I shy'd away from RO/DI because it is more expensive and it's my understanding that the RO process with the membrane requires a constant 50psi. For my home system, I'd also need a booster pump for that. Then too, there's like 4g of waste water for every gallon of RO produced. So I just went with the API Tap Water Filter. I'm very happy with it, although it looks like for my well water, I won't get too much more than 50g per filter cartridge. And I'm still fiddling with electro-right and pH adjuster to get the filtered water right (the pH is way too low) and am thinking of switching to Seachem Replenish and Neutral & Alkaline Regulator.
I had very good success getting my tank nitrates down to 10ppm using Fluval Nitrate Remover that can be recharged in salt water. As a matter of fact I'm thinking of using it some (5g pail with spare filter) to prepare water for water changes (e.g 5g FNR filtered + 5g DI water).
My discovery of high nitrates in my well water has caused me to rethink filtration and water changes. (I was previously doing 50% WWC, but can no longer do that. Purchased bottled water and even home made RO/DI or DI water costs can add up!)
I think we're dependent on the (sometimes fairly large) weekly water change because we don't typically filter the water well enough. I don't know how many times I keep hearing we need 4x to 10x the tank size in filter gph flow. In fact, good mechanical filtration has nothing to do with how fast or how much water we push through a filter, but rather using finer media to trap very small particles. At that, solid waste is breaking down resulting in dissolved organics that pass on through. Many/most don't use carbon and/or other products to purify the water so all that manure tea (and urine, pheromones, amino acids, etc...AND NITRATES) just keeps getting concentrated in the water column until the next water change.
My plan is to better filter/purify the water allowing me to reduce the frequency and/or volume of water changes. I will soon extend my bio-denitrate filter with a (pool filter) sand chamber. In my AC70 hob filter, in addition to foam and floss, I may periodically use products like activated carbon, Purigen, Chem Zorb, etc. to better filter/purify the water. Along with good tank/filter maintenance, proper feeding, floating plants and filtered and/or DI water for modest partial water changes, I think I'll have higher quality water chemistry with reduced water changes...breaking the dependency on larger weekly water changes.
AD
I had very good success getting my tank nitrates down to 10ppm using Fluval Nitrate Remover that can be recharged in salt water. As a matter of fact I'm thinking of using it some (5g pail with spare filter) to prepare water for water changes (e.g 5g FNR filtered + 5g DI water).
My discovery of high nitrates in my well water has caused me to rethink filtration and water changes. (I was previously doing 50% WWC, but can no longer do that. Purchased bottled water and even home made RO/DI or DI water costs can add up!)
I think we're dependent on the (sometimes fairly large) weekly water change because we don't typically filter the water well enough. I don't know how many times I keep hearing we need 4x to 10x the tank size in filter gph flow. In fact, good mechanical filtration has nothing to do with how fast or how much water we push through a filter, but rather using finer media to trap very small particles. At that, solid waste is breaking down resulting in dissolved organics that pass on through. Many/most don't use carbon and/or other products to purify the water so all that manure tea (and urine, pheromones, amino acids, etc...AND NITRATES) just keeps getting concentrated in the water column until the next water change.
My plan is to better filter/purify the water allowing me to reduce the frequency and/or volume of water changes. I will soon extend my bio-denitrate filter with a (pool filter) sand chamber. In my AC70 hob filter, in addition to foam and floss, I may periodically use products like activated carbon, Purigen, Chem Zorb, etc. to better filter/purify the water. Along with good tank/filter maintenance, proper feeding, floating plants and filtered and/or DI water for modest partial water changes, I think I'll have higher quality water chemistry with reduced water changes...breaking the dependency on larger weekly water changes.
AD
