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Does having a brita filter, or using filtered fridge water make any difference over tap water?
Reverse Osmosis??
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skriz
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that's why I noted that "I know it's a different setting..."
This analogy is just wrong. Removing the air filter yield unfiltered air. Using carbon, mechanical, and Di water does not yield unfiltered water. RO is not the only way to filter water, which is what you are stating.
I would tend to agree more with Dakota, it is more a difference of how much filtering the gas/water gets. And just like the gas analogy, how much is really required</em> for your particular car/tank? Some cars will require 93 octane, while others will only require 87. Likewise, if your water is of low tds, then you may only require basic filtration. If your water is of high tds, then you may require RODI filtraiton.
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TDS does not tell you much as far whats bad, and not for a reef tank. 900 tds water could be perfect water for a Reef tank, and 40 tds water can be detrimental to a reef tank. If the one with 40 TDS is full of phosphates Nitrates, nitrites, copper, VOCs, TOCs....
That is why we shoot for 0 TDS. TDS does give you an idea how "good" your water is, (for purification purposes, how much filtration is needed to get to Zero) but really it really does not tell us if it is healthy or not.
I think with our low TDS In ATL tells us we don't need the best RO/DI (would not be cost effective). But we still should shoot for 0 TDS.
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Skriz,
I agree with you on some people dont need the RO section of the filter. Mech/carbon/ DI can be a good option for those who use a very little water.
I guess you have to see whats more cost effective for you.
I agree with you on some people dont need the RO section of the filter. Mech/carbon/ DI can be a good option for those who use a very little water.
I guess you have to see whats more cost effective for you.
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Thanks guys!!!!
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Ok Just to add to the debate:
RO Is needed in Lawrenceville for sure. Take this for example. On the annual report that I get from the city (You should be able to sign up for one too from whoever supplies your water, in my area it is the city) the COPPER level in the city water is .15ppm. Ok so what does this mean. Well if you have ever treaded a fish with copper for an illness, what level do you keep your copper at? Yep you guessed it, .15 -.30ppm. An angelfish will die at close to .15ppm and crabs and inverts will die at between .05 and .10ppm. So if you were to use city water, even in your FO tank, you would be adding a level of copper to your tank that could kill your $150 angel or your hermits and crabs. Now I will note, that in a reef tank you LR and SAND will absorb a certin amount of copper for sometime until it can not hold any more and leeches it back into the tank, so you could be fine for a while and then boom, toasted tank. IMHO, if you do not know what is in your water, go with RO or even RO/DI ONLY!!!
RO Is needed in Lawrenceville for sure. Take this for example. On the annual report that I get from the city (You should be able to sign up for one too from whoever supplies your water, in my area it is the city) the COPPER level in the city water is .15ppm. Ok so what does this mean. Well if you have ever treaded a fish with copper for an illness, what level do you keep your copper at? Yep you guessed it, .15 -.30ppm. An angelfish will die at close to .15ppm and crabs and inverts will die at between .05 and .10ppm. So if you were to use city water, even in your FO tank, you would be adding a level of copper to your tank that could kill your $150 angel or your hermits and crabs. Now I will note, that in a reef tank you LR and SAND will absorb a certin amount of copper for sometime until it can not hold any more and leeches it back into the tank, so you could be fine for a while and then boom, toasted tank. IMHO, if you do not know what is in your water, go with RO or even RO/DI ONLY!!!
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Filmtec brand membranes, the most popular brand going, are spec'ed at 50 psi, 77 F, and 250 ppm feed water.
So the pressure required isn't too unusual.
We have a calculator on our web page that lets you plug in your water temperature and pressure and it will calculate the gpd your membrane should produce.
Russ
So the pressure required isn't too unusual.
We have a calculator on our web page that lets you plug in your water temperature and pressure and it will calculate the gpd your membrane should produce.
Russ
With the drought, I feel obligated to jump in here with my two cents: While more expensive up front, using a dual/second RO unit you get a very slight increase in TDS (in my case, .02 versus .01 out with the Dekalb input TDS of .47 or so) that is easily taken care of by the DI unit. However, it generates MUCH LESS WASTE WATER (like half), and as an added benefit produces water much faster. You don't have to double anything else (DI, carbon, etc.)
The cost is mostly up front, since you get more water total before membrane replacement as well.
I have been using this system for quite a while (got the second membrane conversion/upgrade kit from the filter guys) and it did make a big difference. I do have good water pressure, however.
-Mike
The cost is mostly up front, since you get more water total before membrane replacement as well.
I have been using this system for quite a while (got the second membrane conversion/upgrade kit from the filter guys) and it did make a big difference. I do have good water pressure, however.
-Mike
