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where to get RO/DI water?
I heard this kind water all the time, do u need to buy and install a water filter in the kitchen to do it?
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Many sponsors on this site sell RO/DI units.
You can attach them to your faucet (bathroom or kitchen) inline (permanent) or have a faucet attachment (portable). Go on one of the vendor sites and check out what they have and some of the sites will explain the filters. Cheers, Vic |
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So supermarkets sell it........ but I would test the water......... you never know how often they change the filters.
for our water you can always get a simple DI unit. With out low TDS the DI will last a long time. Cheers, Vic |
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what does them looks like? what does the RO water look like in supermarkets? Thanks |
Look like you have just a normal drinking water filter. RO units have the water pass through an RO membrane.
In the super market look for where you get bottled water. They should have a machine that you can fill a container. Make sure it's RO water and not just filtered water. In the long run you may want to get an RO filter because of the cost of getting the water from the super market. You can get a pretty cheap RO unit for around $120. Cheers, Vic |
supermarkets sell RO water, some have bottled water, others have the actual filler, so you can fill your old bottles. But you never know how old the filters in the machine are.
Personally, the amount you pay for the bottles or filling your own would pay for your filtration unit in no time. Then you don't have to worry about buying it, just make as needed. |
+1 on this. I used supermarket water to get setup on my 28 Gal and it cost me $50 ! You then need several gallons every week for water changes etc. Before you know it, you'll be way over the cost of a simple RO filter system.
Be smart, buy one right up front and save your money. Oh, and the quality of supermarket water can very dramatically. You will quickly find that having your own system (where you can control the quality) is worth a LOT if you've got algae problems from bad water. |
There are tonnes of sites and webpages with this topic. You can search for making RO/DI water in google and you will find many sites with information.
I'll tell you what I know to summarize what I've read. It sounds like you're new to this. We filter water to make sure that it is as PURE AS POSSIBLE before we put it in our tanks. That way we can make sure there aren't any unwanted nutrients or things that may harm our tanks. From my experience the water in the lower mainland of Vancouver is extremely good. Especially in areas that are close to the water sheds or have access to Vancouver's new water filtration system (coming from Capilano and Seymour watersheds). Our TDS is quite often as low as 15-or 10 PPM (0 is ideal). You can get a DI (De-Ionization) filter which creates NO WASTE WATER for pretty cheap at J&L. Mine last about 12 months before I need to replace them ($35 for the replacement) For the ultimate in water purity you can get a Reverse Osmosis (or RO) filter. This pushes the water through some filters and a membrane to clean the water. The water that is "BAD" is discarded through a hose and down the drain. Many systems also put a DI (De-Ionization) filter that further cleans the water. This is how you end up with RO/DI water. (These filters cost about $150-$300 depending on the system) Then add salt and then add it to your aquarium. You can get RO water from the grocery store. I would test it just to make sure it is ok. As others have said, who knows how often they clean their filters. I've always used a DI filter. I will likely get a RO/DI filter soon as I have been looking into it. I'm not sure why. I'm always saying that our water here is so clean we don't really need it. But, I've been looking into it lately. Just for insurance. There you go. My long post which has postponed my inevitable list of house work to be done tonight. |
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will you please recommand a RO filter for me under 200 bucks? or do u think just use DI filter is enough,can u please post a link to the one you bought from JL? I am in North Burnaby and do u know how is the water quality? |
Water in the GVRD is supplied by 3 reservoirs so the water quality is quite similar. We get a TDS around 15-20ppm.
You can go RO and add the DI unit later or you can go with DI only. Check any of the vendors and you will find something under $200 that fits your needs. Cheers, Vic |
just snag one of these
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/ro...er+Filter.html I've used this for almost 8 years now with no issues whatsoever. for the small tank or the frugal enthusiast. |
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Is this a disposable unit? Very neat. |
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Be aware, however, that unlike a full out RO/DI unit this thing cannot deal with turbidity and particulate matter very well. I often found that its output slowed even before the DI beads were exhausted because its small foam filter pad was clogged. And unlike a modular RO/DI unit everything is in one single cartridge that you have to replace in one shot. I was also wary of the city injecting extra chlorine into the water after a heavy storm since it can ruin DI beads. On a full RO/DI unit you've got multiple layers of protection to deal with extra chlorine before it gets to the DI. On this unit all you've got is a thin layer of carbon, I think. I know that OA used only DI filtration for quite a while when they started up, so this is a good way to go until you upgrade to a bigger tank. |
they recently made some small improvements to the design, like thicker filter floss on both ends and slightly larger washers that seem to have resolved a lot of te issues with turbidity.
I actually use this thing for all my tanks...maybe 200 gallons in total and daisy chain 2 of them when the tds is up from the tap, which is rarely. Est this at about 5 gallons and hour...lol The replacement cartridges are http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/ro...Cartridge.html |
That is a neat little unit, I live in calgary and run to the store to get my water, but lately iv been slipping and not wanting to change the water as often. Do you think one of those would work with Calgary's water, or should i just pay the extra for a full RO unit.
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Sean........ I think RO/DI would work better for you because Calgary has harder water then Vancouver and you will be going through cartridges if DI quick.
Cheers, Vic |
Sounds good thanks!
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technically, this unit IS and RO/DI unit and I would be very surprised if it didn't give you a better tds reading than water from the store...
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I think what Vic means is that since the OP is in Calgary that has far higher TDS than Vancouver, the DI beads in the AP Tap Water Filter would exhaust far more quickly than on extremely soft Vancouver water. As a result, using that filter in Calgary would be less economical.
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chances are you'd still come out ahead over buying the H20 retail...
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I think Calgary averages 160ppm. Cheers, Vic |
filter change
How often do you have to change the filter of these Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter?
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It depends on how much you use them and the quality of your water. On super-soft Vancouver water, I usually got at least a couple hundred gallons before the beads changed colour.
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Township of Langley does yearly testing they post on their website, newest shown is 2009, but it gives a decent overview of the crap in your water.
ToL Water Report |
Has any one tried with water in Canadian Tire? they seem like RO water contains 0 minerals, for $4.99 you can 5 gallon. I only have a 34 gallon RSM so I think I'll change 5 gallon every 2 weeks, is that gonna be ok?
or does any one recommand water from super store or walmart? |
That works, but $10 a month is $120 over a year, so in 1 year you've pain for a half decent R/O unit.. and also don't have to go to canadian tire to get water. Lower startup cost though, and that's usualy the expencive part.
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when i have my 33 g, i survive by using DI tap water filter good for few months use.. but if you are planning to get bigger invest on a used or new RO/DI units less hassle in the end..:lol:
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sems like you would need to consider that cost per month as well IMO... |
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It comes down to how the staff are maintaining their filters and this is not subject to store names...so your experience at each location could vary greatly. Buy a TDS meter, they actually sell them pretty cheap at canadian tire...lol and just test yourself before you buy. |
I'd also suggest getting a TDS meter. Much better at figuring out if you need to change your cartridge or not.
Also, from a water conservation standpoint. I like the DI unit because it doesn't produce any waste water. We have very low TDS so I'm sticking to my DI for a while. I've actually budgeted for a BRS RO/DI unit but I'm still deciding if I want to create waste water that just gets dumped... it makes me feel bad.. I get a TDS as low as 8ppm.. most days it is about 14 or 15. I'm about 2 kms from the Coquitlam watershed so I'm lucky that way... |
call me at 604-908-6009 for free RO/DI water.
Cheers, Romin |
FREE water
I hope this 2nd message finds you.
You can pick up your FREE RO/DI water from me. COQUITLAM. Call me at 604-908-6009 anytime after 9:30 AM. Romin |
I've been using Vancouver's tap water for quite some time now and I have no algae and my SPS have better colour than when I bought them. I wouldn't worry about an RO/DI to be honest.
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