So when is RODI really needed?

[Slayer33]

I live in Calgary AB Canada, we supposedly have great water here for keeping marine/reef tanks.

I only started in this hobby last Christmas with a Fluval EVO 13.5.. I soley used tap water and Aquaforest Reef Salt.. no major issues and tank is still going strong.

I picked up a 60 gallon tank with a 30 gallon sump a few months ago, but I switched to RO water with this one, same aquaforest reef salt.

I've been picking up the RO water from my LFS, but lately I've decided that carrying 15 gallons of of water and spending $7.50 each time is a b!tch.

I was given a RO unit when I bought the big tank.. its a WATTS Premier WP-4V 4 stage unit.. I have the manuals etc and was going to hook it up later this week.

But.. I have been reading that RODI is the way to go. So I've been looking at RODI units instead.. after some thinking is it worth getting RO with the DI? Doesn't the DI just strip all things out of the water and then I'll have to dose again to add these things back in?

A quick search tells me that the water here in my city is around 100-200 TDS. depends on which part of the city you're in, I live in the area where its lower.

I want whats best for the fish and my corals.. just looking for some honest truth in all this.

 

[outy]

If you want coral, ro/di is a must period.

 

[Cheapreef]

Just grab a DI canister/cartridge and resin and add it to your 4 stage. It's what I use, you really want 0 TDS. And you'd want to start your rank with saltwater made with RODI and use it for all top off and WC mixing.

 

[Slayer33]

If you want coral, ro/di is a must period.

This doesn't help. I've successfully kept and grown corals with tap water..

 

[Slayer33]

Just grab a DI canister/cartridge and resin and add it to your 4 stage. It's what I use, you really want 0 TDS. And you'd want to start your rank with saltwater made with RODI and use it for all top off and WC mixing.

So.. if I am going to do this I'd rather just get a new RO/DI unit.. there's some good deals out there seeing as Black Friday is this weekend. Then I can get one with a built in TDS.

My concern is that if I go RODI will I end up buying a dozen bottles of chemicals to dose the water to get back the good minerals etc.???

I can get a Spectrapure RODI with TDS 90GPD or a Vertex Puratek RODI 4 stage for around $220..

 

[ROB2005]

This doesn't help. I've successfully kept and grown corals with tap water..

Do you know the condition of your tap? Chlorine, chloramine, copper, etc? RO/DI helps to purify water, to minimize nuisance problems down the road.

 

[Slayer33]

I don't know.. but so far no issues.. but I am using RO water from my LFS.. all I know is ppl here in my area say the water is very good quality.. top 5 in North America supposedly..

 

[outy]

This doesn't help. I've successfully kept and grown corals with tap water..

Don't be stubborn, you need an RO/DI unit period, its not up for debate.

And you have not done this long term. Get an RO/DI unit.

I doubt your water is better then mine and I need one. Few here have ever had water below 27ppm.

 

[outy]

My concern is that if I go RODI will I end up buying a dozen bottles of chemicals to dose the water to get back the good minerals etc.???

.

No your salt mix has everything needed. You don't need to add anything provided you buy good salt. Yours seems fine

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

RODI only need supplementation for Freshwater NOT salt.
Can't go wrong with Spectrapure or Buckeye Hydro both sponsors here on RC.

 

[Slayer33]

No your salt mix has everything needed. You don't need to add anything provided you buy good salt. Yours seems fine

Not meaning to come off as stubborn, just wanted to know what I'm getting into with treated water.. I was all pro going for a RO/DI but I'm just relaying what the guy at this shop told me and he put me off buying one today.

His experience was he has an RODI and now runs and extra carbon in the DI camber instead so only an RO unit. He said RODI strips everything out and then you have to buy more supplements to make up for it all.. made me feel like I was getting in over my head.

 

[Cheapreef]

Not meaning to come off as stubborn, just wanted to know what I'm getting into with treated water.. I was all pro going for a RO/DI but I'm just relaying what the guy at this shop told me and he put me off buying one today.

His experience was he has an RODI and now runs and extra carbon in the DI camber instead so only an RO unit. He said RODI strips everything out and then you have to buy more supplements to make up for it all.. made me feel like I was getting in over my head.

Wrong as stated any quality salt mix will add back in whatever the tank needs. Yout LFS is obviously being cheap as the resin is the first thing to need replacing . Which one do you go to down there? I'm in Edmonton BTW.

 

[Slayer33]

Wrong as stated any quality salt mix will add back in whatever the tank needs. Yout LFS is obviously being cheap as the resin is the first thing to need replacing . Which one do you go to down there? I'm in Edmonton BTW.

I was at Concepts Aquarium, I went there to get ATI bulbs since they are building my custom sump.

I don't see why he was being cheap.. you'd think you'd just make the sale in that scenario.. but who knows.

 

[Slayer33]

I'm considering ordering online.. reefsupplies has a Spectrapure CSPDI 90 GPD RO/DI 4 stage unit with TDS meter for $230CAD...

Is that a decent one?

 

[outy]

Not meaning to come off as stubborn, just wanted to know what I'm getting into with treated water.. I was all pro going for a RO/DI but I'm just relaying what the guy at this shop told me and he put me off buying one today.

His experience was he has an RODI and now runs and extra carbon in the DI camber instead so only an RO unit. He said RODI strips everything out and then you have to buy more supplements to make up for it all.. made me feel like I was getting in over my head.

Guy is an idiot, don't listen to a word he says. I'm almost 30 years in and sell coral.

If you want to do this long term get one, and know what you have not guess. This is a terrible hobby to guess in.

The good thing is, if your water is as good as you think, your membrane and DI will last a long long time.

 

[outy]

The whole idea about having zero TDS is all the elements in your salt are added to it.

You run carbon before your membrane, never after, that is sheer stupidity on his part.

It goes like this. 5 micron prefilter----5 micron carbon---5 micron carbon--membrane--DI resin.

 

[Xxero]

You can get a 4 stage 75 GPD RO/DI unit with flush valve and built in TDS meter from Bulk Reef Supply right now for $161.49.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/4-stage-75gpd-plus-ro-di-system-bulk-reef-supply.html

I've had mine for a couple of years now, and I love it. The replacement filter/resin kits are easy to install and virtually idiot proof.

Most LFS that I have run into only use RO water because they sell freshwater fish as well as saltwater. They're not being cheap, they're catering to the freshwater hobby.

 

[alton]

RO/DI is insurance on getting quality water. Have your water tested and see if there are any bad things that would affect an aquarium. TDS has nothing to do with the quality of water. Here in San Antonio pumping water from the Aquifer, the TDS is over 400 because of the limestone that filters it adding a bunch of calcium and other items that makes the water very hard. The only thing you have to worry about is the piping that brings the water to your home and what the water district places in the water. At my old office the tap water read 5 to 10 ppm of nitrates due to the very old plumbing and city water lines. My water at my house has a TDS reading of only 100ppm but most days smells like sewer water because of the distance it runs to get from the wells to my house, plus the over charge of Chloramines added to it.

 

[vinstr]

I have to agree with outy on this one. I used to think the same thing as Slayer and thought I had ggod water and even just use RO without DI...worked for awhile but eventually developed hair algae, bubble algae and other nuisance junk...that stuff took forever to get rid of and never compeletely went away until I started using RO/DI.

I am setting up a new reef now and just bought a new RO/DI to start with perfect water. Strips everything out and the salt mix adds back in exactly only what you need and in the right proportions. The guy in the LFS who gave you that info is wrong. Do it right from the start and will be happy....

Also, I bought the new Twist-OFF RO/DI from AquaticLife with Twist in cartridges. The only thing I hated was changing the RO/DI cartridges with that plastic tool and this makes it much easier (although cartridges are a little more expensive, the no hassle is so much worth it IMO)

 

[Slayer33]

I have to agree with outy on this one. I used to think the same thing as Slayer and thought I had ggod water and even just use RO without DI...worked for awhile but eventually developed hair algae, bubble algae and other nuisance junk...that stuff took forever to get rid of and never compeletely went away until I started using RO/DI.

I am setting up a new reef now and just bought a new RO/DI to start with perfect water. Strips everything out and the salt mix adds back in exactly only what you need and in the right proportions. The guy in the LFS who gave you that info is wrong. Do it right from the start and will be happy....

Also, I bought the new Twist-OFF RO/DI from AquaticLife with Twist in cartridges. The only thing I hated was changing the RO/DI cartridges with that plastic tool and this makes it much easier (although cartridges are a little more expensive, the no hassle is so much worth it IMO)

How does the aquaticLife twist in work for you? I can get an RO/DI one from my LFS for $120. only 50GPD but that's enough for me. Does the cost of replacing the cartridges end up costing a lot more in the long run?