RO unit and peat moss quetions

[gabloo]

Hey guys,

I am planning to buy RO unit in the future for wild discus and breeding them. My budget is very low less than 200. Can you guys recommend decent brand and where to buy them? When comparing RO unit what should i look at? Also, what does GPD mean? Is 200 enough for decent Ro unit?
As of for now, i m trying to raise rams in my tank and thinking of giving a shot on peat moss. Where can i buy them?

Thanks

[Elite Aquaria]

gabloo,

Click Here (http://www.eliteaquaria.com/Discus_RO_Units_s/44.htm) to see the units that I carry. I would recommend the regular Typhoon for $149.99. The most important thing to look for is the membrane. Dow Chemical FimeTech is the best in the industry. Also look for an acid washed coconut shell carbon.

Good luck.

[TURQ64]

I'll skip the RO comment for now, but peat, although very good for water conditions, is fairly messy..If you are up to it, fine, but..my rams are huge, spawn regularly, and are in a tank that I use just RO and blackwater extract...much easier than peat, and the same results...I stilll use peat also, but being a retiree, I can put in the time required to cut down the mess..and in all honesty, I don't know why I still use it...Gary

[decula]

gabloo,

Click Here (http://www.eliteaquaria.com/Discus_RO_Units_s/44.htm) to see the units that I carry. I would recommend the regular Typhoon for $149.99. The most important thing to look for is the membrane. Dow Chemical FimeTech is the best in the industry. Also look for an acid washed coconut shell carbon.

Good luck.

The GPD part is Gallons Per Day. And be aware that an RO unit produces a lot of waste water. You can catch the waste and use it in the
yard. I took a look at Dan's suggested unit - wish I had seen it before. I paid more for one with 1 less stage. You'll be collecting the RO
water in something - I use 30 gallon plastic trash containers. Since it takes a while to get that 30 gallons, (7 hours at my water pressure)
you'll invariably leave it on overnight and discover you missed your timing (like I did this very morning) and have water on the floor.
But I think it's worth it here where our community uses well water that was even harmful to humans. :(
Another thing to know about RO filters is that the filter elements need to be replaced often. In my case,
about every 3-4 months.

Dan is a good guy and I trust him.

-dec

[Discus Origins]

If Dan can whip up something within your budget I would definitely add float valve shut off and inline TDS meter. It'll save you on floods and let you know when to change membrane/DI resin.

[gabloo]

What does DI stand for? Do i need RO/Di unit or just RO unit?

[TURQ64]

That'd be deionization.....I like the product, but it isn't necessary for clean water, just lower TDS.....

[Discus Origins]

Sorry didn't mean to throw a wrench in there lol. DI stands for deionizing and is an additional stage that has resin which will take out what RO doesn't. An RO only will give you between 8-15ppm with brand new membrane, adding DI will take it down to 0 ppm. Again if can keep within budget that is a good addition.

[jcardona1]

An RO only will give you between 8-15ppm with brand new membrane

But that depends on the TDS of your tap water right? My RO water is from 1-3ppm normally, when my tap TDS is in the 100s. The TDS has shot up to 300ppm, which then caused the TDS of the RO water to increase as well.

[gabloo]

If i can only get so much gallon a day, how do people do water change everyday. I don't have container to store water nor have room to keep one. Does RO unit needs to hard install on the wall? Is there a portable version?

[Discus Origins]

But that depends on the TDS of your tap water right? My RO water is from 1-3ppm normally, when my tap TDS is in the 100s. The TDS has shot up to 300ppm, which then caused the TDS of the RO water to increase as well.

Yes it can def fluctuate depending on tap TDS, that's why I gave that range. But even with a super high tap ppm a working RO membrane should still give you between 8-15ppm. It's time to change the membrane if your product starts going into the high 20s. That's where DI would be useful if RO is giving out over 20ppm with DI you'll still get product under 10ppm, giving you some extra time before having to replace membrane. I use approximately 70g of RO water everyday... I have to change my resin once a month and membrane every 3 months. My tap is about 160-180ppm.

[Discus Origins]

If i can only get so much gallon a day, how do people do water change everyday. I don't have container to store water nor have room to keep one. Does RO unit needs to hard install on the wall? Is there a portable version?

You're gonna have to figure out how to store the water, I use 35/50g plastic trash cans. The RO unit doesn't have to mount on wall, mine sits on my utility sink.

[jcardona1]

You're gonna have to figure out how to store the water, I use 35/50g plastic trash cans. The RO unit doesn't have to mount on wall, mine sits on my utility sink.

Same here. I use a 55g food-grade plastic barrel, plumbed with a float valve. I use 40-50g daily to every other day.

[TURQ64]

Me too....Six 55g barrels..switching to 2 275g totes this summer...no float valve, and yes, I flood the back room a lot!...

[gabloo]

How does people use Ro/Di unit without water storage.

[Sean Buehrle]

How does people use Ro/Di unit without water storage.

It would have to be a continuous drip i would imagine.

I just use a float valve in a 30 gal trashcan, the valve is adjustable so i just fill it the rest of the way with tap to get my desired tds.

Which brings me to the subject of deionization. Since im adding tap water to reach a higher tds there is no need for a di chamber.

Its very easy to do.
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[gabloo]

Ic, So from water store to tank, how do u do about it? I will be needing a water pump?

[TURQ64]

I store water in six 55g barrels, and transfer to tanks with a cheapo 49.00 transfer pump.......separate hose from my drain hose, so no cross contamination..hoses are cheap, pumps are cheap, Discus are not!..

[Sean Buehrle]

Ic, So from water store to tank, how do u do about it? I will be needing a water pump?

Yep a water pump. I got the biggest one I could afford, I hate standing around holding a hose.


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