Distilled water?

Does everyone use distilled water in humidifyer or can I use reverse osmosis water?

quiltybe wrote:Does everyone use distilled water in humidifyer or can I use reverse osmosis water?

Yes, we do because it's what is recommended in the manuels and we read them. Jim

Distilled is preferred in order to mitigate mineral deposits onto the base of your humidifier. RO water may be fine but it does allow some smaller minerals to get pass the RO membrane.

Distilled water is recommended more from a mineral build up in the water chamber that can look yucky than anything else.
You can use tap water if you wish and depending on the mineral content of the water your water chamber may get cloudy with mineral deposits sooner or later.
I live in a really hard water area. I have used tap water when distilled wasn't available...the chamber will get a bit cloudy but it is easily cleaned up with vinegar.

RO water may or may not have less minerals than tap water but more than distilled water...so you may or may not get much of a build up in the water chamber depending on the incoming water and the mineral content after the RO procedure.

So you can use any water you wish. Just be aware that you may or may not experience mineral build up in the water chamber but if you do you can use some vinegar and it cleans right up.

Wow! Everyone recommends distilled water ... whooda thunk such great minds would think so much alike?

DreamStalker wrote:Wow! Everyone recommends distilled water ... whooda thunk such great minds would think so much alike?

Only the ones that can and do read. Jim

Edit:Opp's, and understand what we read...

We have two homes. At one home, I use filtered tap water - I haven't had any problems with buildup on that machine, but know that my decision could lead to it. At the other home, the tap water is terrible - there, I use distilled water. Use what works for you. Distilled water is preferred, but if you run out or it's too inconvenient, use what you have.

Nick Danger wrote:We have two homes. At one home, I use filtered tap water - I haven't had any problems with buildup on that machine, but know that my decision could lead to it. At the other home, the tap water is terrible - there, I use distilled water. Use what works for you. Distilled water is preferred, but if you run out or it's too inconvenient, use what you have.

Or in a pinch you could make your own, just add two atoms of H to one of O, stir real fast until water forms. Jim

Goofproof wrote:

Nick Danger wrote:We have two homes. At one home, I use filtered tap water - I haven't had any problems with buildup on that machine, but know that my decision could lead to it. At the other home, the tap water is terrible - there, I use distilled water. Use what works for you. Distilled water is preferred, but if you run out or it's too inconvenient, use what you have.

Or in a pinch you could make your own, just add two atoms of H to one of O, stir real fast until water forms. Jim

No need to stir the atoms of H and O2. Just allow the two gases to mix by themselves and light a match .... and BOOM!

You have distilled water ... like all over the place.

DreamStalker wrote:

Goofproof wrote:

Nick Danger wrote:We have two homes. At one home, I use filtered tap water - I haven't had any problems with buildup on that machine, but know that my decision could lead to it. At the other home, the tap water is terrible - there, I use distilled water. Use what works for you. Distilled water is preferred, but if you run out or it's too inconvenient, use what you have.

Or in a pinch you could make your own, just add two atoms of H to one of O, stir real fast until water forms. Jim

No need to stir the atoms of H and O2. Just allow the two gases to mix by themselves and light a match .... and BOOM!

You have distilled water ... like all over the place.

Cleanup of aisle 7, bring me a empty jug and a sponge, we have another jug to sell. Jim

Smells a little funky, maybe we should clean the sponge next batch, maybe they will be nose blind.

I’m pre-CPAP (first trip to the DME on Tuesday), but wondered about using RO/DI instead of distilled. If mineral deposits are the main concern, then the water I use in my reef aquarium (before adding salt that is) should work just fine.

Cool, one less thing to worry about (where am I going to keep a gallon water bottle).


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I ran a gallon of RO water through my tank.
Outside of leaving a light film of white powder inside the tank, there were no other negative effects.
I prefer distilled water, as I dislike too frequent cleaning.
Where does your fish tank water come from?
If it is safe enough to drink, it is OK in your humidifier.

chunkyfrog wrote:I ran a gallon of RO water through my tank.
Outside of leaving a light film of white powder inside the tank, there were no other negative effects.
I prefer distilled water, as I dislike too frequent cleaning.
Where does your fish tank water come from?
If it is safe enough to drink, it is OK in your humidifier.

Sorry, I should’ve mentioned that I have a reverse osmosis/deionizing filtration system for the aquarium that produces water with zero total dissolved solids (TDS). I would imagine that it will work just fine!


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kev2lz wrote:

chunkyfrog wrote:I ran a gallon of RO water through my tank.
Outside of leaving a light film of white powder inside the tank, there were no other negative effects.
I prefer distilled water, as I dislike too frequent cleaning.
Where does your fish tank water come from?
If it is safe enough to drink, it is OK in your humidifier.

Sorry, I should’ve mentioned that I have a reverse osmosis/deionizing filtration system for the aquarium that produces water with zero total dissolved solids (TDS). I would imagine that it will work just fine!


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If you take the water out of the aquarium you might run it thru the reverse osmosis/deionizing filtration system again. Jim

Goof, I'm pretty sure that is unlikely.
To Kev: the final result on RO water produced in your home would depend on how hard the supply is.
Municipal water here has been reported at 13 grains, and my distiller is overdue for deliming.
The RO water I tested came from another location in town, possibly the same source,
and the lime content was unsatisfactory for me--maybe safe for your fish, but too yucky for my cpap tank.