Cories and Oto cats and Water Hardness?

[fishorama]

It seems like you're overthinking all of this water chemistry stuff. Can't you just bypass your water softener? Put it in a big trash can, dechlor, heat & use for water changes? I've never used RO, I don't keep those neediest of fish. Unless you keep wild caughts, most are pretty adaptable...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

There are two parts required to get water down to nearly pure. Before them one may need either or both of the following: a carbon modile or a sediment filter. In bad case more than one of either may be needed but this is not common. Usually one is advise and that would be the carbon.

The ro membrane removed a lot of stuff by not letting it through. But some things it cannot get. To get really pure water one should also have a deionizing resin module.

Organic materials and inorganic minerals are the most common impurities found in water. The organics can typically be removed via filtering methods, including physical filters, carbon filters, and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. After this pre-treatment, the water is sent through a DI system, which contains two types of resin: cation and anion. These two resins attract positive and negative ions, respectively, replacing them with H+ and OH-. H+ combined with OH- becomes H2O – water. The combination of filters and DI resins can remove nearly all contaminants.

What are ions?

Any discussion of water quality and the purification of water will eventually gravitate to a discussion of ions. Adding ions and/or removing ions using what is called an ion exchange process is a big and essential part of most water treatment. Let’s take a few minutes to understand basically what these important things called ions are and how they work.

An ion, in terms that I can understand, is an atom or molecule that has lost or gained one or more electron. Losing or gaining an electron results in the atom or molecule having an electrical charge. Since electrons have a negative charge, an atom or molecule that has lost electron(s) has a positive charge. Ions with a positive charge are called “cations.” An atom or molecule that has gained electron(s) has a negative charge and is called an “anion.” The magnitude of the charge depends on how many electrons have been gained or lost.

Cycing ia all about ions. Ammonia is NH3 and has a neutral change, But ammonium is NH⁺ ₄ it has lost 4 electrons, The + tells us the charge is plus and the 4 the number of electrons gained or lost. Nitrite is NO⁻ ₂ and has gained 2 elctrons and has a negative charge. Nitrate is NO⁻ ₃. These sort of things can be removed by deionization nut not by RO. They also contribute to TDS/Conductivity.

 

[margrateball]

If you're looking for a hose-based filter to reduce salts and other total dissolved solids (TDS) from water, especially in a system that already uses a water softener, you might want to consider a specific type of water filter. Reverse osmosis (RO) filters are effective in removing a variety of impurities, including salts and TDS.

Here are a few suggestions for hose-based filters that use reverse osmosis technology:

1. Portable Reverse Osmosis System: Look for compact and portable RO systems designed for outdoor or hose-based use. These systems typically come with the necessary connections to attach to a hose and can be used for various outdoor activities like gardening, camping, or washing your car.
2. RV/Boat Water Filtration Systems: Many RV and boat water filtration systems incorporate reverse osmosis technology. These systems are designed for mobile use and often come with connections compatible with standard hoses.
3. Garden Hose Reverse Osmosis Filter: Some manufacturers offer specialized garden hose filters with reverse osmosis membranes. These filters can be connected directly to a garden hose for applications like watering plants or filling a pool with purified water.