turtlegirl933
Member
Are RO units completey nessasary?
RO nessasary?
- Thread starter turtlegirl933
- Start date
lion_crazz
Active Member
No. But usually they are.
-Some people get RO water for free at their LFS.
-Some people use the API Tap water filter (small tanks)
-Some people buy RO water from their LFS because they do not need much
-Some people have great tap water (tested with a TDS meter to find out how much is really in their tap)
What are your alternatives to buying an RO unit? What size tank do you have?
-Some people get RO water for free at their LFS.
-Some people use the API Tap water filter (small tanks)
-Some people buy RO water from their LFS because they do not need much
-Some people have great tap water (tested with a TDS meter to find out how much is really in their tap)
What are your alternatives to buying an RO unit? What size tank do you have?
lion_crazz
Active Member
Originally Posted by forddna
Where does one have their water tested?
for what? TDS?
Where does one have their water tested?
for what? TDS?
t316
Active Member
You can carry a sample of your water into your lfs and they will test it for free (most lfs's). Problem is, you can't always believe what they are telling you because they are wanting to sell you more stuff when your's dies. As far as water goes, tap water is out of the question. I still don't know what size tank you have, but it's almost a quarantee that water from your sink faucet will eventually kill your livestock. Either buy the RO water from you lfs, or invest in your own unit to make your own water.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
You can carry a sample of your water into your lfs and they will test it for free (most lfs's). Problem is, you can't always believe what they are telling you because they are wanting to sell you more stuff when your's dies. As far as water goes, tap water is out of the question. I still don't know what size tank you have, but it's almost a quarantee that water from your sink faucet will eventually kill your livestock. Either buy the RO water from you lfs, or invest in your own unit to make your own water.
There are some very honest LFS' out there. Most around here will test the water right in front of you. If that is the case, you can watch them and compare the test results with them so that there is no way they could deceive you.
You can carry a sample of your water into your lfs and they will test it for free (most lfs's). Problem is, you can't always believe what they are telling you because they are wanting to sell you more stuff when your's dies. As far as water goes, tap water is out of the question. I still don't know what size tank you have, but it's almost a quarantee that water from your sink faucet will eventually kill your livestock. Either buy the RO water from you lfs, or invest in your own unit to make your own water.
There are some very honest LFS' out there. Most around here will test the water right in front of you. If that is the case, you can watch them and compare the test results with them so that there is no way they could deceive you.
t316
Active Member
Originally Posted by lion_crazz
There are some very honest LFS' out there. Most around here will test the water right in front of you. If that is the case, you can watch them and compare the test results with them so that there is no way they could deceive you.
Correct, and most probably are honest to some degree. I just have a bad taste in my mouth right now after catching mine, first hand, just writing down standard "normal" numbers. Made me wake up and realize that you are better off doing it yourself. LFS's cannot possibly fully check every test of your water, with other customers waiting, unless you are standing right there beside them.
There are some very honest LFS' out there. Most around here will test the water right in front of you. If that is the case, you can watch them and compare the test results with them so that there is no way they could deceive you.
Correct, and most probably are honest to some degree. I just have a bad taste in my mouth right now after catching mine, first hand, just writing down standard "normal" numbers. Made me wake up and realize that you are better off doing it yourself. LFS's cannot possibly fully check every test of your water, with other customers waiting, unless you are standing right there beside them.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
Correct, and most probably are honest to some degree. I just have a bad taste in my mouth right now after catching mine, first hand, just writing down standard "normal" numbers. Made me wake up and realize that you are better off doing it yourself. LFS's cannot possibly fully check every test of your water, with other customers waiting, unless you are standing right there beside them.
Oh I agree. I would never have them test it unless I was watching them test it in front of me.
Correct, and most probably are honest to some degree. I just have a bad taste in my mouth right now after catching mine, first hand, just writing down standard "normal" numbers. Made me wake up and realize that you are better off doing it yourself. LFS's cannot possibly fully check every test of your water, with other customers waiting, unless you are standing right there beside them.
Oh I agree. I would never have them test it unless I was watching them test it in front of me.
stdreb27
Active Member
An LFS isn't going to test for stuff in you tap that you really need to worry about. I wouldn't really bother.
The EPA provides this information http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/ccr/whereyoulive.html?OpenView
The thing is most SWF particularly the pretty decorative ones like we buy, are fragile and they do not have a wide tollerance range for alot of stuff. In tap water there is alot of junk. Minerals, heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates, potentially alot of junk. It doesn't bother us to much because we flush it out of our systems. But if you swim in your pee that could become a problem. Likewise if you aren't as religious about your water changes, these potential toxins stay in your system when your water evaporates and these metals, minerals nitrates and phosphates build up in your system. And can potentially start causing problems.
Also there is food for algea in you water, and this can be tiring to be scrubbing your glass every day.
The idea of an RO/DI unit is that you can start with totally pure water and add to it what needs to be added, without having to worry about the rest of the suff. Personally I like the idea that I don't have trace ammounts of arsinic in my water.
The EPA provides this information http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/ccr/whereyoulive.html?OpenView
The thing is most SWF particularly the pretty decorative ones like we buy, are fragile and they do not have a wide tollerance range for alot of stuff. In tap water there is alot of junk. Minerals, heavy metals, nitrates, phosphates, potentially alot of junk. It doesn't bother us to much because we flush it out of our systems. But if you swim in your pee that could become a problem. Likewise if you aren't as religious about your water changes, these potential toxins stay in your system when your water evaporates and these metals, minerals nitrates and phosphates build up in your system. And can potentially start causing problems.
Also there is food for algea in you water, and this can be tiring to be scrubbing your glass every day.
The idea of an RO/DI unit is that you can start with totally pure water and add to it what needs to be added, without having to worry about the rest of the suff. Personally I like the idea that I don't have trace ammounts of arsinic in my water.
wattsupdoc
Active Member
lion_crazz No. But usually they are.
-Some people get RO water for free at their LFS.
-Some people use the API Tap water filter (small tanks)
-Some people buy RO water from their LFS because they do not need much
-Some people have great tap water (tested with a TDS meter to find out how much is really in their tap)
What are your alternatives to buying an RO unit? What size tank do you have?
Using RO water is not a necessity most of the time. But, it is very important most of the time. Few people have good enough tap water to not use the RO, without issues. Most unfiltered tap water will contribute to algae problems. If you have metals in your water, this can be a BIG problem for SWF. Aditiionally there are many other things that could be in it that you just are never really sure if its the cause when you start having problems. Using RO water eliminates all these. I ran my 65 reef for quite a while on unfiltered well water. But I had issues and wasnt sure if it wasthe cause, but couldnt rule it out either. So you are probably better off with RO water. There are alternatives as lion_craze stated, to buying one though. And if your going to have a small tank, then it will probably be a long time before buying a unit would justify it'self. However, if you going to be having a large tank, it wont take long for it to pay for itself.
Good Luck!
-Some people get RO water for free at their LFS.
-Some people use the API Tap water filter (small tanks)
-Some people buy RO water from their LFS because they do not need much
-Some people have great tap water (tested with a TDS meter to find out how much is really in their tap)
What are your alternatives to buying an RO unit? What size tank do you have?
Using RO water is not a necessity most of the time. But, it is very important most of the time. Few people have good enough tap water to not use the RO, without issues. Most unfiltered tap water will contribute to algae problems. If you have metals in your water, this can be a BIG problem for SWF. Aditiionally there are many other things that could be in it that you just are never really sure if its the cause when you start having problems. Using RO water eliminates all these. I ran my 65 reef for quite a while on unfiltered well water. But I had issues and wasnt sure if it wasthe cause, but couldnt rule it out either. So you are probably better off with RO water. There are alternatives as lion_craze stated, to buying one though. And if your going to have a small tank, then it will probably be a long time before buying a unit would justify it'self. However, if you going to be having a large tank, it wont take long for it to pay for itself.
Good Luck!
lecithin
Member
Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
Using RO water is not a necessity most of the time. But, it is very important most of the time. Few people have good enough tap water to not use the RO, without issues. Most unfiltered tap water will contribute to algae problems. If you have metals in your water, this can be a BIG problem for SWF. Aditiionally there are many other things that could be in it that you just are never really sure if its the cause when you start having problems. Using RO water eliminates all these. I ran my 65 reef for quite a while on unfiltered well water. But I had issues and wasnt sure if it wasthe cause, but couldnt rule it out either. So you are probably better off with RO water. There are alternatives as lion_craze stated, to buying one though. And if your going to have a small tank, then it will probably be a long time before buying a unit would justify it'self. However, if you going to be having a large tank, it wont take long for it to pay for itself.
Good Luck!
Agreed! I put tap water in mine for awhile and I could really see the difference. The tank was not as clear and algae was definitely more prevalent.
Using RO water is not a necessity most of the time. But, it is very important most of the time. Few people have good enough tap water to not use the RO, without issues. Most unfiltered tap water will contribute to algae problems. If you have metals in your water, this can be a BIG problem for SWF. Aditiionally there are many other things that could be in it that you just are never really sure if its the cause when you start having problems. Using RO water eliminates all these. I ran my 65 reef for quite a while on unfiltered well water. But I had issues and wasnt sure if it wasthe cause, but couldnt rule it out either. So you are probably better off with RO water. There are alternatives as lion_craze stated, to buying one though. And if your going to have a small tank, then it will probably be a long time before buying a unit would justify it'self. However, if you going to be having a large tank, it wont take long for it to pay for itself.
Good Luck!
stdreb27
Active Member
Originally Posted by forddna
Yes. Where does one have their water tested with a TDS meter, as was mentioned in the post above mine??
I have well water, run through a softener, and finally a filter when it gets to the house. I am wondering if I need ro/di or not.
They are pretty inexpensive, like 30 bucks for a cheap on the net.
Yes. Where does one have their water tested with a TDS meter, as was mentioned in the post above mine??
I have well water, run through a softener, and finally a filter when it gets to the house. I am wondering if I need ro/di or not.
They are pretty inexpensive, like 30 bucks for a cheap on the net.