Distilled water???

[Afk4Jfk]

A friend told me that distilled water works best to start a tank with. it sounds like bullhockey. but is there truth to it?

[KingFisher]

It all depends on the quality of your tap water and what type of fish you are planning on keeping. If you use straight distilled water, an additive is needed to replace the electrolytes and buffering capacity into the water. Fish cannot live in straight distilled water, and it will not help your cycle either.

[rich311k]

Depends on your tap, if you have good water then you have no need for anything else.

[Red]

Agreed, if you do use it you have to add minerals to the water.

[DrNic]

I never saw the point in distilled water. The law dictates that in the US tap water is must be palatable (i.e. it's not going to kill you). Although you do need to remove any chlorine from the water, 99% of the time its fine for most fish

You have to add minerals back into distilled water if you're going to use it anyway. Fish (or anything else) kept in distilled water without mineral additives for a long period of time will go into osmotic shock and every cell exposed to the water will swell up, explode and die.

The only reason I can think of that someone would give you that advice is that they are unclear on how to de-chlorinate tap water.

[Afk4Jfk]

thanks thats what i figured but i didnt have any backup for my thoughts..