# Supermarket Water Refill Stations?



## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Anyone use water in their vivs or aquariums from supermarket refill stations? Local store has it at 49 cents for a gallon, says its RO water?


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

RO still has lots of the minerals in it. You will still get mineral stains and calcium deposits on the glass if you use it. The best water in my opinion to mist with or even use in aquariums is Distilled Water.


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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

I only use distilled in my mist system, but I have an aquatic section that I do water changes, been using spring water in the gallon jugs for a $1, but if the store refill station water would work, hell thats a lot cheaper.


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

VenomR00 said:


> RO still has lots of the minerals in it. You will still get mineral stains and calcium deposits on the glass if you use it. The best water in my opinion to mist with or even use in aquariums is Distilled Water.


You are not getting good filtration from your RO unit if you still get mineral staining.When I was making my RO for my use I was making 1oo gal per day nd the TDS reading was 6, as opposed to the several thousands the TDS read going into the filter.


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## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

I use RO water from the store, it works fine and the frogs don't seem to mind it. If I didn't have liquid rock for tap water I'd use that. My tap water is delicious and my neighborhood has it's own water tower with minimal chlorine, but it's buffered to a pH of 8.0


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## patm (Mar 21, 2004)

I agree with Bill, a good RO unit should remove a great majority of dissolved solids, so supermarket RO would work well.

Pat


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## Toxic (Jul 9, 2012)

If you don't have access to RO water can you just use distilled water for dart frogs and tads? I've had my darts for about a year and a half now and have only been using distilled water, but idk if im harming them by using that type of water. Ive read some people say its ok but others say its not good. so i really don't know what to believe.


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## RedEyeTroyFrog (Jan 25, 2008)

I use the RO refill stations at giant eagle and have had no issues with misting system etc...works for me!


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

As long as the filters are changed as needed to keep the dissolved solids out, then it should be fine to use. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## 1995sportster883 (Dec 16, 2012)

I've actually tested "RO" water from refill stations for customers before and found ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Which I thought was pretty crazy. Perhaps it was just poorly maintained systems I happened to test. But I would test it yourself and be sure.

Adam

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

I've used that filtered water from the supermarket refill stations for over a year now. I've noticed no ill effects at all. I know the store I'm going to frequently changes the filters as needed. I bought a brand new 5 gal. gas can and I fill that up at the store. I use a 50/50 mix of the filtered water and aged tap water for tads. For misting I use a bit more of the filtered water to reduce spots on the glass. By aged tap water I mean water that I've taken from the tap, filled 1 gal jugs and placed an air stone in the jug for 24 hours. 


Sent from my iPhone via Tapatalk


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## Arpeggio (Jan 15, 2011)

My RO system is reading 2 TDS after 6 months of use, I replace every 6 months so I should replace the filter soon.


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## dartsanddragons (Jun 6, 2004)

I have my own RO system, never had problems with staining or mineral deposites. A note of caution on the store refill station there was a local store near me that tried 2 diiferent things "scams" 1 there was a display not very far from the back of the store selling spring water refills it was connected to a hose bib in the meat section, when I asked the store about it the explained that all water starts out as spring water. I called the company who owns this brand of water on display, It was removed within hours. 2 a few weeks later they were selling RO water refills, I asked to see the hook up the same hose bib no filter. buyer beware.

Scott


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## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

Rusty_Shackleford said:


> By aged tap water I mean water that I've taken from the tap, filled 1 gal jugs and placed an air stone in the jug for 24 hours.


Just a note, if your tap water has chloramines in it, that will not be removed by evaporation. You have to use a water conditioner on it, such as for aquariums. Personally, as I also keep freshwater aquariums, I would just skip the "aging" for 24 hours and throw some water conditioner in it. Water conditioners for aquarium water bind to and neutralize heavy metals, chlorine, and chloramines.


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

Taari said:


> Just a note, if your tap water has chloramines in it, that will not be removed by evaporation. You have to use a water conditioner on it, such as for aquariums. Personally, as I also keep freshwater aquariums, I would just skip the "aging" for 24 hours and throw some water conditioner in it. Water conditioners for aquarium water bind to and neutralize heavy metals, chlorine, and chloramines.


The very best in my experience is Prime, I have tried many and this was so much better.


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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Any real difference in Novaqua Plus and Prime? LFS sells the Novaqua Plus.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Taari said:


> . You have to use a water conditioner on it, such as for aquariums. Personally, as I also keep freshwater aquariums, I would just skip the "aging" for 24 hours and throw some water conditioner in it.


Typically water from the tap is saturated with gases, allowing it age for 24 hours allows for both temperature and gas equilibrium with the atmosphere (particularly if it is aerated). This isn't a big concern for aquariums where the water change is a relatively small percentage of the water volume, however with very small water volumes (like tadpole cups), this is an important step as it can cause issues with gas embolisms and insufficient levels of dissolved O2. (Ignoring the risk of thermal shock).. 

Some comments 
Ed


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

ndame88 said:


> Any real difference in Novaqua Plus and Prime? LFS sells the Novaqua Plus.


Novaqua was not available to me from my LFS's.


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## chin_monster (Mar 12, 2006)

Several years back around here there was a "consumer reports" style expose done on the water vending machines here in san diego. It wasn't pretty. 

Something like 2/3 of the machines weren't anywhere near what you'd call chemically pure/ lacking and even more had biological contamination (from bacteria and algae migrating up outlet lines from the fill nozzles to the holding tanks.

However, there were machines that were perfect too, it all depends on the maintenance procedures and service done to the machines. But unless you have recent test results in hand for a given machine the odds aren't /weren't in your favor.


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## Steverd (Sep 4, 2011)

billschwinn said:


> You are not getting good filtration from your RO unit if you still get mineral staining.When I was making my RO for my use I was making 1oo gal per day nd the TDS reading was 6, as opposed to the several thousands the TDS read going into the filter.


Just tested mine. My tap is 142ppm and my RO is 9ppm.
I use it in my MistKing and have zero problems and no stains.
I'm using a Kent High-S RO unit.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Taari said:


> Just a note, if your tap water has chloramines in it, that will not be removed by evaporation. You have to use a water conditioner on it, such as for aquariums. Personally, as I also keep freshwater aquariums, I would just skip the "aging" for 24 hours and throw some water conditioner in it. Water conditioners for aquarium water bind to and neutralize heavy metals, chlorine, and chloramines.


Just for the record, water conditioners do not remove or "neutralize" heavy metals.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

pdfCrazy said:


> Just for the record, water conditioners do not remove or "neutralize" heavy metals.


A number of them include EDTA which binds up the metal ions reducing the toxicity of the heavy metals to a large degree... So while they are still in solution, they really aren't available to react with the animals. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## mkitchen (Dec 31, 2012)

Not to hijack a thread, but I'm super confused. I'm just getting into all of this, but read a lot about how distilled and RO water should not be used as it is not good for the frogs. Spring water or treated water is the most ideal - according some places I've researched online. I would love to avoid water spots though when misting - so are you using distilled/RO water successfully with PDF to the point that you would recommend it. I already have a base of spring water in the viv...


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## dartsanddragons (Jun 6, 2004)

I have been keeping And Breeding Dart frogs for 12+ years and using Ro water the whole time with NO negative results. I have reared more than 10,000 Froglets with NO ill effects you decide.

Scott


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## mkitchen (Dec 31, 2012)

Good enough, thanks.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

mkitchen said:


> Not to hijack a thread, but I'm super confused. I'm just getting into all of this, but read a lot about how distilled and RO water should not be used as it is not good for the frogs. Spring water or treated water is the most ideal - according some places I've researched online. I would love to avoid water spots though when misting - so are you using distilled/RO water successfully with PDF to the point that you would recommend it. I already have a base of spring water in the viv...


If you want to understand the reasoning as to why it isn't an issue see http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/70300-water-discussion.html 

Some comments 

Ed


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## mkitchen (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks Ed. That is definitely an annoying thing about this hobby I'm discovering... Lots of contradicting opinions, but I guess that's probably true about anything in life...


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

mkitchen said:


> Thanks Ed. That is definitely an annoying thing about this hobby I'm discovering... Lots of contradicting opinions, but I guess that's probably true about anything in life...


 
In animal related hobbies there is often an abundence of dogma and what I refer to as "voodoo husbandry" practices.... This hobby has it's share of them but there are other herp hobbies that contain far more of them (for example chameleon keepers).... 

I tend to spend no small part of my time busting these when I can... 

Some comments 

Ed


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## JJuchems (Feb 16, 2004)

From my experience working in a grocery store, the membrane is not replaced as often at they should and I have better experience buying bottled drinking water or my local car wash which owned by a reef enthusiast and he only charges 25 cents a gallon. 

I recently just switched to a Coral Life system and run my own.


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

Not long ago I asked my vet what he thought about dogs and cats drinking our tap water. One thing he happened to mention was that he had seen a health inspector at the water store near his clinic and asked the inspector how these water stores/refill stations held up to our tap water. The inspector suggested that tap water would be a better choice, due to the huge inconsistencies found in the refill outlets.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

srrrio said:


> Not long ago I asked my vet what he thought about dogs and cats drinking our tap water. One thing he happened to mention was that he had seen a health inspector at the water store near his clinic and asked the inspector how these water stores/refill stations held up to our tap water. The inspector suggested that tap water would be a better choice, due to the huge inconsistencies found in the refill outlets.


If there is concern about heavy metals accumulating in the house tapwater, simply let it run for several minutes if it has been off for several hours or more... This flushes out any water that has been standing long enough to be of concern. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## JJuchems (Feb 16, 2004)

I purchased my system on Amazon.com. Watch their pricing, when I bought mine is it was $120, and A friend bought it for $136 and now it is $153. (Amazon.com: Coralife 05692 Pure-Flo II 50-Gallon Per Day 4 Stage RO/DI System: Pet Supplies)

I would also buy a TDS to test your water quality. (



)


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## Ray (May 12, 2009)

It is interesting to read this thread in a frog forum. Being primarily an orchid grower, I run into a lot of mythology related to that, as well, and some of it is the same.

The confusion over the differences between pure water sources, and the "danger" of using pure water are pretty common topics in that world, too. In reality, the only potential issue with any pure water supply - distilled, deionized, or distilled - is that it is unbuffered, so there is nothing to stop wild pH swings as stuff is dissolved in it.

I have been using RO in my greenhouse for over 25 years, been selling systems and supplies for 15, and custom- building them for 10. The concerns over fracking contaminating the groundwater here over shale beds in PA have led a lot of people to buy systems for their drinking and cooking water. I hooked up a system for mine about 10 years ago when a local gas station had a leak that dumped MTBE into the groundwater.

As a general comment, if you're planning to be using pure water for a long time, go ahead and invest in an RO system, as the cost per gallon is much better that buying it. in my own case, I have a 200 GDP unit with a 2:1 flush efficiency, and my net cost is about $0.04/ 
Gallon, Don't bother with aquarium supply RO systems; they are no more effective at cleaning the water than any others, and tend to cost a lot more.


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