Anyone try or use a solar distiller?

[Cherub]

Just looking for feedback on this as I am looking for alternatives for purified water. r/o units cost a lot and I found a DIY solar distiller site. I was just wondering if anyone had tried this for their aquariums.

 

[chrislorentz]

no would be intresting to hear more about it if you get it working

 

[Cherub]

Basically it's a big box of water you leave out in the sun that traps suns heat. The water evaporates and collects onto the clear cover which is sloped to one corner. As the water builds on the cover it drips down the slope into a collection container and is supposed to be purified leaving all the contaminants at the bottom of the container. Just requires direct sunlight.

 

[chrislorentz]

Yea I know what it is I just want to know how it works in the aquarium world

 

[120greefman]

I did that back in the boyscouts 30 years ago except we used a bowl, some seran wrap held up on sticks, and a canteen to collect the water. Man was I dehydrated after that trip.

 

[SAZAMA]

seems like a pain in the A$$.and what would you do in the winter?

 

[chrislorentz]

You would have to have a very large one in order to collect enough water for a tank.

 

[Cherub]

My tank has ro in it now but I guess I only need about 5 gallons a week for water changes and evap. That shouldn't be too horrible. Winter is hmmm guess I'll just cave and get an ro eventually and deal with membranes etc. Sounds like a pain, unless one of you sells premixed ro or a lfs

 

[Cake_Boss]

My tank has ro in it now but I guess I only need about 5 gallons a week for water changes and evap. That shouldn't be too horrible. Winter is hmmm guess I'll just cave and get an ro eventually and deal with membranes etc. Sounds like a pain, unless one of you sells premixed ro or a lfs

They happen to sell this, plain RO or pre mixed your choice. You could also use bottled water, but that would get a little expensive.

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[WrasseAttack]

The best investment you can make is an RO/DI. You don't need anything fancy. Air Water Ice sells a small starter unit and then you can add on your own DI or added carbon filters down the road. We have pretty good water here and you don't have to replace your DI or membranes for quite a while. It's also good to be able to make your own water and keep water stored up if you ever need to make an emergency water change.

 

[djkms]

unless one of you sells premixed ro or a lfs

I would sell you RO/DI water or premixed. I use reef crystals salt and have around 30 gallons always premixed and ready to go. Water always 0 TDS - cant always say that about the pet stores, most of them let their water get pretty high in TDS before changing the filters. Also most will premix to about 1.021 - 1.026 with me.

lmk. Not sure what the pet store sells for but I will sell cheaper..

 

[KhensuRa]

I thought you loved close to Elite, they have good water cheap. Not sure about the TDS but I mostly use their water or Keys.

 

[Cherub]

I thought you loved close to Elite, they have good water cheap. Not sure about the TDS but I mostly use their water or Keys.

Nah I'm off Evans and Federal Elite is a long drive for me. I think I will just buy a craigslist ro/di in the next couple of weeks. My roomie will go in 50/50 with me

 

[chrislorentz]

Are you aware that with RO/DI you have, I think about 2 bad gallons of water for ever good gallon of water?

 

[Walter White]

The spectrapure I have has a 5:1 rejection ratio. I think 2:1 would be a best case scenario.

 

[Cherub]

hmm two to one sounds better than the 4 to one I heard earlier today

 

[Cake_Boss]

OR get a Kold Ster-il...zero waste water

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[Walter White]

Spectrapure has a high efficiency model that has a 1:1 ratio but its $800+ I think for that I live with wasting some water.

 

[projectx]

Since its nice out, I ran my waste water line outside and hooked it to a drip line and ran it the length of the deck. Figure it beats putting it down the drain

 

[Walter White]

I wish I would have thought about that. i totally could have run it to my backyard. the room is all sealed in now. Would be a huge undertaking for me to do that now.