water purification: cold sterilization?

[mapster]

I was worried about the phosphates, but it does remove them. I use a slower flow rate than the 4gpm (which is another bonus) and have pretty high levels in my tap water.

Like N38M said the filters last a long time.

Great unit highly recommended

[reefBoyDc]

Is the water the Kold filter makes better than water form a Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water DI? I guess the point of this thing is that it LEAVES certain things in the water, huh?

[SouthernReefer]

thanks for the responces! i think i would much prefer ro water over cold-sterilzed water. i just don't like the high ppm count that its giving.

[N38MD]

It's going to show high PPM because it is not removing Calcium, Mag. and other good minerals, which are dissolved solids!
A low TDS reading doesn't mean that the water is low in "bad stuff", such as polyphosphates (which are used in municipal water treatment) and pesticides, rather it's only telling you that it's low in minerals.
Let it go man, let it go

Ok, I'm waiting for someone like Tom to chime in and tell me I'm full of it and make me eat my words, but I think I'm correct on this.

Ron

[jesspaul]

Moderator, Can we throw this thread over in the think tank and get some more input? I sure would like a 4gpm flow rate and no wasted water.

[Mafiaman]

Thers is also this thing that I would like to hear about.
http://www.aquariumwaterfilters.com/...meatePump.html

A permeate pump

[mapster]

Yes, like N38MD said, you have to ignore the TDS reading, its the wrong tool in this case.

[SouthernReefer]

well, my thinking is that i am using this to run my kalkwasser and buffering as well. and would prefer not to use this type of water for that. that's all. i'm letting it go......

[mapster]

I'm not sure what you mean by "this type of water".

I used this water to fill my tank, water changes, top off, kalk, etc. It is extreemly clean water and perfectly suitable for reef aquariums.

I never understood RO water. I would rather use the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water DI mentioned earlier in this thread. Why unnecessarily waste so much water?

Dont mean to sound combative or defensive, just my opinion.

MAP

[mapster]

Now I feel like I over reacted.

Sorry, wasn't my intent

[yardboy]

An RO membrane is used as an adjunct to a demineralization bed for production of ultra-pure water. They work particularly well with dirty source water (such as mine, which is high in phosphate, silica, iron and other metals, calcium, manganese, radium, hydrogen sulfide, etc.) with the RO removing the bulk of the contaminents and the DI "polishing" out the rest. These type units are used on an industrial scale to produce makeup water at power plants, computer manuacturing firms, pharmaceutical firms, and others. They produce ultra-pure water, as inexpensively as it can be done. Granted, in these size units, they fastflush and chemically clean the RO membranes, and regenerate the DI resins to make the process cheaper. Occasionally ultra-filtration is used in certain applications, but the power consumed by the high pressure pumps necessary to push any appreciable amount of water through these systems makes it prohibitively expensive except in special applications. "Cold-Sterilization" is highly unlikely to be classified as "ultra-filtration". From my reading of their ad sheets, it's simply a low-micron flter, but they don't even state what it is, and with the flow rates advertised, it is unlikely to be sub-micron. As for the alumina modules for removing phosphates, it certainly is not as efficient as a good quality DI resin, and probably more expensive gallon for gallon.
The main thing here is quality of source water. Water from a deep soft aquifer low in minerals could be used "as-is" in a reef aquaium with no problems. But all water is not the same, and if I tried that with my source from the tap here in the Panhandle of Florida, I'd have a tank crash very soon, if I ever got it going in the first place. I've seen tanks where the owners used tap water exclusively, and they were not pretty.
Know your water source, and use that as a guide to your water purification strategy.
As for water being wasted from an RO, I know of at least two ways to eliminate the bulk of that "waste": hook up a second RO to the waste line of the first and double your permeate flow, or rather halve your waste, or do as I do, and run the waste water to things you'd be watering anyway, as mine runs to a soaker hose that waters my roses and azaleas.
The last question was about a permeate pump. The water coming out of the RO is suitable for drinking, having removed most of the objectionable contaminants. This water can be sent to a pressurized tank for drinking water. Unfortunately, pressurizing the permeate flow decreases the efficiency of the RO, increasing waste flow. A permeate pump boosts the flow into the pressurized tank, decreasing "backpressure" on the RO membrane.

[mapster]

Good post Yardboy and good point about knowing your water source, and useing that as a guide to your water purification strategy.

[salt creepette]

(I am just relieved to hear that the 'high' TDS reading isnt necessarily a bad thing, since I happen to WORK at that LFS southernreefer mentioned!)

(and also cuz I used that water in MY tank before I got my own RO!)

[SouthernReefer]

its ok erin..... i won't hold that against you there's an alpine glacier water despensor machine at the local grocery store across the street from where i live. i've been using that recently with good results. i just decided to get some water from your lfs since i was stopping by to drop of the shrooms.

[SouthernReefer]

and you all made good points for the cold sterilization method since it doesn't produce the waste water like an ro unit. but the machine where i normally would get my water is ro/charcoal filtered and uv'd, so i know its good stuff, i tds checked it before and got 0 reading. maybe i should design a cheap distiller, market it, and become rich!