R/O units?

fishyshawn · 03-26-2006, 07:48 PM

Are R/O units a must for a reef aquarium or could i get by untill i can get some money without one??
Thanks

gwen_o_lyn · 03-26-2006, 08:00 PM

Welcome to TR Shawn

Yes, you do *NEED* an RO/DI unit for a reef aquarium. It's one of the most important pieces of equipment. However, you may be able to get by without one for a short amount of time, but eventually it will catch up to you once the hair algae starts to grow.

Tap water has "icky stuff" aka excess nutrients which causes you to have high phosphates and nitrates in your tank. Algae will feed off those excess nutrients and take over your tank and eat ur corals. You will notice many threads in this hobby about people trying to get rid of hair algae and using tap water is one of the primary causes of it.

I highly recommend getting one asap. FWIW, I went one year without one- it will vary for you depending on the quality of your tap water. But once it became a problem in my tank, I almost started losing corals- not pretty.

fishyshawn · 03-26-2006, 08:06 PM

would this help get rid of the ecess nuitrents
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...04+2032+113773

gwen_o_lyn · 03-26-2006, 08:09 PM

Don't waste your money.

You want something like this:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...1&N=2004&Nty=1

Many people get them off ebay for about $100.

fishyshawn · 03-26-2006, 08:18 PM

i knew that i was just wondering if that would work instead. I found a cheaper R/O unit on marine depot for about $110.
thanks

gwen_o_lyn · 03-26-2006, 08:20 PM

Make sure you are getting RO/DI and not just the RO unit

You want "the best" water going into your tank. It helps if you get one with a TDS meter too so u know when to change the filters.

***Rob*** · 03-26-2006, 10:19 PM

what gwen is saying is right on...
get the best you can afford.
here is the unit i have been using for more than 1.5 years (and many people i know use this unit)
AQUA-SAFE-100GPD-MAXIMUS

kj_yoda · 03-26-2006, 11:04 PM

I use the same system as Rob, just without the resevoir.

JR Aquatics · 03-26-2006, 11:41 PM

RO/DI Unit is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the reef hobby. If you can't afford on most local grocery stores carry units where you can fill 5 Gal bottles. Or you can purchase one on ebay, (like I did) just watch out for the crap. Mine was $120 Optima Automated Aquarium RO DI system, from H20Science.com. I have been very happy with it.

rogersoh · 03-27-2006, 12:08 AM

For me, being tight on budget. I get an DI unit instead of both RO and DI unit. However with just only the DI unit the operation cost would be higher as I will need to change the resin in the DI unit more frequent.

IMHO, it would better to purchase the RO DI system. The RO unit will remove most of the contaminant in the tap water while the DI unit will remove the rest.

Roger

fishyshawn · 03-27-2006, 01:53 PM

thanks for the the help
I'll look in to the one rob showed me
Thanks

Reefbaby · 03-27-2006, 03:40 PM

In addition to removing phosphates and nitrates with a RO/DI system, you're also removing silicates, which dinoflaggelates feed on and can cause an algae bloom.

***Rob*** · 03-27-2006, 04:35 PM

and mercury, iron, copper, and a whole list of chemicals, adn heavy metals...

Scott · 03-27-2006, 09:57 PM

Last month I bought the exact unit Rob posted, and I love it.

I am one of those that are trying to get rid of hair alage, because I was using tap water to begin with. it's starting to get better now.

If you can get an RO/DI unit by all means do.

kj_yoda · 03-27-2006, 10:30 PM

Scott... I am sure that you are happy with your RO/DI unit. As your experience has shown, buying water from your LFS doesn't hold a candle to your own RO/DI unit that you have contol over.