Question about my water source...best option?

Hi guys, I'm so happy there's a forum like RIU to ask questions and learn. I've read info on many boards and RIU seems to be my favorite. I'm sure these questions are asked repeatedly so I appreciate all the patience with a new guy like me. I do try and research my questions before asking on the forum, so I'm doing my best to learn on my own, but like life, sometimes you need someone to hold your hand a bit! My hope is to someday use the learned knowledge and give some decent advice back.

Here is my latest dilemma. I have tap water that runs from a pump and then is softened and filtered in a whole home system. My fear is the softened water will contain salts that will eventually cause problems. I have read so many threads about purified, spring and distilled water. After all that info I came to the decision that this may be the best route for me and I'd like your constructive criticism.
For the germination and seedlings I'll use distilled water. After a few days I will switch to purified water (with FF nutes) for veg and flower. I plan on letting the purified water stand for 24 hours before use to expel some chlorine.
As a reference note, I will be growing with FF soil and nutes.
I am willing to spend the money and take the time to feed with the best water source. Thanks again for any input

Once I figure the water situation out I can deal with what light configuration to use to pop the seeds. I have a 4x5x7 closet with a 1000w air cooled lamp with an adjustable ballast (100%, 75%, 50%). I have a 400CFM fan cooling the hood and room which is somewhere around 78-81 degrees. I can put the top of my hands 6" under the light, at full power, without any burning. I can also lay my hand on the top of the hood at any time with only minimal heat. Even the ballast, which sits outside the room, is cool to the touch! I don't have any other light option. I'm sure some of you have had this same issue.

soil or hydro ? by whole house filter you do you mean an RO system or just a filter ? you can bypass the water softner by using a faucet that runs to the outside these typically aren't run through the softner.

slowandsteady is right that most outdoor faucets are not hooked up to it. But if you live someplace cold, that option will freeze up.

You may be best off long term investing in a RO system for a couple hundred bucks. I have't used one but looked into them a while back. Buying water will add up and be a pain.

I was in a similar situation, our city water here st8 up smells of chlorine as is total crap.

I buy Artisan Well water at the store that comes from local artisan wells(Deep Rock brand). I have a smaller grow than you but I go thru about 10-15 gallons per week, I buy the 2.5 gal jugs.

I considered RO, filtration, even the "windmill" places where you can fill up your own 5gal bottles.

RO, I'd say if your growing hydro you cant go wrong. Just remember that with an RO system you gotta ph it up a lot. Also lots of minerals are stripped out with RO or even filtered/fill it yourself places, so you'll end up with cal/mg def.

A lot of home hydro growers here hook up a splitter and ro system to their washing machine outlet in the basement, not sure if that would be tied into any sort of softener or not but if you've got an RO hooked up it should not matter.

I use tap water, always have....I don't even know the analysis but I have had no problems ever. if you can collect rain water I hear it is best.

I'm using FF soil. I had thought about an outside water source but up here in the north we have freezing issues so outside spigots are not an option. I may be forced to use purified water. This link is for Nestle Waters and shows the chemical make up of their product on page 4 of the PDF. What would be bad in this water analysis? I can control the PH and I will let the water sit, opened to air, for at least 24 hours.
Thanks for all the responses and info.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAA&url=http://www.nestle-watersna.com/asset-library/documents/pl_eng.pdf&ei=S7CXUvnUGY3koATE04GgCw&usg=AFQjCNGgSiKsns1CMx-fmccKFLit0Wa3Qg&sig2=Yllb531b1xLG2HPKqXehsA

Jackieemma,
Do you know the PPH of your tap? Does it make clear or cloudy ice cubes? It's actually quite easy to tap into a water pipe using one of those saddle clamp devices. You can do it w/o even shutting off water. They come with an RO kit and most any RO supplier should sell them. It only provides a tiny 1/4 tubing...but it actually works ok. I did that when I installed my small RO system. Your tap water may be fine...anything under 200 ppm but no post water softener as already has been posted.
Good luck,
JD