Tap water conditioner
- Thread starter schmilnik
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
The wastewater from an RO/DI filter isn't really a big deal. In my area water rates are about $4 per 1000 gallons. I doubt it's that much more expensive where you live. If you are still concerned about it, you can use the waste water for all sorts of things. Watering plants and animals are all great uses of the waste water. Plumbing the wastewater back into the system is possible, but you'd need a pump to re-pressurize it.
As for the difference between RO and DI: Reverse Osmosis and Deionization are complementary. RO essentially removes things from the water that are significantly bigger than water. Deionization removes ions(these have a charge) from the water. RO can remove large organic molecules like NO3, but has difficulty with smaller ones like NH4. Luckily, NH4 is charged and gets removed by the DI stage. Here is a great article on the subject.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.php
As for the difference between RO and DI: Reverse Osmosis and Deionization are complementary. RO essentially removes things from the water that are significantly bigger than water. Deionization removes ions(these have a charge) from the water. RO can remove large organic molecules like NO3, but has difficulty with smaller ones like NH4. Luckily, NH4 is charged and gets removed by the DI stage. Here is a great article on the subject.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.php
Kurt_Nelson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Obviously it's your choice. But until you've established a relationship with a LFS to figure out if they're out for a quick buck, or out to truly help you out... then I'd treat a lot of info as suspect. If you use RO/DI, then they can't sell you tap water conditioner now, can they!
How do you define "fine"? How can you measure "fine"? I can give you a very strict definition of Reverse Osmosis or Deionized. I can also measure water from an RO/DI system with a Total Dissolved Solids meter to give you an idea of how pure the water is.
For example, my tap water is probably "fine" by some measures for keeping saltwater fish. However, I experienced problems with algae and cyanobacteria before I switched to RO water. I don't know why because I don't know exactly what is in the water. My tap water has a TDS of 700ppm. My RO water is about 10ppm. My DI water is exactly 0ppm. Another good article about tap water in aquariums:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm
For example, my tap water is probably "fine" by some measures for keeping saltwater fish. However, I experienced problems with algae and cyanobacteria before I switched to RO water. I don't know why because I don't know exactly what is in the water. My tap water has a TDS of 700ppm. My RO water is about 10ppm. My DI water is exactly 0ppm. Another good article about tap water in aquariums:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm
I have tested my water also. My water comes from underground limestone "rivers" i.e. rain water. I tested for ammonia and got 0 as well as for nitrates and got a very low level. Should i get an ro/di unit??? I have a paragon water filtration system that uses a kdf-55 system to filter and kill bacteria could i use this water as well??
