Distilled water is a blank slate. A boring blank slate. It has no buffering capacity, meaning it can’t resist pH swings. One morning, your pH is a cozy 7.0; by evening, it could plummet to 5.0. Your fish will be doing the aquatic version of a panic attack.
Remember those pH shock horror stories? This is how they start. You’ll watch your betta float sideways like a confused balloon. Not cute. So, no, you can’t just pour distilled water straight into the tank. That’s a one-way ticket to Fish Funeral Town.
But wait—before you toss the jug, let me tell you the good news. Distilled water isn’t your enemy. It’s just a tool. And tools need a plan.
