TAP WATER FILTER Vs RO/DI

[rwm555]

I'm currently using a tap water filter for my water changes instead of RO water. Is it OK to start or should I invest in an RO/DI filter?

 

[LTCrunch]

Definetly invest in a RO/DI unit. Most tap water filters (such as Pur, or Brita) are really only good for trace amounts of metals, chlorine, contaminents. RO/DI is much more effective and will really save you alot of headaches because of poor water quality

 

[rwm555]

I'm using an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals model from Dr Foster.

 

[aquaman67]

What you're using is just a DI.

The RO part of a RO/DI mechanically strains out many of the contaminates in our tap water. It makes the DI last much longer.

The better the RO membrane the more it will strain out and the longer your DI resin will last.

 

[rwm555]

It's an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter. It has a big filter cartridge that turns from green to purple. When it's all purple, the directions say to replace the filter

 

[AZDesertRat]

You will probably get about 15 to 25 gallons of decent water out of the tap water filter before it is exhausted, a TDS meter will confirm this. Color changing DI resins are not an accurate measure of condition. Do you have any idea at all what you local water conditions are? I would check with someone local as ask what the TDS is, if its very high it may not even last 15 gallons.
Add up the cost of a few replacements and you have the cost of an RO/DI system in a hurry plus the RO/DI will probably make 300+ gallons of water before needing any attention at all and could possibly make two or three times that on one DI cartridge. The RO membrane is what removes 90-98% of the contaminants so you can picture how long DI by itself lasts.