Does RO or a Tap Water Filter remove nitrates from the water? I posted a while back about high nitrates, and have done some research and asking around about high nitrates coming frome the tap. The nitrates from the tap are in between 80-100 ppm. In my tank they are 160+. My fish and plants are thriving though. Has anyone used the tap water filter and are you happy with it? Thanks
RO and Tap Filter???
- Thread starter cweber
- Start date
according to 'raindance water solutions' (they'd love to sell their product)RO household units only remove <80%
I was curious when you posted this as I expect to get a RO unit from the filterguys fo SW.
I was curious when you posted this as I expect to get a RO unit from the filterguys fo SW.
So RO should remove 80% of the nitrate? That will still be to high i think. Im trying to get my tank ready for discus and the nitrates and some hardness are all i lack to get rid of. There is a breeder near by but he uses RO so my conditions will be different. After reading your reply again, you say household units. Is there a difference because im looking at one for home as well?
I know of one way you can get 99.9% of the nitrates out and I will almost guarantee it.
Either buy a 5 stage RO filter with DI or attach one of those Aquarium Pharmaceutical tap water filters to your RO filter. DI gets out almost all TDS from water.. but with tap water as dirty as yours the tap water/DI filter wont last 10 gallons unless you have it hooked up to an RO filter.
and I'm not so sure RO will only get out 80% of Nitrates.
edit: http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/mod02/visuals/wq24v1.jpg
here.. and this obviously depends on the RO system you buy.
but like I said, add DI of any kind and those numbers will all be closer to or at 99% or better.
Either buy a 5 stage RO filter with DI or attach one of those Aquarium Pharmaceutical tap water filters to your RO filter. DI gets out almost all TDS from water.. but with tap water as dirty as yours the tap water/DI filter wont last 10 gallons unless you have it hooked up to an RO filter.
and I'm not so sure RO will only get out 80% of Nitrates.
edit: http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/mod02/visuals/wq24v1.jpg
here.. and this obviously depends on the RO system you buy.
but like I said, add DI of any kind and those numbers will all be closer to or at 99% or better.
I wonder if heavy planting might help..of course that opens another can o worms.there are plants that are nitrate sponges(if legal in your state) elodea, cabomba, wisteria all feed from the water column.
I have them and it's had to keep the nitrates above 10(too little and algae can get the upper hand on your tank)
aso if you run RO you will have to add buffers ..this also allows you to control your pH.
you will need light CO2 and ferts but with the nitrates high you won't need to add nitrogen.
cabomba likes light but if it's floated you can get by with less light. 2 wpg(watts per gallon) try to keep the light(daylight) bulbs usually 5000-10000 K
elodea is aka anacharis with the right light this plant grows like crazy.
you may still need to use something to drop the nitrates a bit if they are that high..for the sake of the fish.
cabomba likes light but if it's floated you can get by with less light. 2 wpg(watts per gallon) try to keep the light(daylight) bulbs usually 5000-10000 K
elodea is aka anacharis with the right light this plant grows like crazy.
you may still need to use something to drop the nitrates a bit if they are that high..for the sake of the fish.
I dunno, I think 150+ Nitrates are a bit too high for most plants to manage unless he turns it into ah eavily planted tank.
and yeah, the aquarium pharma tapwater filter is basically a DI filter with a carbon prefilter. That little filter can actually filter more than a reverse osmosis system (exception with bacteria, it wont touch bacteria, viruses or algae), the problem is that it runs out very very quickly if your water has a lot of pollutants. I got 15G with one $20 filter.. but attaching it to the RO filter makes my water ultrapure, close to 99.9% contaminate free in every catagory.
and yeah, the aquarium pharma tapwater filter is basically a DI filter with a carbon prefilter. That little filter can actually filter more than a reverse osmosis system (exception with bacteria, it wont touch bacteria, viruses or algae), the problem is that it runs out very very quickly if your water has a lot of pollutants. I got 15G with one $20 filter.. but attaching it to the RO filter makes my water ultrapure, close to 99.9% contaminate free in every catagory.