ro/di ???

[defntleymaybe79]

What exactly do these things do?

 

[calvindo]

filters water... basically remove the bad stuff. instead of going to the grocery store to buy purify water. you use an ro/di unit to make your own. i use one myself...

 

[sebae0]

they remove all the impurities and additives from tap water to make perfectly clean water. ro/di is the best you can get.

 

[thomas712]

Reverse Osmosis/Deionization water is water that has been treated to remove the dissolved orgaincs from the water leaving you with pure water without the minerals and heavy metals that can be found in tap water.'
Units are available with 2,3,4 or more stage filters. These can be hooked up and even the waste water can be used for dishes or the cloths washer.
Or you can usually purchase RO water from stores like Miejer or Walmart.
Thomas

 

[defntleymaybe79]

now, does it recycle the water already in the tank..i understand that it filters and what not, but how does the whole apparatus works?

 

[dreeves]

The water supply to the unit will come from your home water supply...it will then pass through many stages to remove the impurities...the DI portion is probably the most important for aquariums as it removes the positive and negative ions from the source. Some of the negatively charged ions, (phosphates, silicates, and nitrates) are removed here...these most strive to keep out of the tank.
End result is usually a 99% pure water source.
To answer your question in the shorts...no you do not filter the tank water already in the tank through it...you make new, virtually pure water...make some coffee with this water...you will be amazed at the taste difference.

 

[defntleymaybe79]

now is this thing constantly hooked up to a running water supply or only when i do water changes...and if so..should i bottle the stuff in jugs to save me time? I'm talking poland spring office water jugs.

 

[dreeves]

Storing the water would is fine...generally one semi-permanently connects it to a water line via a saddle valve...
I keep 64 gallons of RO/DI water in stock and 32 gallons of saltwater mix in stock as well...you just never know when you need it...
So Kip...the wife allows you to use her washroom huh...hey looky...kip can do the laundry while he does his water.. snicker..snicker...

 

[defntleymaybe79]

Now..does this setup hook up to your tank and treat the water in it....or ...does it setup elsewhere and use it to create batches of water?

 

[dreeves]

Sets up elswhere and you pre gather freshwater with it...it is only used for new water...not old tank water...
Mine is a dual home/reef setup...one part supplies the kitchen small faucet and the other supplies the water storage for my tanks.