Poll: Do you use distilled water?

[Kimberly Anderson]

No, except for photo-flo...when the distilled water is handy.

[Scott Walker]

No
I use filtered water

[jp]

I used distilled water only for mixing stock film processing chemicals. (xtol, fixer, etc..). Paper developing products, one-shot film developer, rinsing: tap water. Final film rinse: rubbing alcohol.

Tap water quality varies hugely. Public water systems vary. Wells vary. If you can benefit from filtering, it's worth doing.

[Vaughn]

Only for my stock solutions of Ammonium dichromate. Our tap water is of good quality.

[E. von Hoegh]

Yes, for everything except the wash.

[Sal Santamaura]

...Examining the labels of the so-called distilled waters available in super markets today, they are actually highly filtered tap water...

In my area, this only applies to some brands of water. The key label phrase which gives away that cheaper production method is "for distilled water uses."

All major grocers here carry the Arrowhead brand, which is still marked "Prepared by Steam Distillation." That's what I use. It can't be found at Walmart.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I only use distilled water when mixing stock developers and final rinse of negatives (with washing aide).

[WayneStevenson]

I've used tap water for all of my photo-flo rinses up until last year when I started getting mineral deposit drying marks on my negatives. Our municipal water supply started hardening noticeably. Not sure the cause, But I use distilled water for my photo-flo solutions now.

[Drew Wiley]

We have exceptionally good tap water here which is basically snowmelt, so that is what I
use, except for the following: final rinse, critical work like color separation negs and matching masks, and during major storms when the water district tends to encounter more
than usual sediment and treats the water more heavily.

[IanG]

I've never used distilled water for any chemistry, however I do use deionised water for developers, and when I made emulsions commercially we used deionised water as well.

Ian