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Are There Any Disadvantages In Using Reverse Osmosis Water?

March 10, 2009

Marine aquarists, particularly those running a reef aquarium, in the main tend to avoid the use of tap water. This is because tap water quality varies quite a lot depending on where the aquarist lives.

In agricultural and/or industrial areas the water may be affected by nitrates, pesticides, heavy metals and the like. In addition bacteria, viruses and spores (example fungal) could be present though these are much more unlikely.

Water authorities have to be sure that the water is safe for human consumption and therefore abide by standards set down for the maximum amount of any substance that can be present. In addition after treatment the water is kept clean by the use of chlorine. Chlorine also helps keep the delivery pipe work clear of bacteria etc. Chloramines are sometimes used on occasion, when a controlled amount is pumped through the pipes for cleansing. In some areas fluoride is mixed into the water as it is said (not without argument) that it is good for teeth.

The tap water may be fine for us humans but we don’t want any of the ‘extras’ in our aquarium seawater. What we want is seawater that is as pure and natural as possible. Dry sea salt is not cheap and it is not logical to pollute the carefully balanced mix with ‘polluted’ tap water.

95%+ pure fresh water from the tap is achieved by using a reverse osmosis (RO) unit. There are other ways but the RO unit is probably the best way for aquarists. Tap water pressure is used to force water through a sediment filter (this is not always present), then a carbon filter where chlorine is removed (chlorine is very detrimental to the next stage), then through a membrane where very nearly only pure water can pass, unwanted substances cannot. Some RO units also incorporate a final cleaning stage using exchange resins, where any final pollutants are removed. This final stage is not absolutely necessary.

So that’s the answer for the aquarist wanting to mix the highest quality seawater, use an RO unit.

Hang on a minute though, there’s usually some kind of disadvantage.

There is and with the RO unit it isn’t really cost as it can be with some equipment. RO units that are well made and functional are available at reasonable prices. It isn’t locating the equipment either as an RO unit can be hidden away in a cupboard close to an incoming water main, placed under the sink, in fact placed anywhere as long as a mains water supply is within reach and there is space available for a collection bucket. There isn’t a cost disadvantage in using the RO unit as with heaters or metal halide lights as they are not electrically driven. Maintenance is usually wide spaced and not a problem (maintenance requirements are subject to the amount of water passed through the unit and the condition of the tap water before treatment).

The disadvantage with the RO unit is linked to performance. This isn’t to say that they are inefficient, far from it, at least as far as the quality of the useable water is concerned. It is the water that is unusable that is the disadvantage.

When an RO unit is connected to the mains water it produces two outputs. One is the purified water (the permeate) that the aquarist collects to use in new salt water mixes and for evaporation top-ups. The other is the unwanted water (the concentrate) that contains all the impurities (solutes) that could not pass through the membrane. The ratio of concentrate to permeate is about 4 to 1. In other words, for every 4 gallons of unusable concentrate there is 1 gallon of useable purified water.

Some aquarists are not too keen on this ‘waste’. However, it is a straightforward exercise to arrange collection of the concentrate in a larger container. The container need not be of high (food) standard as the water inside will not be used for any human or aquarium related purpose. It could be used when needed in a garden for watering, as an example. With a small aquarium the required amount of purified water and therefore waste water may not be seen as a problem, but with a much larger one it depends on the attitude of the aquarist.

The advantages of using purified water from an RO unit for marine aquarium purposes have I think been well demonstrated.

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Aquarium Water Is Just Water Right – Wrong!

August 19, 2008

When keeping an aquarium – be this coldwater, freshwater, marine etc then there is one thing you are definitely going to need other than the aquarium – water!

Sound obvious doesn’t it?

Well let’s face it if we don’t put water in the aquarium nothing is going to survive is it – it’s not as if you can fill it with custard!

But water is just water – isn’t it?

The answer to this is both yes and no. It is correct that water is just water in the sense that it is wet however the substances which is in the water is what makes the water we want to use in our marine aquariums different.

In home water various additional substances are added to it in order to make it safe for human consumption and also various other aspects which get into the water by, for example, agricultural practice (phosphates, pesticides, nitrate etc).

It is for this very reason that the majority of aquarists use reverse osmosis water.

There are various other techniques which people also use – natural sea water, deionised water etc, however normally reverse osmosis is the water of choice for the majority of saltwater aquarists.

So what is reverse osmosis?

Basically a reverse osmosis unit is a device which is attached to the home water supply and this water is then pushed through a semi permeable membrane with pores so small that only water will pass through. It then also passes through other chambers where the majority of other substances are removed.

Generally the reverse osmosis process is 95% or higher in efficiency. The end result of the reverse osmosis process if water which is safe for aquarists to use in their saltwater aquariums.

There are a couple of things which need to be noted about a reverse osmosis unit however.

The first is the waste that a reverse osmosis system creates. For every five gallons of water pushed through a reverse osmosis unit, normally 4 gallons or so will go to waste. There are various factors which reduce the wastage in a reverse osmosis unit, the main one being the amount of calcium in your tap water. It has been noted that aquarists with soft tap water get a higher volume of usable water to waste ratio than those with hard water.

The second is chlorine. Chlorine is harmful to the membrane which is at the heart of the reverse osmosis unit. For this reason activated carbon chambers are provided for the tap water to pass through before the membrane is reached. These are normally called pre-filters or micro-filters. This pre-filter does require changing based upon the manufacturers recommendations. I recommend that you adhere to these recommendations as replacing the membrane will cost more. In a lot of instances, dependent upon the make and model of reverse osmosis unit purchased it is sometimes more cost effective to purchase a completely new unit.

The third is that the reverse osmosis membrane must constantly remain wet. If the membrane is allowed to dry out then it will become brittle and not function correctly. If this is allowed to happen all you will effectively be doing in sieving the water not purifying it.

Reverse Osmosis devices can be purchased nowadays for very reasonable prices and are available in numerous sizes. Size is normally determined in how much water is processed per hour, therefore a 50gph unit will create 50 gallons of reverse osmosis water per hour when used in optimal conditions.

It is definitely worthwhile investing in a reverse osmosis unit if you have a larger aquarium as the initial water fill and subsequent water changes will require more water, however for aquarists who have smaller aquariums it may not be cost effective to purchase a unit. Fortunately a lot of pet shops are now selling reverse osmosis water so if you have a smaller aquarium then it might actually be cheaper to simply purchase you water from your local fish shop.

As with anything in this hobby the unit does need to be maintained. It does not require a lot of maintenance but the pre-filter on the device does need to be changed at regular intervals. This is normally determined by the manufacturer and I would recommend that you follow their recommendations.

Another thing that I normally do is occasionally test the water from the r/o unit. I test both for nitrate and phosphate to ensure that the unit is running at optimum efficiency.

Another method which aquarists use is to test for total dissolved solids. Meters can be used for this which you can use to test the water produced. You can also purchase inline TDS meters which attach to the reverse osmosis unit. Some reverse osmosis units have these devices fitted.

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Why You Should Use Reverse Osmosis Water

June 20, 2008

Fresh water is used constantly by the marine aquarist, first when the aquarium is initially filled and then for ongoing routine water changes. Of course, an appropriate amount of dry salt mix is added. Fresh water is also used for evaporation top-ups.

On the face of it using tap water seems reasonable – but is it?

Tap water is prepared for human use, and is safe: children and adults use it for drinking, cleaning teeth, showering etc. There are regulations about the minimum condition the tap water should be in, and the water authorities adhere to this. But…

Tap water has levels of nitrate, phosphate, insecticides, heavy metals, chlorine, chloramines etc that the marine aquarist could well do without. In other words, tap water isn’t just pure water. The unwanted parts vary according to area. Some agricultural areas could have higher nitrate and insecticides etc, and other areas could well have higher levels of heavy metals and the like. Water companies tend to add chlorine and chloramines as a matter of course.

Seawater quality is very important in a reef system and also in a fish only system. By using tap water the aquarist is adding items that are known to be a potential problem – nitrate is an obvious example. There is a method that is easy to use and solves the ‘contamination’ problem easily.

This is the reverse osmosis (R/O) method. This is were a filter, the R/O unit, is connected to the tap water supply, the tap water slowly flows through the filter, and the purified water is collected in a bucket. It really is as simple as that.

Reverse osmosis filters come in a range of sizes, with varying outputs. The output is often given as gallons per day, and the aquarist needs to choose one that will produce enough water for a routine water change (the initial fill of the aquarium is usually ignored as this will normally only be done once. R/O water should be used though).

The filter has stages, and the first is normally anti-sediment, which protects the later stages from clogging. Then comes an activated carbon stage, where chlorine is removed from the water. This removal is important as chlorine degrades and eventually could spoil the R/O membrane. The R/O membrane is the final stage- the membrane is very fine, measured in microns, and will only allow pure water to pass. Once the water has gone through these three stages it will usually be 95 to 98% pure.

Some R/O filters have a fourth stage, where the purified water goes through a special granular mixture. This gives the water a final clean. The fourth stage is not essential, but it does further increase the purity of the water.

Not all the tap water that reaches the filter will be purified, about one part in five is. There is some small variation on this. The water that gets to the storage bucket is ready for use, but the other four fifths or so is discarded along with unwanted contaminants. This latter water could be collected for use in a garden or similar if wanted.

The purified water that is in the collection bucket is ready for salt to be added to prepare a routine water change, or for use as a top-up to replace aquarium evaporated water.

There is a further reason why R/O water should be used, and that is to do with the dry salt that most aquarists use. Commercial salts nowadays are of a very high standard because the manufacturers make every effort to produce a properly balanced mix without contaminants. In fact, many manufacturers trumpet this fact by adding wording to the salt pack such as ’No Nitrates, No Phosphates’ or similar. So why add contaminants by using tap water and negate, even partially, the purity of the salt?

R/O filters do not cost a lot and are readily available. All they require is a tap water supply and normal mains pressure. The manufacturer’s advice on maintenance, which doesn’t amount to much, should be followed.

By using R/O water the aquarist is ensuring as far as possible that the water that is put in the aquarium is of the highest quality, and it is highly recommended.

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Water Movement In The Display Aquarium

April 15, 2008

Both the reef aquarium and fish only aquarium have certain demands that are very important. Top of the list is water quality, followed by lighting (for a reef anyway).

Water quality is of course measured, and for both types of aquarium the four basics are the same – ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. With the reef the list is extended, taking into account for example alkalinity, calcium, magnesium etc.

Water quality is more than measurement however. Though a personal thing, I count water movement as part of quality. Water movement brings oxygen and food to corals, and helps removes dirt and mucus from them. It ensures fish have sufficient oxygen, and also makes them feel more ‘at home.‘ It also oxygenates a reef and assists in keeping it clean. The seawater is ‘clean’ and freshened in all parts of the aquarium. With good water movement the very important gas exchange is achieved – water is continually delivered to the surface to re-oxygenate.

Plenty has been written on this subject, and on this website, already about water movement and its creation. The methods are generally straightforward.

However, I suspect that many aquarists, particularly newcomers, look at water movement as circles. There’s the aquarium, and the guideline suggests water movement of, say, 10x the net gallonage per hour. Easy! Get a couple of powerheads which pump that amount of water, or somewhere near, and the job is done.

If suggestions have been understood, the powerheads are placed strategically to create chaotic and random water movement. Still well and good.

It is thinking ‘in circles’ though. Perhaps it would be better to say thinking ‘horizontally.’ No matter how carefully the powerheads have been placed the seawater cannot possibly reach all parts of the aquarium with good movement. All aquariums have quiet areas where corals that prefer calm can dwell.

So the aquarium is equipped with what seems to be sufficient power to move the water. Probably it is.

What about the ‘vertical’? No, I don’t actually mean pump water vertically in the aquarium, I mean deliver water low down from higher up. What about one additional powerhead that is in an accessible position but pumps water through a tube to, say, a spray bar behind the lower reef or even under it. There are different ways of delivery. All the powerhead needs is a sleeve on the intake (sponge or similar) to stop debris and that’s it. Maybe two powerheads would be required. Whatever.

The aquarist can then be more sure that water quality is high everywhere, with the benefits that can bring.

Advanced systems can use carefully designed closed loops, where the water outlets are positioned in strategic places to ensure fully advantageous delivery. The ‘ordinary’ aquarist need not go to these lengths unless really desired. The use of additional water movement devices, one or maybe two, will do a fairly similar job at a very reasonable cost.

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Do You Have To Use Reverse Osmosis Water?

March 29, 2008

Reverse osmosis (R/O) water seems to pop up very regularly in questions and discussions. Some aquarists consider the R/O filter to be another piece of equipment that is not really necessary. There is quite a bit of confusion particularly with beginners, which is understandable when the whole spectrum of equipment and guidelines for keeping marine systems is considered.

The heading question can be answered straightaway – no, you don’t. If you’re lucky, and have a water source such as a well that provides water of high purity, or live in an area where tap water is of a really high standard and not polluted with nitrates, insecticides, metals, bacteria (I won’t go on) then the tank seawater mix could well be of high quality.

Some aquarists have tried using bottled spring water and found that the purity was in fact not as thought and/or the cost was prohibitive. Similarly, some have obtained a supply of distilled water from a chemist or other source and tried that. This proved to be an inefficient way of obtaining the amounts of seawater – multiple gallons – often required, plus the cost.

A few other aquarists have turned to Mother Nature, a fine choice provided the transportation and storage needs can be met, and an unpolluted source can be found.

So for the majority it is the household tap. The water from the mains tap is purified and regulations exist for the amounts of pollutants that are acceptable. Nitrate can be present in a surprisingly high amount, as can phosphate, plus the insecticides etc mentioned earlier.

The water from the tap at the very least should be tested for nitrates and phosphates before consideration is given to using it for a salt mix. If tests are not done then the aquarist is possibly preparing a potential home for nuisance algae, particularly if high power lighting is being used. Added to the pollutants in the tap water are the natural developments in the tank because of the natural processes of the livestock, and the results of potential overfeeding.

Personally, I find it difficult to follow the logic (should I say illogic) of not using R/O water. First, look at the expense the aquarist has accepted in preparing the aquarium system, having purchased lights, salt mix, test kits, a protein skimmer, canister filter, heater(s), circulation pumps, maybe a calcium reactor etc, and also of course the aquarium and stand. Then there is the internal decoration, such as live rock and maybe sand. The fish and corals haven’t been mentioned yet! Whether a fish only or reef system, it all represents a fair sized investment.

Over and over emphasis is placed on the need for high quality water. To this end, the dry salt mix that most aquarists use is manufactured to a high purity, lacking in such unwanted substances as nitrate and phosphate. Why add less than ideal water to it?

If there is a marine retailer close by, R/O water may be available to purchase by the gallon. Quite reasonably, the retailer has to make a profit. Moving the water in containers is not the easiest practice.

If the aquarist purchased an R/O filter then production of purified water would be straightforward and predictable demand easily met. The cost of the filter, particularly when the cost of other items of equipment is considered, is reasonable.

R/O water is generally 95 to 98% pure and the environment for the aquarium livestock would be enhanced, which is probably the most important point, and the possible appearance of undesirable headache algae would be reduced.

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How Does Reverse Osmosis Work?

March 18, 2008

As is so often repeated, high water quality is needed in a marine aquarium. Reef systems need higher quality than fish only, but both need to be maintained at the highest level possible. This is done by regular monitoring of water parameters.

A good way of enhancing water quality is by preparing the routine water change mix (and the initial fill) with a high grade salt mixed into reverse osmosis (R/O) water. This water is obtained by filtering tap water to remove undesirables therefore increasing the water quality in the first place.

R/O devices usually come in a unit containing three pods: there is a pre-filter to remove larger debris, a carbon filter to remove chlorine, and the R/O membrane itself. Some units have a fourth pod, which hold resins that take out any remaining undesirables. There isn’t any harm in having a fourth pod, they will increase the water cleanliness somewhat,  but they are not strictly necessary.

The R/O unit is connected to the mains supply in a convenient out of the way place (simple connectors are normally supplied with the device). The water is driven through the unit by the mains water pressure. They will not work if, say, supply water is gravity fed.

The water first meets the sediment pre-filter, which, as said, removes larger particles so that the next filter doesn’t clog.

Next in line is a carbon filter. This is very important as it removes chlorine. Chlorine is very detrimental to the R/O membrane.

The water now reaches the main point of the exercise, the R/O filter. This is a semi-permeable membrane. In other words, it will allow water to pass but not other unwanted substances. These substances could be insecticides, viruses, spores of fungi, metals, bacteria etc.

Finally, if the device has four pods, the final filter is a ’polishing’ unit. As said, it contains resins which will take out further pollution giving a slightly higher purity.

As has been said, the R/O membrane will only allow nearly pure water to pass through. Therefore there are two water outlets, one for the purified water (known as permeate) and one for the waste (known as concentrate). The aquarist runs the permeate outlet into a container for storage, and the concentrate to a convenient point for disposal.

R/O units come in various ’gallons per day’ outlets. The aquarist should purchase one that will provide sufficient water for the routine water change in a reasonable time. This will cover daily top-ups as well.

It is possible to connect an R/O unit to an automatic top-up device. This means when the water level falls it will be filled with purified water in the absence of the aquarist. For smaller systems, a daily top-up is usually sufficient.

It is very important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using the R/O device. The sediment pre-filter should be replaced or cleaned at the appropriate time. It is essential to replace the carbon filter when required, as failure to do so could allow chlorine to reach the R/O membrane and cause damage. This could allow impure water to pass through the membrane. This would mean obtaining a new membrane, which will be in the region of half the price of the entire unit.

R/O devices will provide 1/5th of pure water in relation to the water input. In other words, for every 5 parts of tap water, 1 part of purified water will be obtained. The purity on a three pod system is usually between 95 to 98%.

Using R/O water is highly recommended. As already stated, it sets the seawater quality at a high level from the start. From a logical point of view, manufacturer’s of dry salt mixes provide salt of a very high standard nowadays, with nothing undesirable present, such as nitrate and phosphate. Why pollute this salt with tap water?

If the aquarist has been using tap water to date, changing to R/O water is a good idea. Better, use it from the very start.

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How To Ensure There Is Enough Oxygen In The Water

March 16, 2008

The marine aquarist does all sorts of water parameter checks to ensure the quality is high. A lot of money is spent on equipment and livestock. Once the livestock point is reached, occasionally problems will arise, particularly with fish in a fish only system. Though the aquarist may well be close to a nervous breakdown as all the water checks done do not cause any or much concern, the problem could be to do with oxygen.

Why should a fish only system be more likely to have a problem than a captive reef? In a captive reef it is usual to have less fish inches relative to seawater net gallonage than in a fish only system. Fish demand oxygen as do all living organisms (ok, there are some that derive their oxygen in less usual ways, but as far as I know everything needs oxygen). A heavy fish load will clearly demand a lot of oxygen.

The problem is rare. However, it does pop up now and again, usually with novice aquarists, and it is not that much a rarity. It often starts in the summer.

The aquarist, as said, has a heavy fish load, but is not concerned as they all seem fine. The bio-filter copes. Then along comes some warm weather. As would be expected, as the seawater heats up because of the increased temperature the heaters turn off. The temperature increase continues. Lighting is in use, and it is this that is heating the water, particularly metal halides. The aquarist does not have a chiller (seawater cooler) as they are expensive and the occasions the device could be needed are considered insufficient with regard to the cost.

The seawater contains 6 to 8 parts per million (ppm) oxygen in a well managed average tropical marine aquarium. Not a lot really. Warm seawater contains less than cold and this is a tropical aquarium.

It should be remembered that it is not only the fish that are using oxygen. There is the bio-filter. Unless this is a trickle filter, all the oxygen for the oxygen hungry bacteria is taken from the water. Oxygen supply could be getting near the edge.

If there is a sump with macro algae in it, then during daylight hours this will assist in oxygen replenishment. It has limits though. A properly functioning protein skimmer will also assist. Nevertheless, the situation is not as it should be.

Fish breathing rapidly, possibly combined with hanging around near the water surface, is a sign of oxygen depletion. So why has this happened?

First, it may be that the aquarium is overstocked with fish. This should never occur despite the temptations, as there is obviously an increased demand for oxygen, and the bio-filter has to work that much harder employing more bacteria – and as said these bacteria are oxygen hungry. Then the water temperature increased. This can happen to the best designed and cared for aquarium, and the first thing to do when a significant temperature rise is noted is to switch off the lighting, particularly metal halide. There are further ways of cooling the seawater that will not be gone into here.

Though problems can arise in any system, it is usually the aquarium that has been recently equipped and stocked by a novice that are struck. That’s the clue.

In a well designed marine aquarium system of any type consideration has been carefully given to water circulation to ensure maximum gas exchange, among other things. Water can be circulated in many ways but a commonly used example is the powerhead. Whatever device(s) are used for circulation, it is essential that the seawater moves sufficiently so that efficient air/water interface(s) occur. The usual major interface is the water surface, and it follows that if movement is adequate then the water will continually reach the surface before moving on and being replaced with more water – a continuous gas exchange. In addition, aquariums with sumps often use weirs over which the water flows, creating another efficient gas exchange area. The sump water surface will provide yet more gas exchange.

It follows that the system with the problem will often be found to have sluggish water movement. Therefore gas exchange is minimised. It may have been an attempt to economise with equipment, and if so this is not understandable, as the cost of say powerheads is low compared to other items and livestock. Definitely a false economy.

In a well designed system, be it ready built or aquarist built, there is no need to obtain oxygen test kits for regular testing, unless the aquarist has an interest in what the oxygen content of the particular seawater is. As said, it would be unusual for an oxygen problem to arise, although when water temperature rises above the design point a watch must be kept for any sign of distress, particularly in a fully stocked fish only aquarium.

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