care of the "electrolyte" problem. Eat, take a multi, and all is good.

but i love my RO machine, hooks easy to your faucet, use, unscrew, easy.

Gquebed said:

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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I read as long as you consume enough minerals from other sources it doesn't matter

Gemtree said:

I read as long as you consume enough minerals from other sources it doesn't matter

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True... as long as there is a balance between the leeching and replacement of them i suppose...

Bookush34 said:

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

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I got the same line
From almost 325 PPM to 6 PPM now!
Highly recommend, built proof.

I run my tap from a big boy filter into a 55g drum. It's 0ppm and 7.0

SCJedi said:

I run my tap from a big boy filter into a 55g drum. It's 0ppm and 7.0

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I have not got zero according to my hanna pen.
I just checked
7 PPM
6.2 PH
If I cleaned aeration pail could be 0 PPM maybe LOL
That fish emulsion is sticky stuff, like a day at the ocean!

oldbeancounter said:

I have not got zero according to my hanna pen.
I just checked
7 PPM
6.2 PH
If I cleaned aeration pail could be 0 PPM maybe LOL
That fish emulsion is sticky stuff, like a day at the ocean!

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Mine may not be zero anymore now that the small tree frogs have found the outdoor water source is back. LOL

If you make RO water at home and you drink it, there are products you can buy to add back all the minerals to the water if you are worried about that. That's what I do, it's cheaper even than buying cases or gallons. Although, I drink almost a gallon of water a day, not quite.

Some people use himalayan salt (you may as well just use salt); I buy something called ConcenTrace.