RO Unit vs. Whole House Filter

[YSS]

So ...... I am thinking about building an automatic drip water change system for my 265G. So started looking around for options.

I am on tap water, so need to treat the water. I have been thinking about getting an RO system for the tank and I think this would be a good opportunity to get one. Hooking up an RO unit to the drip system would be ideal, but I was also thinking about the whole house filter system. Is the RO system we typically buy for our tanks similar to the whole house filter system? I came across this one and it looks reasonable. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I would get the 4 ~ 6 bathrooms system.

http://www.pelicanwater.com/whole_ho...FcuZ4Aod9h4AxQ

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[Avatar]

On demand RO? Sure...

Assuming the product (of the system) is good, guess it comes down to what it takes to keep it functional as in the monthly burn rate after acquisition?

 

[verbal]

It looks like the whole house filter system does remove chlorine, but does not soften water.

 

[YSS]

It looks like the whole house filter system does remove chlorine, but does not soften water.

I think you are mostly right. It appears that the whole house filter performs the first two stages of a typical three stage RO unit. Does anyone know what gets filtered during the first two stages vs. the last stage?

 

[verbal]

I think you are mostly right. It appears that the whole house filter performs the first two stages of a typical three stage RO unit. Does anyone know what gets filtered during the first two stages vs. the last stage?

Sediment and chlorine are the first 2 stages in most RO systems. The 3rd or 4th(for 4 or 5 stage) is the RO membrane that removes the hardness.

 

[YSS]

Sediment and chlorine are the first 2 stages in most RO systems. The 3rd or 4th(for 4 or 5 stage) is the RO membrane that removes the hardness.

I see. If so, would there be any benefits to the fish if only sediment and chlorine/chloramine are removed vs. just treating the water with Prime?

 

[mdlnewman]

I would say it really depends on how nasty your tap water is. I use RO/DI for my reef to keep phosphate/nitrate down. My discus get straight from the tap. I would use the runoff from my ro/di but don't have space to hide another huge water container.

 

[samsmobb]

Yss, if you have been running tap water for your discus so far then this filter will basically do what you have been doing so far. As in remove chlorine but it was also remove some fine sediments. Your fish already in the tank are use to the other parameters straight from the tap. I would however try to find out how this system will affect your tap water. Usually the membrane does most of the work because it removes so much. All those fine particles removed change your ph and hardness and alkalinity drastically.