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Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
#11
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
The bottle is a closed thing, but the tank is not - it is open, air is blowing through it, water is evaporating and covering the sides in thin film, and any left over water is concentrated from the original. There is considerable bacteria build up over time in such an environment. If you don't believe me, take a sample form a fresh bottle and look at it under the microscope. Then, take a sample from your tank of the previously used and left in for a few days water, before you top it up, and look at it under the microscope. If you have a sufficiently high enough power on the scope, you will see bacterial growth - if you don't send them in for analysis, and don't be surprised by what you find (and don't freak out, either).

Retired_Guy - no, I don't recommend using a microwave to dry your gear. I am not sure how that would work, or even if your gear would resist it, to be honest. you would have to ask others about that.
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#12
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
(01-25-2014, 03:28 PM)Peter_C Wrote: That said, I use my well water for the last 4-5 years, with no (known) issues - but I am aware that I am rolling the dice.

Brave man! I'm on a well here myself. No chlorine in the water, but who knows what else. I took Geology in college to avoid Physics/Chemistry and I learned a lot about what goes into the ground and well...it's not for me. The distilled isn't very expensive at the rate I use it, so I just use that.
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#13
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
I use distilled water. Never heard anyone that kept it cold. I keep mine in our bedroom so that after I put the tub and cushion back where they belong, I can pour the water in the tub and I am good to go when ready for bed.
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#14
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
In Australia most supermarket 'Distilled Water' is actually not the product of a distillation process. Rather, it comes from some form of ion removal process - possibly reverse osmosis.

The only way to buy truly sterile water is to buy medical reagent water.

In reality, the de-mineralised water seem fine to me - the tanks stays clean and I only wash it out once per week. In between I top it up.

If I was paranoid about it I would boil the de-min water and keep it in the fridge.... (I started to do that)
That is what my microbiologist/food-technologist brother told me I should do - but then its his job to be paranoid about that type of thing...
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#15
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
When I started out on CPAP 3 years ago I was told to use boiled tap water. When I changed Cpapmachines again I was told to use boiled water, and use Vinegar to clean inside of tank.
I'm not a Doctor but a fan of The Doctor. any views,comments etc are my own


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#16
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
Distilled water here too.
I have really hard water from a well on property.
You can hammer nails with the stuff and it has been tested positive for arsenic.
So..for drinking I use only R.O. filtered water.
Distilled for the machine. The crud can build up fast with the tap water and the hard water deposits are a site for
bacteria / mold to glom on to.
I still swab everything out with tymol wipes on a regular basis just to make sure.

Cheers!

Sleep-well



"With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." - Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Cool
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#17
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
Boiling tap water may kill germs, but it also concentrates all the minerals and other gunk in the water, so that is no help for your machine. Distilled water is mostly recommended because of the question of residue in the machine and hose, and a bit for health reasons as well (since, logic or not, we are uncertain what long term exposure to concentrated amounts of humidified air from an "unclean" source can do to the lungs, and would rather avoid the risk - in hospitals, we use distilled water and won't expose people to anything else for ethical reasons).

You do have to check on the bottle if you are purchasing "distilled" water, because if is often deionised water instead. Reverse osmosis water is unlikely to be sold posing as distilled water - the process is lengthy and expensive, far more than actually distilling water, and there is a market for it as it is under its own label.
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#18
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
I would never use tap water. Although this is highly dependent on your region's water supply. Some have MUCH better water in areas than others.

Mine has lots of chlorine, even my house plants don't like tap water as they get brown edges from all the chlorine. So I already bought jugs of distilled water from walmart (99 cents for 4 litres) for my humidifier and houseplants so having the water for my little pap'er was no problem Smile
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#19
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
(01-26-2014, 12:26 AM)Moriarty Wrote: In Australia most supermarket 'Distilled Water' is actually not the product of a distillation process. Rather, it comes from some form of ion removal process - possibly reverse osmosis.

Reverse osmosis is a process where water is forced through a membrane, filtering out particles.

Water softening is an ion-exchange process where water passes through a chamber filled with beads of resin. The hard water minerals such as calcium and magnesium stick to the resin beads, removing them from the water.

Different people will have different experiences with tap water in their CPAP humidifiers because the hardness of the water is different in different locations.

I have tried distilled water, softened water, and reverse-osmosis filtered water. For over a year now I have used the tap water in my bathroom sink for several reasons. First, it's conveniently located within two steps of my CPAP machine. Second, I've had no issues using it. That water has passed through a sediment filter before passing through my water softener. All I do is empty the water chamber every day and let it air dry. When I wash my hose and mask, I also wash the water chamber. All in the same hot soapy water. Then I let them air dry.

I hate the odor I get within a few days after washing. But I've come to realize that it's all psychological.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#20
RE: Speaking of Distilled vs. Tap Water.
(01-26-2014, 11:36 AM)Sleepster Wrote: /snip...
For over a year now I have used the tap water in my bathroom sink for several reasons. First, it's conveniently located within two steps of my CPAP machine. ... /snip

2 steps? Your bed must be in the bathroom?

/giggle
*I* am not a DOCTOR or any type of Health Care Professional.  My thoughts/suggestions/ideas are strictly only my opinions.

"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your Soul, the other for your Freedom."
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