# Reverse Osmosis unit?



## KipperSarnie (24 Jul 2016)

New to modern Aquatics, a little knowledge is dangerous, I purchased a 4 stage RO unit, not happy with the flow I added another RO chamber that filtered the cleaning water from the first chamber, this reduced my waste water & upped the delivery of RO water.

So now I have a 5 chamber unit:
(1)  Sediment Filter
(2)  Carbon filter
(3)  Reverse Osmosis Membrane 75lt
(4)  Reverse Osmosis Membrane 120lt
(5)  DI resin

Now I have a little more knowledge, so I'm a little more dangerous, I wondered if I really needed complete OR water changes?
So
I've added two taps to bypass the RO Membranes so the water is only filtered (1, 2 & 5 sections)
This gives me the choice of full RO water or just filtered water!

I've not done a full analysis but here are the TDS readings:

Tap water:  226ppm
Filtered water:  44ppm
RO water:  09ppm

Your views please! 
Is it worth it?
Is there liable to be a problem because I'm missing something?


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## KipperSarnie (25 Jul 2016)

Follow up:
This morning I have swapped (3) & (4) around so that the 120lt membrane is the main membrane & therefore the 70lt membrane scavenges the waste from the 120lt.

Tap water:  227ppm
Filtered water:  11ppm
RO water:  5ppm

I'm due a water change today so I'll check these figures after it's run a while as zero ppm RO water at the moment eludes me which could be due to the residue water in the filters.


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## Nick16 (25 Jul 2016)

I personally wouldn't worry about achieving zero. Mine hits zero after a filter change but slowly creeps up. After a year it hits 10ppm and i change the filters again, just as a precaution. 

The main thing you are trying to achieve is to remove harmful metals and contaminants from the water and reduce hardness slightly. 

My CRS tank needed a TDS of about 120-140. My tap water was 330. A few PPM here and there isnt much to worry about as you will just re-mineralise (sp?) to the correct levels anyway. 

what are you trying to keep?


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## KipperSarnie (25 Jul 2016)

Originally Discus but having visited breeders & specialist I'm non to happy with what the breeders have done with this majestic fish so Discus will have to wait till I've converted the fish room & buy wild or near wild stock.
The alternative was always Chocolate Gourami & other Asian black water inhabitants, except I also have a love of Keyhole Cichlids so bang goes the geographical tank idea!!


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## Chrispowell (25 Jul 2016)

The flow on an RO filter is restricted by the flow restricter.

If you wanted more flow you could get a taller filter with larger pods running on 3/8 pipe..

I used to use a float valve to fill up a container and then shut the water off. I then drained the tank and pumped the Ro water into the tank


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## GHNelson (25 Jul 2016)

Hi
I have used RO in the past for a planted aquarium...not specifically for fish!
RO cannot be used neat.....it has to be remineralised in some form!
I cut the RO with tap water on a 3 to 1 unit ratio this was a good ratio for my needs!
Therefore you need to do some detective work regarding which parameters you would like to achieve!
Some information below!
 RO USE! 
hoggie


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## KipperSarnie (25 Jul 2016)

The last time I was big into fish, 30 years ago, I lived in Lancashire with it's soft water. I used to prepare water for my fish in half a dozen dustbins with added peat (Now a bad word)
Back in Kent with it's hard alkaline water I was told RO water mixed with tap water was the way to go but as the water supply here is not the best I decided to add the option of full RO filtered water or filtered water, bypassing the RO membranes as required.

My reasons behind adding the second membrane was not only to increase the flow of RO water but also to cut down on the waste water. I now produce far, far less waste water!


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## Daveslaney (25 Jul 2016)

Used ro in the past also,Wouldnt worry to much about a zero TDS dont think i every achieved it eitherThat was with a 300gpd unit.As been said you will need to cut it with tap water for use anyways.
Most Discus even high quality can be reared in tap water now days anyways.
If you want more ro production to waste water you need to look at boosting your incoming water pressure with a pump before your ro unit.


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## Nick16 (25 Jul 2016)

Dont cut it with tap water, defeats the whole point of having an RO unit. If you are trying to remove possible harmful substances from the tap water (metals etc), then why would you go and mix it with tap water afterwards? 

Just buy some remineralising powder to get your water back to the desired levels. shrimp keepers do it with ease. 
Can get KH or GH buffering powders (or both). 

My RO unit consistently sits at 3-5ppm unless the filters need changing, at those levels the water is great to drink too, so much more pleasant.


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## Daveslaney (25 Jul 2016)

Depends on the quantitys of ro your using i used to cut it with tapwater because i was using it to bring the tds levels down on a 6000 gal koi pond..


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## Nick16 (25 Jul 2016)

yes agreed, thats perfectly acceptable. 
On a fish tank i wouldnt recommend doing it though. Difficult tropical fish like discus are more fussy than Koi. For the sake of another 25 litres or so, its not worth risking!


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## Daveslaney (25 Jul 2016)

Our lass said it was fantastic to clean the windows with too.
Left em streak free.


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## GHNelson (25 Jul 2016)

Daveslaney said:


> Our lass said it was fantastic to clean the windows with too.
> Left em streak free.


 Very good!

Horses for Courses comes to mind.....just depends on your aquatic needs I suppose!......


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## Aqua360 (26 Jul 2016)

KipperSarnie said:


> Originally Discus but having visited breeders & specialist I'm non to happy with what the breeders have done with this majestic fish so Discus will have to wait till I've converted the fish room & buy wild or near wild stock.
> The alternative was always Chocolate Gourami & other Asian black water inhabitants, except I also have a love of Keyhole Cichlids so bang goes the geographical tank idea!!



Love keyholes, nice choice


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## Aqua360 (26 Jul 2016)

Nick16 said:


> Dont cut it with tap water, defeats the whole point of having an RO unit. If you are trying to remove possible harmful substances from the tap water (metals etc), then why would you go and mix it with tap water afterwards?
> 
> Just buy some remineralising powder to get your water back to the desired levels. shrimp keepers do it with ease.
> Can get KH or GH buffering powders (or both).
> ...



This interests me, do you really taste a difference? Is it healthy?


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## Nick16 (26 Jul 2016)

can taste a massive difference if you live in a hard water area. my tap was last recorded at over 300ppm!


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## Nelson (26 Jul 2016)

Aqua360 said:


> Is it healthy?


Don't think it is considered healthy anymore.
Quite the opposite.


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## Nick16 (26 Jul 2016)

Nelson said:


> Don't think it is considered healthy anymore.
> Quite the opposite.



Its not considered healthy really, but it does taste nicer with alot less calcium in it. Especially cups of tea!
Water that comes out of our taps in this modern age is perfectly fine anyway.


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## dw1305 (29 Jul 2016)

Hi all,





Nick16 said:


> Its not considered healthy really, but it does taste nicer with alot less calcium in it.


 Strange isn't it, I really like the taste of our tap water (about 17dKH and 600microS). It is from a deep limestone aquifer and really clean, but hard. 

To me soft water tastes like it is dissolving your tongue. 

cheers Darrel


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## Nick16 (29 Jul 2016)

practically chewing your water!


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## Andy Thurston (29 Jul 2016)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all, Strange isn't it, I really like the taste of our tap water (about 17dKH and 600microS). It is from a deep limestone aquifer and really clean, but hard.
> 
> To me soft water tastes like it is dissolving your tongue.
> 
> cheers Darrel


I'm the other way round. I grew up in an area with very soft water tds  was around 50ppm. now I live in a hard water area and the tap water tastes dirty


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