I'm looking to set up an RO/DI for a freshwater 220-gal aquarium with fairly robust fish like pacu & catfish. Specifically I think I just need RO, since the main reason for doing this is my source well water is 50ppm nitrates (11ppm nitrate as N). Well water parameters: pH 7.2, GH 460ppm, KH 160ppm. No ammonia or nitrites, just the nitrate. For all of those who have a well (hard water) installed an RO/DI system for a well, I've got a couple questions:
1. I have a water softener (pretty standard, ion exchange). Should I feed the RO with hard water, or should I run it off of softened water? Pros I see to using hard water is that I don't have the added salt into the aquarium, but cons is the lack of efficiency of the RO resin against 460ppm TDS.
2. I have 40 psi into my home. Would a booster pump just create RO water at a faster rate, or would it also improve rejection rate and/or waste water percentage?
3. Is there any reason for me to have DI as well? I'm not seeing it necessary as I'm just trying to remove most of the nitrates and some of the hardness. I don't need it all down to zero.
1. I have a water softener (pretty standard, ion exchange). Should I feed the RO with hard water, or should I run it off of softened water? Pros I see to using hard water is that I don't have the added salt into the aquarium, but cons is the lack of efficiency of the RO resin against 460ppm TDS.
2. I have 40 psi into my home. Would a booster pump just create RO water at a faster rate, or would it also improve rejection rate and/or waste water percentage?
3. Is there any reason for me to have DI as well? I'm not seeing it necessary as I'm just trying to remove most of the nitrates and some of the hardness. I don't need it all down to zero.
