RO systems

T

twentyfourpaws

Registered Member
Jan 1, 2005
4
0
0
Bartlett, IL
After 3 years of battling various types of algae in my 150 gal. FW tank due to high phosphates, I've decided to go the RO route. I've looked at several types recommended by my LFS (Kent Marine seems to be the best), but my wife thinks I should consider a standard RO system I could get at Home Depot, Lowes, or even a plumbing supply house -- she thinks they'll do the same thing. I'm not so sure -- I think aquarium RO units are made to handle just that -- aquariums -- and a standard, garden variety system might not be able to filter out the phosphates.

Anyone have any experience with either? Any suggestions on a particular brand? I do a 25% - 30% water change every week and a half.

Thanks!

Doug
 
dr smith and foster's online has coralife units for like $110 cheap and seems to be good. pretty much all membranes are the same there is a cellulose based membrane (about 90% removal) that is cheap but needs chlorinated water or it will rot. the TFT membrane is the way to go (around 95-98% removal). I have read several posts at reefcentral by people that work at dow chemical and they said the dow basically makes all the TFT membranes. I read that also on a RO website....Just my two cents. The real test is when you get the RO unit buy a TDS meter, filtered water should read about 95% lower than your tap water. Example tap water=200 TDS, filtered water should read 10 TDS. Hope this helps. If you are very high in phosphates get a DI canister to remove the rest of the impurities and then rebuild your water with reagent grade chemicals for desired properties (basically hardness and pH) Straight RO/DI water will be too pure for almost all freshwater fish....no buffering capacity becarefull!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom