you can use rain water or get a ph test kit(which is not dear)check the ph of your tap water if it is high get some ph down or vice versa and you will save alot of money!!!!
The city water here is actually very good. It's from the NY Finger Lakes. I thought the distilled would help me manage hardness and alkalinity.
It will - but you have to know what your fighting. I think you can take a water sample to PetsMart or some such and they will give you a reading on hardness and alkalinity.
Yes, correct. Petsmart will test your water and give you a reading. Distilled water is good; but I think its pricey and easy to make yourself either with boiling or leaving it out to let the chlorine and such move out of water. Add some chems to get the setting right and its an easy fix. I save the distilled for the hurricanes