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Re: RO/DI System vs. TapWater Purifier

Neil writes:

>  I have been using Aquarium Pharmaceuticals' TapWater Purifier to soften and
>  dechlorinate my moderately hard municipal water for a South American type
>  community tank with live plants.  It has worked fairly well.  I get about
>  50-60 gallons of treated water per TapWater cartridge.  Since I change 
about
>  30 gallons of water every other week, the cost for replacement cartridges 
is
>  mounting.  I have been giving serious thought to an RO, RO/DI, or
>  Kold-Ster-il system.  The RO and RO/DI systems make good water, but not at 
a
>  very high rate (I am thinking of a 50 gallon/day unit), which means that I
>  would have to store water somewhere in order to make a relatively quick
>  (less than several hours) replacement of 30 gallons of treated water.  The
>  Kold-Ster-il system makes about 4 gallons of treated water per minute, but
>  it is not clear to me that it produces the same kind or quality of water
>  that an RO or RO/DI system does.  
>  
>  My ideal aquarium water maintenance system would be one that would process
>  enough water within 2-4 hours to replace the 30 gallons or so that I am
>  withdrawing.  This is what the TapWater Purifier can do.  Is there a more
>  permanent system (RO, RO/DI, or other) that can do the same?

The Tap water purifier is a straight DI system.  There are other , more 
expensive DI systems that produce the same quality of water with separate 
chambers for the anion and cation resins.  These are cheaper over the long 
haul.  Resins can also be recharged economically when they are separate, 
making it even cheaper still.  Some of them are also quicker than the ten 
gallon per hour limit of the TWP.

Some folks say RO is cheaper, but it is slower, and I don't think most of 
those people have considered the additional cost of the throw-away water.  
The membranes and carbon blocks must occasionally be replaced.

The Kold Steril doesn't do the same thing as the others.  You won't like the 
results.

Bob Dixon