R/O Water Question

Ryn0 · 02/25/2007, 04:13 PM

I understand the importance of using R/O water but a filter is not really in my budget. Is there a better way to buy R/O water, or a good substitute? I have some what of an annoying algae problem.
I have cut the light cycle quite a bit (does this affect the fish?) to try to kill it but I think it is the water I am using in my changes/top offs. Any advice??????

kaihonu82 · 02/25/2007, 04:29 PM

if you don't have access to RO/DI water, i would try to find one of those water stores...they ususally have some sort of highly filtered water that you can buy

aquarius77 · 02/25/2007, 04:34 PM

No matter what tank size you have a ro/di unit will save you money in the long run. If you figure in gas to get to wherever is selling the water then the price of the water itself, then the price of alge products (fish,snails,crabs, chemicals) to combat the alge that the junk water you just bought gave you. Start saving a a little cash get you a unit, until then use distilled water from walmart, not the drinking water they sell, get the one that says distilled.

AZDesertRat · 02/25/2007, 04:39 PM

I don't know about Arkansas but here in the Southwest there seems to be a Water & Ice store or some variation on every corner. You take a 5G jug in and its .25 per gallon to fill it up. I would always ask the vendor to test the TDS or conductivity before buying any though.
Some places have water vending machines but I am leery of buying water from a machine unless I can test the TDS myself. Any grocery or WalMart sells distillled water which would be better than bottled RO. Usually bottled RO is used for drinking so they add things back in to it to make it taste better. Distilled should have nothing in it.

Ryn0 · 02/25/2007, 04:50 PM

What is a good R/O unit? the ones that I have seen have like a 5 gal tank on them and make like 25gal a day? It sounds to me like it would take all day to do a 20 gal water change. maybe im looking at the wrong kind of unit?

Ryn0 · 02/25/2007, 04:51 PM

Distilled sonds like the way to go for right now I guess

aquarius77 · 02/25/2007, 04:54 PM

check out the filter guys, call them and talk to them, they wont try to sell you anything unless your looking to get sold something and they wont sell you something you dont need, these guys are amazing.

http://thefilterguys.biz/index.htm

AZDesertRat · 02/25/2007, 04:56 PM

www.buckeyefieldsuply.com 75 GPD Premium series
www.thefilterguys.biz 75 GPD Ocean Reef+ series
www.purelyh2o.com 75 GPD Optima series

All these vendors are RC sponsors and sell true reef quality RO/DI units unlike what you see on e-bay or in the hardware store.

Ryn0 · 02/25/2007, 04:58 PM

Thanks For All Your Help

Ryn0 · 02/25/2007, 05:07 PM

I am looking at this system The V Series 75 GPD RO DI System athttp://www.purelyh2o.com/product.php?productid=16210&cat=249&page=1 how do they work? do you just plumb them into your water lines under the sink?

AZDesertRat · 02/25/2007, 05:15 PM

You can plumb them in to the cold water line under the sink or they can be hooked up portable to a garden hose or with a wye off the cold water line going to the washing machine. The flush or waste water can be either sent to the drain or can be captured for washing clothes, watering the lawn or flowers or fill the pool etc.
When plumbing permanent it can be a simple slef piercing valve into a copper line or they have a tee that fits into the plumbing where the faucet comes through the wall so you don't have to alter the plumbing. They are pretty easy to hook up and the above venors all give pretty good directions and tech support. I prefer to step up from the value series so you get a true vertical refillable DI filter. It will last much longer due to its larger resin capacity plus cost less to refill later than a throw away cartridge costs.

vr697getta · 02/25/2007, 05:54 PM

before i got my ro/di i used this type of water filter i never tested the water with a tds meter but after my tank cycled i never had any algea problem
produces about 10 gallons in an hour
no waste water
but in the long run you will spend more money on filters
mine only lasted about 50 to 70 at tops
the filters are 20 bucks each at my lfs
and the filter was 30 bucks
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113775

Ryn0 · 02/25/2007, 07:31 PM

I have that filter my sister gave it to me but I think I need a new filter for it it keeps spiting little green bb's out of the hose did this keep the algae out also?

Dollarbill · 02/25/2007, 07:45 PM

An absolute money saver. Make sure you get one ( and a water holding tank) that makes enough water if you own a big tank. Mine barely covers a water change I only have a 35 gallon trash can but works for me. hope this helps. db

AZDesertRat · 02/25/2007, 08:35 PM

The Tap Water Filter is only good for about 25 gallons and then its not RO/DI quality.

r0bin · 02/26/2007, 12:08 PM

I keeping seeing people say the tap water filter isn't near the quality of RO?DI. Does anyone have any numbers to go along with that statement or other proof. Saying it isn't the quality doesn't help much. Also as far as saying it only makes 25 gal. per filter, its my understanding that it depends on the quality of water you start with.

AZDesertRat · 02/26/2007, 12:18 PM

Again it all depends on your individual water quality as you said. Without passing water through a semipermeable RO membrane DI by itself will never be equal to a full carbon,RO,DI system, period. There are many things which DI is not good on at all and two important ones are phosphates and silicates. Another is nitrates.

Individual results will vary.

cowboyswife · 02/26/2007, 12:32 PM

I have The V Series 75 GPD RO DI System, and I highly recommend it. Its a great deal for the money. My tap water starts with 299 tds (total dissolved solids) and boat loads of phosphates, and with my unit, the water has 0 tds and 0 phosphates. And that says alot because I live in FL and our tap water is HORRIBLE.

AZDesertRat · 02/26/2007, 01:46 PM

I don't recommend the V series for a reef tank. Spend the additional $20 and get the Vision series with a 24 oz full size DI canister and refillable cartridge and a pressure gauge. You will save the $20 on your first or second bulk DI replacement versus buying throw away 12 or 16 oz DI cartridges. More than worth the difference. You will need to buy a TDS meter though since the Vision does not come with one.

bobbbm · 02/26/2007, 02:15 PM

Money was tight a few months ago so I bought the Nano MAX from purley H2O the water tests great and it is a good value!

r0bin · 02/26/2007, 02:35 PM

Everything I have read says the Tap water filter removes silicates, nitrates and phosphate in addition to other things. Are you saying that is doesn't? I am just wondering b/c I am about to purchase it. I really need to know so I don't have to returen it. All the reviews of it I have read have been great.

AZDesertRat · 02/26/2007, 02:48 PM

Don't waste your money. Unless your tap water is near pristine to begin with it will not work well. If you do decide to buy it get a good TDS meter and use it each and every time you make water so you will know when it is exhausted, you will find it does not last near as long as they claim in almost all cases. In the bst of circumstances semiconductor grade DI resin which that one probably does not contain, last about 2000 total TDS for 16 oz of resin. I do not believe it contains that much as it has carbon and other stuff mixed in with it. So say you have a tap TDS of 150, which by the way is about normal nationwide, you will see a maximum of 133 gallons per cartridge in perfect conditions. Now in the real world it probably really contains 8 to 12 oz of actual DI resin and your water is probably higher than 150 TDS so you will actually see about 30 to a max of 50 gallons before it is shot and you have to pour more money into it. Even then it will not remove silicates and phosphates two of the most weakly ionized substances in tap water, much less nitrates which is tough even for a good RO.
Its not worth it

02/25/2007, 04:13 PM	#1
Ryn0 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Little Rock AR Posts: 11	R/O Water Question I understand the importance of using R/O water but a filter is not really in my budget. Is there a better way to buy R/O water, or a good substitute? I have some what of an annoying algae problem. I have cut the light cycle quite a bit (does this affect the fish?) to try to kill it but I think it is the water I am using in my changes/top offs. Any advice??????

02/25/2007, 04:29 PM	#2
kaihonu82 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: bay area, ca Posts: 454	if you don't have access to RO/DI water, i would try to find one of those water stores...they ususally have some sort of highly filtered water that you can buy __________________ lindsay

02/25/2007, 07:45 PM	#14
Dollarbill Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Beautiful Colorado Posts: 250	An absolute money saver. Make sure you get one ( and a water holding tank) that makes enough water if you own a big tank. Mine barely covers a water change I only have a 35 gallon trash can but works for me. hope this helps. db __________________ "Her eyeballs will fall out of her head"....Doc Eason Current Tank Info: Custom acrylic 180 bow front

02/26/2007, 12:32 PM	#18
cowboyswife Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Deltona FL Posts: 2,187	I have The V Series 75 GPD RO DI System, and I highly recommend it. Its a great deal for the money. My tap water starts with 299 tds (total dissolved solids) and boat loads of phosphates, and with my unit, the water has 0 tds and 0 phosphates. And that says alot because I live in FL and our tap water is HORRIBLE. __________________ "The voice of the sea speaks to the soul." - Kate Chopin ~Becca Current Tank Info: Out of the hobby for the time being. But Im sticking around anyway!

02/25/2007, 04:34 PM	#3
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	No matter what tank size you have a ro/di unit will save you money in the long run. If you figure in gas to get to wherever is selling the water then the price of the water itself, then the price of alge products (fish,snails,crabs, chemicals) to combat the alge that the junk water you just bought gave you. Start saving a a little cash get you a unit, until then use distilled water from walmart, not the drinking water they sell, get the one that says distilled.

02/25/2007, 04:39 PM	#4
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	I don't know about Arkansas but here in the Southwest there seems to be a Water & Ice store or some variation on every corner. You take a 5G jug in and its .25 per gallon to fill it up. I would always ask the vendor to test the TDS or conductivity before buying any though. Some places have water vending machines but I am leery of buying water from a machine unless I can test the TDS myself. Any grocery or WalMart sells distillled water which would be better than bottled RO. Usually bottled RO is used for drinking so they add things back in to it to make it taste better. Distilled should have nothing in it.

02/25/2007, 04:50 PM	#5
Ryn0 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Little Rock AR Posts: 11	What is a good R/O unit? the ones that I have seen have like a 5 gal tank on them and make like 25gal a day? It sounds to me like it would take all day to do a 20 gal water change. maybe im looking at the wrong kind of unit?

02/25/2007, 04:51 PM	#6
Ryn0 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Little Rock AR Posts: 11	Distilled sonds like the way to go for right now I guess

02/25/2007, 04:54 PM	#7
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	check out the filter guys, call them and talk to them, they wont try to sell you anything unless your looking to get sold something and they wont sell you something you dont need, these guys are amazing. http://thefilterguys.biz/index.htm

02/25/2007, 04:56 PM	#8
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	www.buckeyefieldsuply.com 75 GPD Premium series www.thefilterguys.biz 75 GPD Ocean Reef+ series www.purelyh2o.com 75 GPD Optima series All these vendors are RC sponsors and sell true reef quality RO/DI units unlike what you see on e-bay or in the hardware store.

02/25/2007, 04:58 PM	#9
Ryn0 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Little Rock AR Posts: 11	Thanks For All Your Help

02/25/2007, 05:07 PM	#10
Ryn0 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Little Rock AR Posts: 11	I am looking at this system The V Series 75 GPD RO DI System athttp://www.purelyh2o.com/product.php?productid=16210&cat=249&page=1 how do they work? do you just plumb them into your water lines under the sink?

02/25/2007, 05:15 PM	#11
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	You can plumb them in to the cold water line under the sink or they can be hooked up portable to a garden hose or with a wye off the cold water line going to the washing machine. The flush or waste water can be either sent to the drain or can be captured for washing clothes, watering the lawn or flowers or fill the pool etc. When plumbing permanent it can be a simple slef piercing valve into a copper line or they have a tee that fits into the plumbing where the faucet comes through the wall so you don't have to alter the plumbing. They are pretty easy to hook up and the above venors all give pretty good directions and tech support. I prefer to step up from the value series so you get a true vertical refillable DI filter. It will last much longer due to its larger resin capacity plus cost less to refill later than a throw away cartridge costs.

02/25/2007, 05:54 PM	#12
vr697getta Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: white oak Posts: 1,974	before i got my ro/di i used this type of water filter i never tested the water with a tds meter but after my tank cycled i never had any algea problem produces about 10 gallons in an hour no waste water but in the long run you will spend more money on filters mine only lasted about 50 to 70 at tops the filters are 20 bucks each at my lfs and the filter was 30 bucks http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113775

02/25/2007, 07:31 PM	#13
Ryn0 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Little Rock AR Posts: 11	I have that filter my sister gave it to me but I think I need a new filter for it it keeps spiting little green bb's out of the hose did this keep the algae out also?

02/25/2007, 08:35 PM	#15
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	The Tap Water Filter is only good for about 25 gallons and then its not RO/DI quality.

02/26/2007, 12:08 PM	#16
r0bin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,132	I keeping seeing people say the tap water filter isn't near the quality of RO?DI. Does anyone have any numbers to go along with that statement or other proof. Saying it isn't the quality doesn't help much. Also as far as saying it only makes 25 gal. per filter, its my understanding that it depends on the quality of water you start with.

02/26/2007, 12:18 PM	#17
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Again it all depends on your individual water quality as you said. Without passing water through a semipermeable RO membrane DI by itself will never be equal to a full carbon,RO,DI system, period. There are many things which DI is not good on at all and two important ones are phosphates and silicates. Another is nitrates. Individual results will vary.

02/26/2007, 01:46 PM	#19
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	I don't recommend the V series for a reef tank. Spend the additional $20 and get the Vision series with a 24 oz full size DI canister and refillable cartridge and a pressure gauge. You will save the $20 on your first or second bulk DI replacement versus buying throw away 12 or 16 oz DI cartridges. More than worth the difference. You will need to buy a TDS meter though since the Vision does not come with one.

02/26/2007, 02:15 PM	#20
bobbbm Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ronkonkoma NY Posts: 535	Money was tight a few months ago so I bought the Nano MAX from purley H2O the water tests great and it is a good value!

02/26/2007, 02:35 PM	#21
r0bin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,132	Everything I have read says the Tap water filter removes silicates, nitrates and phosphate in addition to other things. Are you saying that is doesn't? I am just wondering b/c I am about to purchase it. I really need to know so I don't have to returen it. All the reviews of it I have read have been great.

02/26/2007, 02:48 PM	#22
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Don't waste your money. Unless your tap water is near pristine to begin with it will not work well. If you do decide to buy it get a good TDS meter and use it each and every time you make water so you will know when it is exhausted, you will find it does not last near as long as they claim in almost all cases. In the bst of circumstances semiconductor grade DI resin which that one probably does not contain, last about 2000 total TDS for 16 oz of resin. I do not believe it contains that much as it has carbon and other stuff mixed in with it. So say you have a tap TDS of 150, which by the way is about normal nationwide, you will see a maximum of 133 gallons per cartridge in perfect conditions. Now in the real world it probably really contains 8 to 12 oz of actual DI resin and your water is probably higher than 150 TDS so you will actually see about 30 to a max of 50 gallons before it is shot and you have to pour more money into it. Even then it will not remove silicates and phosphates two of the most weakly ionized substances in tap water, much less nitrates which is tough even for a good RO. Its not worth it