Softening water with Distilled

[NanotankBank]

So I wanted to soften up my water a little bit before stocking it, and I’m gonna use some distilled water. Do I need to “remineralize it” like I see after googling it or can I just pour it in (I’m only topping the aquarium off from the evaporation loss

[Melkor]

You do not need to remineralize top off water(whether tap, distilled, or ro/di). Only during water changes, if your livestock and plants need it, and your water source isn't naturally at those levels.  Ideally you would want to always top off with 0 tds water. You definitely can lower ph and hardness by using distilled or ro/di water with your tap.

 

[Mmiller2001]

You will want to test the GH and KH of your source water, then cut with distilled at the proportion it would take to achieve your desired numbers.

Example, tap is 5dGH and 5dKH. A 50 50 mix would be then 2.5dGH and 2.5dKH. 

If a parameter is lower after mixing, then you would mineralize the water. So if the above GH from tap was 2dGH, 1dGH after mixing, you would need to add some Ca, Mg back in.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Mmiller2001

[Cinnebuns]

It really depends on what your goals are and what's in the tank but no if you are just mixing some distilled with a tank that already has minerals you do not need to remineralize. 

I think from what I understand is you are trying to lower the gh of a tank?  If so I'm doing the same thing right now. I started with distilled water but found a cheaper, and imo more convenient, alternative. If you let water sit for a day or 2, the minerals will sink to the bottom. You can then take water off of the top part and it will be a lower gh. This is a way you can still have some minerals in the water but reduce them!  Hope this helps!

[Wrencher_Scott]

On 8/6/2022 at 4:40 AM, Cinnebuns said:

It really depends on what your goals are and what's in the tank but no if you are just mixing some distilled with a tank that already has minerals you do not need to remineralize. 

I think from what I understand is you are trying to lower the gh of a tank?  If so I'm doing the same thing right now. I started with distilled water but found a cheaper, and imo more convenient, alternative. If you let water sit for a day or 2, the minerals will sink to the bottom. You can then take water off of the top part and it will be a lower gh. This is a way you can still have some minerals in the water but reduce them!  Hope this helps!

I don't think this will work very well. I suppose the larger "chunks" would settle but most of the minerals are in solution and it takes a RO, distillation or softening unit to get them out. 

 

On 8/5/2022 at 12:15 PM, pjust9 said:

So I wanted to soften up my water a little bit before stocking it, and I’m gonna use some distilled water. Do I need to “remineralize it” like I see after googling it or can I just pour it in (I’m only topping the aquarium off from the evaporation loss

Perfect, this is exactly what I do. I use RO to add what has been lost by evaporation. Distilled water is the same. This keeps at the same hardness. 

You don't need to do anything to it, you are adding back exactly what has evaporated. 

You might check into getting a small RO unit, this way you don't have to buy and haul around the water. I got one that goes under the kitchen sink. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 8/6/2022 at 8:16 AM, Wrencher_Scott said:

I don't think this will work very well. I suppose the larger "chunks" would settle but most of the minerals are in solution and it takes a RO, distillation or softening unit to get them out. 

It works very well and people have been doing it for decades. My water tests at 20 gh. The water I get from the top after it sitting for a day is 6 gh. 

Edited August 6, 2022 by Cinnebuns

[Wrencher_Scott]

On 8/6/2022 at 6:39 AM, Cinnebuns said:

It works very well and people have been doing it for decades. My water tests at 20 gh. The water I get from the top after it sitting for a day is 6 gh. 

No kidding? That is amazing. I'll have to look into that. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 8/6/2022 at 9:57 PM, Wrencher_Scott said:

No kidding? That is amazing. I'll have to look into that. 

Yep. I slowly reduced my shrimp tank gh exclusively by doing this 2 gallons a day. 

[Wrencher_Scott]

On 8/6/2022 at 8:17 PM, Cinnebuns said:

Yep. I slowly reduced my shrimp tank gh exclusively by doing this 2 gallons a day. 

Interesting. After a little research I think what is happening is you are removing sediment from the water. 

Does it ever go lower that 6 ? Say you let it sit for a week? This would be a good way to test this. 

[Cinnebuns]

On 8/7/2022 at 1:38 PM, Wrencher_Scott said:

Interesting. After a little research I think what is happening is you are removing sediment from the water. 

Does it ever go lower that 6 ? Say you let it sit for a week? This would be a good way to test this. 

Idk tbh. I've only tested it once.