Tap water filter question

caspar · 01/10/2009, 06:34 PM

was wandering if the tap water filter made by aquarium pharmaceuticals would be safe to use as just a top off water supply for a saltwater tank? Any info much appreciated. Oh also meaning the water that comes straight out of filter without using the supplied electro-right or ph adjust. Thanks

DustinLH00 · 01/10/2009, 08:17 PM

I can help with that. I had this filter when I first started. The filter that you see is filled with DI resin. So essentially you have 0 TDS water coming out of it, just as in an RO/DI unit. However, the exception here is that you do not have a prefilter, carbon and a membrane before the DI as you do in the RO/DI setup. Basically what this means is that the filter catridges will become exhausted very quickly as you have high TDS water hitting it first.

I will tell you that on average I got 10-20 gallons of water before the cartridge became exhausted. If you factor in the cost of the unit, plus the replacement cartridges, you will see that a decent RO/DI system is MUCH cheaper in the end. I spent enough $$$ to buy 1 1/2 RO/DI filters in just 1 year of operating this aquarium pharmaceuticals filter.

I hope that helps answer your question. Also, I only have a 55 gallon, so I am sure that you will spend more than I did. But if the money is not a factor for you, then yes this unit will produce 0 TDS water consistently, but you have to be careful as once the cartridge is exhausted it stops lowering TDS, so you will want to monitor the TDS as the color changes on the cartridge.

caspar · 01/10/2009, 08:39 PM

Thanks Dustin, forgot to mention the water going into this will be going through a carbon whole house filter 1 micron, will that make it better and can the out put of this tapwater filter go straight into my tank for top off due to evaporation? My TDS readings of my tapwater before going through the carbon house filter are on average 67 - 75 ppm. Thanks

DustinLH00 · 01/10/2009, 11:43 PM

From my understanding, the sediment prefilter and carbon filter do very little to lower the actual TDS. Their main purpose in an RO/DI system is to extend the life of the membrane itself. If chlorine or other chemicals get into the membrane, it can either destroy it or drastically reduce it's life. AZDesertrat on here is an RO/DI master and he has stated this in several threads that I have read. I know on my unit, the carbon and sediment filters only lower my TDS by 2-from like 87 to 85. You can check your TDS after the carbon house filter, but I bet you see only a drop of a couple TDS.

I wouldn't recommend using it for an Auto Top Off system. I used mine to top off approx 1 gallon of water every few days, but it will not handle any back pressure. So, if you had it hooked up to a faucet or water source and you had a float valve on the end it will leak at the seals from the back pressure. Were you thinking of using it for manual or auto top offs?

caspar · 01/11/2009, 01:11 AM

I have a main water line that comes in prefiltered with carbon/sediment house filter going to a solenoid valve that is NC until float in sump lowers thus sending 12v dc current through a relay in wich then energizes solenoid to open allowing water to enter tapwater filter when float rises back to proper level, then solenoid de-energizes back to closed position. I also have a backup float in-line in case first one goes on the blink. do you think that doing it this way will work, as of right now i am topping off with gallon jugs of store bought distilled water. A gallon of it last me almost a full week. It is only a 30gal tank. By back pressure do you mean becauase on the input /output sides it only has slip-on connection?? Thanks

caspar · 01/11/2009, 12:04 PM

bump

DustinLH00 · 01/11/2009, 12:25 PM

I am not 100% certain with all of that. Someone else may be able to chime in. By back pressure, I just meant that lets say I hook the tap water filter up to a faucet and turned the faucet on. Then the filtered water comes out the other end and out of the tube. If I had a valve on that end and shut it off but left the faucet on, the tap water filter may leak from its seals because it cannot handle the faucet still being on without water exiting the filter. That is all I was thinking.

Also, with these filters, you have to adjust the flow rate of water entering them each time you turn on the source water. They are not effective with a full blast of water. I do not remember the exact flow rate, but I believe it was something like no higher than a cup of water in 30 seconds or something like that. So it has to be at a very low flow. Occasionally I had the seals leak during normal operation without any back pressure at all. It wasn't the kind of unit I would feel comfortable operating unattended.

Hopefully someone else can join our conversation

I would just feel more comfortable with either an RO/DI unit that is designed to be under pressure, or using this tap water filter to fill an ATO resevoir weekly and doing so manually.

AZDesertRat · 01/11/2009, 02:24 PM

Carbon does very little for TDS if anything at all. Even at your low TDS the tap water filter will be a very very expensive proposition. It may last 30 or 40 gallons per cartridge but I seriously doubt it. Replacements bet expensive real quick. Nothing replaces an good RO/DI.

caspar · 01/11/2009, 02:27 PM

Thanks if I were to get an RO/DI unit could i run it inline like i explain earlier and that be my topoff water? If it is not too much trouble could someone give my a diagram of how i could put one in on the cheap side, just for top off use due to evaporation. Thanks

AZDesertRat · 01/11/2009, 02:36 PM

RO/DI units are designed to be under pressure at all times. I would not connect an RO/DI directly to a display or sump though, it is much wiser to store treated water in a container of some sort and topp off the tank from there. This helps eliminate any problems with TDS creep which happens every time a RO unit starts. Set you float switches a distance apart so the storage levell drops enough it allows the rO to run for a longer period of time thus diluting the TDS creep.

01/10/2009, 06:34 PM	#1
caspar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Somewhere over Here! Posts: 188	Tap water filter question was wandering if the tap water filter made by aquarium pharmaceuticals would be safe to use as just a top off water supply for a saltwater tank? Any info much appreciated. Oh also meaning the water that comes straight out of filter without using the supplied electro-right or ph adjust. Thanks

01/10/2009, 08:17 PM	#2
DustinLH00 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, IL Posts: 98	I can help with that. I had this filter when I first started. The filter that you see is filled with DI resin. So essentially you have 0 TDS water coming out of it, just as in an RO/DI unit. However, the exception here is that you do not have a prefilter, carbon and a membrane before the DI as you do in the RO/DI setup. Basically what this means is that the filter catridges will become exhausted very quickly as you have high TDS water hitting it first. I will tell you that on average I got 10-20 gallons of water before the cartridge became exhausted. If you factor in the cost of the unit, plus the replacement cartridges, you will see that a decent RO/DI system is MUCH cheaper in the end. I spent enough $$$ to buy 1 1/2 RO/DI filters in just 1 year of operating this aquarium pharmaceuticals filter. I hope that helps answer your question. Also, I only have a 55 gallon, so I am sure that you will spend more than I did. But if the money is not a factor for you, then yes this unit will produce 0 TDS water consistently, but you have to be careful as once the cartridge is exhausted it stops lowering TDS, so you will want to monitor the TDS as the color changes on the cartridge. __________________ Dustin - Now, if I could only get back the money & time that I had before I found Reef Central... Current Tank Info: 55 gallon FOWLR -- 1 Ocellaris Clown, 1 Four Stripe Damsel, 2 Yellow Tail Damsels and 1 Pencil Urchin

01/10/2009, 11:43 PM	#4
DustinLH00 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, IL Posts: 98	From my understanding, the sediment prefilter and carbon filter do very little to lower the actual TDS. Their main purpose in an RO/DI system is to extend the life of the membrane itself. If chlorine or other chemicals get into the membrane, it can either destroy it or drastically reduce it's life. AZDesertrat on here is an RO/DI master and he has stated this in several threads that I have read. I know on my unit, the carbon and sediment filters only lower my TDS by 2-from like 87 to 85. You can check your TDS after the carbon house filter, but I bet you see only a drop of a couple TDS. I wouldn't recommend using it for an Auto Top Off system. I used mine to top off approx 1 gallon of water every few days, but it will not handle any back pressure. So, if you had it hooked up to a faucet or water source and you had a float valve on the end it will leak at the seals from the back pressure. Were you thinking of using it for manual or auto top offs? __________________ Dustin - Now, if I could only get back the money & time that I had before I found Reef Central... Current Tank Info: 55 gallon FOWLR -- 1 Ocellaris Clown, 1 Four Stripe Damsel, 2 Yellow Tail Damsels and 1 Pencil Urchin

01/11/2009, 12:25 PM	#7
DustinLH00 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, IL Posts: 98	I am not 100% certain with all of that. Someone else may be able to chime in. By back pressure, I just meant that lets say I hook the tap water filter up to a faucet and turned the faucet on. Then the filtered water comes out the other end and out of the tube. If I had a valve on that end and shut it off but left the faucet on, the tap water filter may leak from its seals because it cannot handle the faucet still being on without water exiting the filter. That is all I was thinking. Also, with these filters, you have to adjust the flow rate of water entering them each time you turn on the source water. They are not effective with a full blast of water. I do not remember the exact flow rate, but I believe it was something like no higher than a cup of water in 30 seconds or something like that. So it has to be at a very low flow. Occasionally I had the seals leak during normal operation without any back pressure at all. It wasn't the kind of unit I would feel comfortable operating unattended. Hopefully someone else can join our conversation I would just feel more comfortable with either an RO/DI unit that is designed to be under pressure, or using this tap water filter to fill an ATO resevoir weekly and doing so manually. __________________ Dustin - Now, if I could only get back the money & time that I had before I found Reef Central... Current Tank Info: 55 gallon FOWLR -- 1 Ocellaris Clown, 1 Four Stripe Damsel, 2 Yellow Tail Damsels and 1 Pencil Urchin

01/10/2009, 08:39 PM	#3
caspar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Somewhere over Here! Posts: 188	Thanks Dustin, forgot to mention the water going into this will be going through a carbon whole house filter 1 micron, will that make it better and can the out put of this tapwater filter go straight into my tank for top off due to evaporation? My TDS readings of my tapwater before going through the carbon house filter are on average 67 - 75 ppm. Thanks

01/11/2009, 01:11 AM	#5
caspar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Somewhere over Here! Posts: 188	I have a main water line that comes in prefiltered with carbon/sediment house filter going to a solenoid valve that is NC until float in sump lowers thus sending 12v dc current through a relay in wich then energizes solenoid to open allowing water to enter tapwater filter when float rises back to proper level, then solenoid de-energizes back to closed position. I also have a backup float in-line in case first one goes on the blink. do you think that doing it this way will work, as of right now i am topping off with gallon jugs of store bought distilled water. A gallon of it last me almost a full week. It is only a 30gal tank. By back pressure do you mean becauase on the input /output sides it only has slip-on connection?? Thanks

01/11/2009, 12:04 PM	#6
caspar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Somewhere over Here! Posts: 188	bump

01/11/2009, 02:24 PM	#8
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Carbon does very little for TDS if anything at all. Even at your low TDS the tap water filter will be a very very expensive proposition. It may last 30 or 40 gallons per cartridge but I seriously doubt it. Replacements bet expensive real quick. Nothing replaces an good RO/DI.

01/11/2009, 02:27 PM	#9
caspar Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Somewhere over Here! Posts: 188	Thanks if I were to get an RO/DI unit could i run it inline like i explain earlier and that be my topoff water? If it is not too much trouble could someone give my a diagram of how i could put one in on the cheap side, just for top off use due to evaporation. Thanks

01/11/2009, 02:36 PM	#10
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	RO/DI units are designed to be under pressure at all times. I would not connect an RO/DI directly to a display or sump though, it is much wiser to store treated water in a container of some sort and topp off the tank from there. This helps eliminate any problems with TDS creep which happens every time a RO unit starts. Set you float switches a distance apart so the storage levell drops enough it allows the rO to run for a longer period of time thus diluting the TDS creep.