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I hope this isnt a stupid question...

Ok, Here is the deal, I know that Cps need water thats pure, like rain water (no mineral run offs) or Distilled or Reverse Osmosis water. For mine, I ALWAYS buy it in gallon Jugs at supermarket, BUUUUUT I was recently wondering if it is possible W/out a reverse osmosis filter. I stumbled across this:
http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/distill.htm
smile_k_ani_32.gif

Does this ACTUALLY WORK? (using the two pot lids)?
confused.gif

(The water where I live is way too hard for cps)
If so, then I will NEVER have to spend money on water again
(Just a lot of time)
Answers are GREATLY APPRIECIATED
Thanks so much, everyone on this site is so helpful!
-DJC
 
Yes, that will work.

You may not spend money on water but you will spend money on the energy it takes to boil water.
 
With energy prices being really high, it would be cheaper to buy a gallon of distilled water or collect rain water.
 
who wants to constantly change lids?
 
Too much work for little gain. Not a good investment ;)
 
Wonder if you could get it to work by leaving it outside and surrounding it with aluminum reflectors in 100 degree plus weather.
 
You don't even need 100+ weather. Take a look at the Boy Scout Handbook or any other survival book and you'll probably find instructions on building a 'solar still,' which is basically a hole in the ground with a translucent tarp over it and a bucket to catch the water running off the tarp. Works with full sun, albeit slowly, but with reflective materials and a water resovoir you could probably improve that. It's worth a try if you like building stuff and have the resources. Now that I think about it, my neighbors are tossing out some old windows... I might just see about building one myself.
~Joe
 
Wow, it's cool that you mentioned solar stills. I did a quick Google search and I think I'm going to try to build one. It'll be a cool novelty for a while.
 
Yeah, I just bought an RO filter, but I think this would be a fun project to do a 'how-to' on. And most of us have areas of full sun where we grow our outdoor plants anyways; might as well put it to work for water needs too.
~Joe
 
  • #10
hahaha, maybe I could write a how to on solar stills
wouldnt that be ironic, me asking the question, finding out answers, and then helping OTHER people
hahaha!
*runs off to research*
 
  • #11
wow, Ok, Im not going to start a new thread because the answer to making a solar sill is incredibly easy, it only took me two sites to find out how to make an effective one, it is definitly slow though!
here is a link to what I think I am going to modify:
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/solarstill.html

explained by me, if you dont want to click the link
1. Get a bowl with a large surface area
2. Place a container or cup that is taller then the amount of water you will put into the bowl
3. Place water in the bowl just below the rim of the cup or container
4. Cover with Clear plastic wrap (another site I saw just used white garbage bag plastic wrap)
5. place a small weight (rock, etc.) on top of plastic just above container or glass
6. leave out in sun the tap water will evaporate and then slide off of the downward facing "cone" you have made with the weight on the plastic and condense into the glass!
7: FYI I am going to try this with a container that has an extremely large surface area and is moderatly deep so that when the water evaporates and collects into my container, i can have more water then a measely little cup provides
Finally, a way to distill water without spending ANY MONEY!
(It only works on sunny days)
But Missouri has LOTS of sunny days!!!
yay!
(sorry for those of you who dont live where it is sunny)

awesomeness!

-DJC
 
  • #12
Wow, that was quick!
 
  • #13
Get yourself a big resovior and a float valve to refill the evaporation tray when it empties and I imagine you could get a pretty decent output on sunny days.
~Joe
 
  • #15
AND you could make past at the same time!

GENIUS!
 
  • #16
I could make past?
I dont quite follow

questions a bunch
-DJC
 
  • #17
Or you can just buy a plastic trash barrel and stage it to collect rain and/or snow. Then cover afterward. I've been filling used gallon milk jugs all spring and summer long, even though we aren't getting a lot of rain.
 
  • #18
lol, pasta
 
  • #19
haha, wow, that is a cool idea with the garbage bag
how do I "stage it"
LOL! PASTA! thats a great idea too

I am never going to collect snow--I took lots of samples from around where I live and it was VERY DIRTY--have you ever looked at melted snow through a clear plastic bag or aquarium, you can see lots of dirty particles floating in it!
(Or maybe, Im just crazy and snow is clean)
(I will have to try it again this winter)

thanks to all
-DJC
 
  • #20
I have my own water distiller. It's called an air conditioner. Seriously, my AC unit has so much water dribbling out of it, I started collecting it and using it on my plants. I can fill a 5 gal. sparkletts bottle in 2 days.
 
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