Some Q's setting up the tank

[sonoma2nv]

I got around to ordering some live rock today,and was wondering about if i can use reg city water with the water conditioners.Just making sure i dont have to have ro/di unit.And sould i mix the water up a day before i add the live sand and live rock?Thanks Derrick

 

[dskidmore]

If you want to keep corals, ro/di is best. If you want FOWLR, then you can get away with conditioned tap. Mixing up the saltwater ahead of time is a good idea, it takes a bit for the salts to all disolve properly and reach chemical equilibrium. If you have spare containers to mix it in, then you can arrange your live sand and live rock with dry elbows, then add the 24hr cured water.

 

[sonoma2nv]

Thanks for the fast reply.I have another question do i need to get new heaters for sw?I have 2 300w glass heaters.And whats the best thing do i need to look for in ro/di units?Thanks Derrick

 

[dskidmore]

Glass heaters should be just fine.

RO/DI Options to consider
GPD - Gallons per day - Quite often the larger output membranes don't purify the water as well, so as appealing as 100 GPD sounds, make sure the membrane is high quality. You will never actually get as many gallons per day as the membrane is rated for, so round up your need.

rejection rate - high rejection rate produces very pure water, with more waste water. Low rejection rate produces less pure water, with less waste.

Number of stages - Minimally you want a carbon stage, an RO stage, and a DI stage. Other options include extra carbon or DI stages, or a prefilter stage. If you think your water is hard, a prefilter or two stages of carbon might be a good idea. The fine pore carbon can get clogged up pretty easily under some water conditions. Generally more stages is better, but I'm not personally fond of the double-di setup.

faucet/pressure tank (option)- if you want to use the RO/DI for family purposes as well, you may want to install it under the kitchen sink with a pressure tank and faucet. This will reduce the GPD output, but you will have a couple gallons handy at all times for drinking and topoffs.

float valve/holding tank (option) - if you only want RO/DI for aquarium purposes, get a large trash can and a float valve. The water will fill the trash can until the float valve is triggered, and shuts off the water.

TDS meter - this will help you keep tabs on the performance of your filter. Testing before the filter, between RO and DI, and after DI can give you a real good idea of when you need to change the RO or DI stages. You may be able to save money on filter changes this way, as well as see tangible results of your filtering. The carbon stage should be changed out on the manufacturer's schedule, as too much chlorene can damage the RO membrane.

There are a bunch of e-bay stores with good deals on RO/DI units. I'd start shopping there.