RO/DI really needed for Fish + Dead Live rock system?
- Thread starter john suh
- Start date
I'm still new but my tank has been running for about 3 months on tap and Prime conditioner. I also use a UV sterilizer as well. I guess it depends on the tap water in your area, some are more harsh than others, but if it works for you and you decide to go with Coral Reef, you will definitely need a R/O filter!!!
bang guy
Moderator
It's certainly not a placebo. It may or may not be beneficial depending on the quality of your tap water through the seasons. For most locations it is beneficial to strip everything out of the water and add back what is needed. Some locations have good water right out of the tap. It's easy to get a water report to see what the water levels in your area are for tin, zinc, etc.
Yes, there are MANY successful aquariums using tap water. In my experience those represent about 10% of the successful systems.
Feeling lucky?
silverado61
Well-Known Member
My tap water comes up with a 354tds reading. My 4 stage ro/di unit is in the mail as I speak. I'm tired of lugging 5g buckets around.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
My current TDS reading is 415ppm. If I put that in my tank, there would be more hair algae than I could handle.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Life is soooo much easier with RO/DI... as you will soon find out. As good as Prime is, I wouldn't trust it to remove all the nasties in my tap water.
geridoc
Well-Known Member
Prime is fine for what it does, but consider this: when water evaporates from your aquarium, only water leaves - the dissolved contaminants do not. Those contaminants are generally present in very low concentrations in potable water, but they become more concentrated as the water evaporates and you add additional make-up tap water which contains additional contaminants. Eventually the trace contaminant levels in the tank are no longer trace, but become high enough to cause problems, and for most of these, Prime does nothing. Don't think I am completely against tap water - if you want to raise hair algae as part of your aquascape it is a great way to go[/irony].
pegasus
Well-Known Member
I used tap water when I first set up my tank. I got tired of having to mix chemicals in the tap water in preparation of mixing salt. Chemical water "conditioners" may neutralize a lot of the bad stuff in tap water, but it doesn't remove it completely, and who knows what isn't being treated for at all. As geridoc stated, these trace elements may not be much in the beginning, but they will add up over time. There is no substitute for pure water... period.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Placebo: a measure designed merely to calm or please someone. It's like giving someone a sugar pills and telling them it's aspirin. They believe you, and their headache goes away.
john suh
Member
Isn't that what carbon in filters are for?
john suh
Member
Not that I don't believe you but you do know what they say about those who make up pct stats of your nature, right?
john suh
Member
Is this any good? I see on Amazon lots of different types with varying prices.
This is the cheapest but yet got pretty great customer reviews. What should I be looking for mainly?
http://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Reverse-Osmosis-50-Gallon/dp/B00DOG63OY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1425702398&sr=1-1&keywords=ro+di+system
This is the cheapest but yet got pretty great customer reviews. What should I be looking for mainly?
http://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Reverse-Osmosis-50-Gallon/dp/B00DOG63OY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1425702398&sr=1-1&keywords=ro+di+system
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
That's a real bare bones system,... I couldn't have it with my tap water.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Carbon filters remove some stuff, like chlorine and some chloramines, but not everything else. That's why there are different stages to RO/DI units. The sediment filter removes large particulate, then the carbon removes chlorine and some chloramines, then the RO membrane remove sodium chloride (salt) and other nasties that pass through the carbon, and the deionizer resin polishes the water to complete purity. No chemical or carbon alone comes close to the water quality of a (maintained) RO/DI unit...
john suh
Member
Gotcha. So with the varying models and types on Amazon, tell me as a newb what specs I should be looking for so I don't waste my money. Plan on ordering one early next week.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
That means it's a basic as you can get and still be able to call it an RO system. The problem with those systems is the cost of replacement cartridges. I started with a similar system, and by the time I finally upgraded it to where it is now, I spent twice as much as I should have. You'll be much better off getting a decent system that uses replaceable filters. It will cost less in the long run. Also, there is no DI cartridge with that system. All RO systems will have TDS in the product water. There is no RO membrane that will reject all dissolved solids. The best you can hope for is a 95% rejection rate, and that will be with a high quality RO membrane and water pressure from 80-100 PSI. That is where the deionizing resin comes in. It removes the last bit of TDS from the water, and polishes it to complete purity.
I can kick myself for skimping on my initial RO/DI system, because I ended up replacing every piece of it except the RO membrane housing. One of the best upgrades was adding refillable dual DI canisters. It is soooo much cheaper to operate! If you're going to invest in a system, do it right from the beginning. You'll be glad you did.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
I would recommend nothing less than a 5 stage RO/DI. The extra carbon filter can go a long way towards extending the life of the RO membrane... which is the most expensive part to replace. Keep it clean, and it can last up to three years (the membrane in my original system lasted almost a year). Unless you're planning on mixing huge amounts of water, I'd go with a 50 or 75 GPD system. 100 - 150 GPD systems work best with high water pressure, so you may want to avoid those unless you plan to include a booster pump. 50 to 75 gallons per day will meet most peoples needs.
Although I prefer dual DI canisters, one will suffice as long as you keep a check on the TDS level coming out of it. Once TDS starts registering, it's time to change it. I use color changing DI resin in dual refillable cartridges, so when the first one turns completely brown, I move the second cartridge to it's position and refill it with fresh DI resin. I don't even have to turn on my inline TDS meter... which is a very handy item if you use sealed DI cartridges. Otherwise, you'll never know when it's time to change it out. An RO flush kit is a good accessory to have, as it helps keep the membrane clean... extending it's life. I have a glycerin filled pressure gauge to watch for pressure drops, which tells me it's time to change my sediment filter, and less often, my carbon filters.
You don't have to have all the bells and whistles to make clean water, but they sure do help. I highly suggest you purchase a system that has most, if not all, of the features I've mentioned. It may be pricey up front, but it will save you money (and aggravation) in the long run. Been there, done that... still waiting on the tee shirt.