Distilled water

Distilled water is water in which all the impurities have been removed during the distillation process, which involves boiling water, and then condensing the steam into a clean container.

Drinking water was distilled from the sea, at least around 200 AD. This process was clearly described by Alexander Afrodisiysky.

Almost everyone knows about what distilled water is. It is widely used in chemical and biological laboratories, as well as in industry, medicine, etc. In addition, it is also necessary for car and truck batteries. The presence of other ions, which are commonly found in tap water, leads to a drastic reduction in battery life.

Distilled water is also preferred for use in automotive cooling systems. Minerals and ions normally found in tap water can cause corrosion of internal engine components and lead to rapid wear.

Up to the Second World War, the distillation of sea water into fresh water was a laborious and costly process. There was even a saying: "One liter of fuel is needed to make one liter of fresh water." Shortly before the war, the osmosis method was developed, which does not require heating to extract fresh water from marine or contaminated water.

Distilled water is usually sold in supermarkets or pharmacies, home distillers are also available, which is especially important in regions where water is limited or tap water is not suitable for drinking without boiling or chemical treatment.

However, its continued use is not recommended for health. The lack of natural minerals in distilled water causes some concern. Scientists have found that drinking water from sources containing high levels of Ca, Mg and Na can provide recommended doses of these minerals in the human diet. It was noted that the consumption of "hard" water helps prevent atherosclerotic heart disease.

Distilled water at home can be obtained in several ways.

1 way

• Fill a 5-liter stainless steel saucepan with about half the tap water.
• Place a bowl in the water, rest assured that it floats and does not touch the bottom of the pan.
• Water should be heated, but not boil. If it boils, lower the heat on the stove.
• It is necessary to create a condensation effect with the help of a contrast barrier. This can be done by turning the lid of the pan over and filling it with ice. When hot steam enters the cold cover, condensation will form.
• Heat the water, the resulting steam will rise and condense on the lid of the pan, then drip into a bowl that floats in the pan.
• Remove the pan from the heat and open the lid.
• Take the bowl with distilled water from the pan. Be careful when you do this not to get burned.
• Cool the water.

2 way

• Take the 2 glass bottles. This process works best if at least one of the bottles has a twisted throat that prevents water from pouring from the bottle. Fill one bottle with tap water by two thirds.
• Connect both bottles together at the neck and secure tightly with adhesive tape.
• Use a 5-liter stainless steel saucepan with boiling water. It should be enough to cover the bottle with tap water.
• Tilt the bottles at an angle of about 30-degrees, laying an empty bottle on the inside of the pan rim.
• Place the ice bag on top of it. This will create a contrast barrier, causing condensation of evaporated water.
• At the end, cool the water.

3 way

• Place a large clean container on the street to collect rainwater.
• Leave it outside for 2 full days.
• Store distilled water in a clean container.

Note! You will need to add the appropriate chemicals to the distilled water before using it in the aquarium. Without these chemicals, it will not be able to support the life of fish and aquatic plants.