| General Reef Discussion In this forum we discuss issues related to keeping marine and reef aquariums in a friendly flame-free environment. |
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05-20-2004, 06:00 PM
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#1
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shark bait
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: south of the north pole
Posts: 780
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water purification: cold sterilization?
i went to a lfs with my tds pocket probe and got 45 gls of water. i measured the water and it came to 210-220ppm. there method of filtering water is called "cold sterilzation" (neva-eva herd of dat!). normally, i can get <10ppm from my own ro unit, but it doesn't produce the volume i need. but i thought the ppm count was kinda high so i alerted the store clerk. we checked the tap water which was 260ppm. the store clerk notified the store manager, and the manager responded that that the water is filtered thru a 4 micron and 2 micron filters and is cold sterilized. he said it doesn't remove calcium and other benefitical minerals and doesn't change the alklinity, but it does remove metals and such.
so i'm curious... has anyone heard, or have an understanding of cold sterilization? why can't they just run a ro unit like the rest of the lfs?
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__________________
Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. -- Dale Carnegie
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
-- Terry Pratchett
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05-20-2004, 06:04 PM
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#2
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Future reefer (my boy)
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Wray, Colorado
Posts: 570
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I think he is full of hoooooey
__________________
----SEMPER FI----
"Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue" ---Admiral Nimitz (Navy) speaking of Marines in one of the bloodiest battles known to man
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05-20-2004, 06:52 PM
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#3
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Nucular Hermit
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Takoma Pk, MD
Posts: 2,172
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I have heard of cold sterilization of surgical equipment, but never water.
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Mike S.
65g acrylic tank with 520W PC
Basement Sump w/ EuroReef CS6-1
My TRT Blog
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05-20-2004, 07:43 PM
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#4
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Nothing to See Here
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Loganville Ga.
Posts: 2,520
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Isn't RO/DI cold sterilization? I think it is, there is no heat involved.
So his statment "cold sterilization" is true, his filters are bad!
I may be wrong
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05-20-2004, 07:56 PM
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#5
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Jaguar Shark
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: MA
Posts: 1,083
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This is the unit I use.
Takes out everything I dont want and leaves in everything I do want. Best part, NO WASTE WATER.
It's not hooooey at all.
It may not be water at its purest form but it is good enough for my reef, and again, NO WASTE WATER.
responsible reefkeeping
MAP
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05-20-2004, 08:35 PM
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#6
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Sodomy non sapiens
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: winder, Georgia USA
Posts: 714
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Seems kinda expensive compared to the $30 DI unit I use. FWIW I could care less about microbiological contamination of the reef tank as long as the Cu and Silica and other metals are removed.
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"Reasonable men adapt themselves to their environment; unreasonable men try to adapt their environment to themselves. Thus all progress is the result of the efforts of unreasonable men." -- George Bernard Shaw my tank
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05-20-2004, 08:42 PM
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#7
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Nucular Hermit
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Takoma Pk, MD
Posts: 2,172
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FWIW is not in the master acronym cheat sheet... what's it mean?
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Mike S.
65g acrylic tank with 520W PC
Basement Sump w/ EuroReef CS6-1
My TRT Blog
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05-20-2004, 08:43 PM
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#8
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Sodomy non sapiens
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: winder, Georgia USA
Posts: 714
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Sorry - For What Its Worth
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"Reasonable men adapt themselves to their environment; unreasonable men try to adapt their environment to themselves. Thus all progress is the result of the efforts of unreasonable men." -- George Bernard Shaw my tank
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05-20-2004, 09:55 PM
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#9
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Southeast MI
Posts: 680
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reefBoyDc
Quote:
Originally posted by reefBoyDc
FWIW is not in the master acronym cheat sheet... what's it mean?
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Try this Abbreviations List It's for the salt water hobby!
 oops I mean life style! not hobby 
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05-20-2004, 10:44 PM
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#10
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shark bait
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: south of the north pole
Posts: 780
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mapster, have you measured your water quality? do you know what your tds ppm is out of your kold filter?
__________________
Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. -- Dale Carnegie
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
-- Terry Pratchett
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05-20-2004, 11:39 PM
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#11
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Southeast MI
Posts: 680
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SouthernReefer
HERE'S Some more information on the kold filter. There are many others on RC just do a search on Kold Steril
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05-21-2004, 05:28 AM
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#12
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Master of Perplexity
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: panama city beach FL
Posts: 3,432
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Like jess, I'm not so interested in microbiological sterilization as I am removal of metals and undesirable ions. I noticed from the ad sheet that it didn't mention removing phosphate which the municipality here injects at over 1 ppm, and I'd dare them to try running their advertised amount of throughput with my hard as a rock water. An RO is a must for me, if I don't want to keep Rohm & Haas rich making DI resin for my demineralizer. Oh, and there's no wastwater from my RO unit, I run it into a soaker hose that water my roses and azaleas!
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05-21-2004, 07:27 AM
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#13
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Ron C.
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Burtonsville, Maryland
Posts: 70
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I've been using the Kold Ster-il system for over a year now and love it. I use the activated alumina - no phosphates, no silicates and no hair or other problem algae.
The literature does state that if your tap water is very high in phosphates, that you need to slow the flow rate.
Since it does not strip calcium, magnesium etc., don't worry about TDS numbers.
Ron |
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05-21-2004, 07:45 AM
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#14
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Sodomy non sapiens
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: winder, Georgia USA
Posts: 714
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Thanks for the info Ron, how much does it cost in media replacment and how do you tell if the media is depleted?
__________________
"Reasonable men adapt themselves to their environment; unreasonable men try to adapt their environment to themselves. Thus all progress is the result of the efforts of unreasonable men." -- George Bernard Shaw my tank
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05-21-2004, 08:24 AM
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#15
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Ron C.
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Burtonsville, Maryland
Posts: 70
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I've seen replacement sets on the net for $ 67.00- $ 87.00. I don't think that includes the alumina media which I think is about $ 30.00. I just got replacements form my LFS but, as usual, I got a lot of other things at the same time and don't remember the exact cost - I'll have to check that.
You can do one of two things as far as replacement intervals. You can check the phosphate and silicate levels of your tap water and then monitor the filtered output every few months. Or, hook up a flow meter or keep a record and monitor how many gallons you have used. When using the alumina, I think you can get roughly 1500+ gallons (I'll double check that when I get home and post the #), so even if you use 100 gallons a month, it will last over a year.
Ron
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