Do you use the RO unit of the RO/DI

[reefnjunkie]

FWIW-this is the unit I have and for my soon to be no longer tank-when I go bigger I may need a larger unit-Not sure;

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/0PPM-Portable-50GPD-Reverse-Osmosis-DI-Filter-PO4B-50-/110619202622?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c16b143e

 

I just have not seen anything wrong with what I have to warrant spending the monies I see on all those other units-

 

Granted I did reefing for nearly 8 months before even knowing of this site and what is referred to as "sponsors" so I did not buy anything locally-I would buy groceries on line if I was in charge of shopping-(laugh)

[Rick]

FWIW-this is the unit I have and for my soon to be no longer tank-when I go bigger I may need a larger unit-Not sure;

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/0PPM-Portable-50GPD-Reverse-Osmosis-DI-Filter-PO4B-50-/110619202622?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c16b143e

 

I just have not seen anything wrong with what I have to warrant spending the monies I see on all those other units-

 

Granted I did reefing for nearly 8 months before even knowing of this site and what is referred to as "sponsors" so I did not buy anything locally-I would buy groceries on line if I was in charge of shopping-(laugh)

 

That looks almost identical to the one I use although mine didn't come from ebay. Works great for my place due to restrictions on what I can do to the plumbing.

[Isaac]

This time of year the TDS from the tap water goes up significantly. This will mean that your DI resin will burn out faster. I suggest using a digital TDS meter to monitor the output from your water filter. There are also different levels of quality for the DI resin available. I sell a very high quality resin by the pound if you need some.

 

Di resin will also remove Chlorine and Chloramine. So basically in the winter you will have to change the DI resin more to get the same results.

[Isaac]

Chloramine is also removed by carbon. Carbon is likely the media involved in a chloramine filter.

[grassi]

Here is the drinking water report for Portland:

http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?c=29551&a=244813

And this is the last report:

http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?c=29551&a=288659

Unfortunately they don't publish the results for chloramine residual (just chlorine).

 

But maybe there is a way you can test yourself for cheap. I've found this online, need to be tested: add Seachem Prime to a sample of your water. Then test it with your ammonia kit. It should detect ammonia because Prime will break chloramine into chlorine and ammonia. Who has a bottle of Prime?

 

Seems that has been like this since a long time here in pdx (adding chloramine ad the end of the process). So I suppose, as Isaac noted, that with a good quality carbon filter you can get rid of the most part of it.

[Harold B]

I'm in Portland and I have a BRS 5 stage standard w/TDS meter and in the 7 plus months i've had it I have never even seen 1 TDS on my meter from the RO membrane and I use it probably twice as much as a "normal" human would. I do however make sure to rinse the membrane often, but still running strong. However even though its always been at 0 Tds I have exhausted my DI resin once just about a month ago. Go figure.

[reefnjunkie]

I want to see FTS of the folks using tap water and the 3 that are syphoning from the toilet-

 

Please

[Mitchell]

I want to see FTS of the folks using tap water and the 3 that are syphoning from the toilet-

 

Please

 

Toilet water for water changes gutter water for top offs.

 

[NoobtoSalt]

FWIW-this is the unit I have and for my soon to be no longer tank-when I go bigger I may need a larger unit-Not sure;

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/0PPM-Portable-50GPD-Reverse-Osmosis-DI-Filter-PO4B-50-/110619202622?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c16b143e

 

I just have not seen anything wrong with what I have to warrant spending the monies I see on all those other units-

 

Granted I did reefing for nearly 8 months before even knowing of this site and what is referred to as "sponsors" so I did not buy anything locally-I would buy groceries on line if I was in charge of shopping-(laugh)

 

A few months back I bought the 150gpd unit from the same company. It's a 6 stage unit and it works great. Vancouver water coming in is around 160 out is 0-1 TDS.

[Mohaynow]

I want to see FTS of the folks using tap water and the 3 that are syphoning from the toilet-

 

Please

 

Here ya go. Sorry the glass isn't that clean, I have a real hard time keeping my hands dry.

 

 

Tap water, I add prime (very very little) to my tap water in a 5 gallon bucket and let it sit overnight befor I do any topping off. There is also a mj400 in there mixing it all the time. Here is a link to my tanks photobucket album if you want some closeups.

[reef165]

Eric ( CA2OR ) used to use tap water

[CA2OR]

Still do my top offs with tap

 

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

[CA2OR]

I want to see FTS of the folks using tap water and the 3 that are syphoning from the toilet-

 

Please

 

 

Here are the requested FTS's of "tap tanks"....no prime, no dosing....overstocking and over feeding only.....no sarcasm there and anyone who knows me knows its true.....ESPECIALLY Snowpunk.

 

60 cube

 

72 bowfront

 

36 cube

 

 

All the above was with tap water....can you see the horribly bad detrimental affects?

 

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

[NoobtoSalt]

Here are the requested FTS's of "tap tanks"

 

60 cube

 

72 bowfront

 

36 cube

 

 

All the above was with tap water....can you see the horribly bad detrimental affects?

 

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

Keep in mind that your tds isn't near as bad as others in the area. Plus you've had tank issues just like the rest of us with bad water..

 

I'm not sure what your tds is now since you've moved but if your still in beaverton I can't imagine it higher than 50-60 tds. I've seen bull run at 20 tds at SWF testing out of his tap.

[CA2OR]

True....but the only real issues were cyano blooms. My new set up will not only top off with tap but will get actual sun light as well. I know there will be a lot of algae but I am prepared. But to me there is no justification for the cost of ro/di. I only do water changes like every 3 months or so....and please keep in mind I only top off with tap

 

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[Emerald525]

Well when you think of the expense of losing really expensive corals because of poor water quality, an ro/di unit is a small price to pay really.

[tigerv503]

The answer is B

 

Most definitely B to get the lowest TDS.

 

Vin B.O.M "Blue Ocean Marines Inc."

[reefnjunkie]

When I first got into reefing, I dont know if there where RO/DI units that was back in like 1986-87 and skimmers where a block of wood ran off of the Tetra Luft pump-LOL

 

I used tap water and added Amquel which was used to remove Clorimine and "other stuff" it worked fine for the year or so I did tanks, but I got burned out having 4 tanks-It interfered with my main hobby of comsuming alcohol, playing pool and darts-(laugh)

 

I guess my statement should have been "let me see the toilet water tanks"

 

I know that the highest I have seen my tap water has been 16ppm, the reason I have an RO/DI unit is "the MAJORITY" of reefers use it and for 64.00 it seemed like a drop in the bucket-or is it 50 gallons down the drain (waste water)

 

I am not dogging tap water people-been there done that and I would bet with the technoogy with carbon, GFO, skimming, supplements etc in my area where the worst water I have seen is as I stated above, tap water would suffice-and there arepics above that prove that.

 

let me recant my request or revise it.....

 

Show me your toilet water tanks, and specificlly the ones that have the nice blue water-no need for atinics huh.

[grassi]

I want to see FTS of the folks using tap water and the 3 that are syphoning from the toilet-

 

Please

 

Reformulate the question:

 

I want to see FTS of Sps dominated tanks the folks using tap water and the 3 that are syphoning from the toilet-

(whistle)(laugh)

[ReeFit]

Reformulate the question:

 

I want to see FTS of Sps dominated tanks the folks using tap water and the 3 that are syphoning from the toilet-

(whistle)(laugh)

 

if i find out that brad does auto water changes every time he flushes the toilet....(threaten)

[jackaninny]

I started a previous thread on Bull Run / Portland water and chloromines. A few good links in there - http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19192&referrerid=6132

[CoralCrazy]

We use tap water but we are not on city. We run from a well. Our well has algae blooms twice a year and thats when I usually buy my water for the changes. Besides those two weeks out of the year we use the water out of the tap.

[Kimberlee]

I'd like to pop up on this as the person who learned a big lesson. I don't think the whole ro/di unit is necessary but some type of filtration should be used. I've been using tap for 7 months now w/ no problem, but as some pointed out a few months ago i'm living w/ the unknown and without direct control over my water supply, I was gambling every WC.

Now as much as I've put into this, it would devastate me if my tank crashed and I lost my fish family when I could easily prevent it w/ something as simple as better filtration. There seems to be a mid way point between no filtration and a ro/di unit. After this lesson the price is more than worth my piece of mind, which is already shaky at best

[Electrokate]

I've been using tap for years in both Olympia and Portland. Noticed the ammonia last august, called the city, bought Prime. Already complained about chloramine on another post so will not bore you. If someone wants to play with Prime I will bring a sample to the xmas party.

 

I do have cyano. Believe the ammonia additions were significantly contributing. Also, tap has some phosphate in it, PDX uses phosphate based buffers. The salt mix I was using doubled the phosphate. Do not have GFO reactors yet.

 

I am not going to use RO unless a zero waste unit comes out, might buy kati ani though. Hard to justify with spouse the need for RO/DI, a little cyano does not bother him, fish are spawning, coral growing, only losses due to jumping, rock falls and failure to quarantine for zoa pox. All of which were my fault.

 

So for now will use tap. Flame away! (:

 

Kate

[Electrokate]

Forgot to add: When I lived in Oly the next town over decided to flush their lines with extra chloramine. They may do this on schedule or after detecting a pathogen. That week the shop I worked at had a long parade of depressed former reef tank keepers come in and tell us how everything died after a water change. Also learned the amount of buffer and chlorine or chloramine is calculated based on how much makes it to the end of the line, so persons closer to the water treatment plant may get a higher dose than the one dechlor is calculated to neutralize. Whether or not that is true and standard I don't know, I tend to be a skeptic when certain people tell me things.

 

Bottom line is tap is not for everyone and requires testing. I probably would not use it at all if I had a job.

Kate