New 2016 product catalogue
PurePro has launched its new website. The website features all of our products listed in our new product catalog and features a comprehensive technical support area.
[ F.A.Q. for RO units ] [ tips for sell more ro ] [ what customer say ] [ FAQ for water ionizer ] [ FAQ for aquarium RO units ] [ technical paper ] [ why is RO better? ]
Frequently Asked Question for Aquarium RO units
Q. What is reverse osmosis?
Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process
in which water is forced through a semi-permeable
membrane that removes 90-99% of tap water impurities.
The result is water that is free of minerals and other
contaminants. Membrane type determines the amount of
dissolved solids a unit is capable of removing. For
example, Cellulose Tri-Acetate (CTA) membranes have a
removal rate of 88-94%, Thin Film Composite (TFC)
membranes remove between 94-98% of dissolved solids, and
Hi-S Membranes have higher removal rates, between
97.5-99%, and are especially adept at removing
silicates.
Q. Why do I need RO water?
Tap water often contains impurities that can cause
problems when added to an aquarium. These include
phosphate, nitrate, chlorine, and various heavy metals.
High levels of phosphate and nitrate fuel aggressive
algae growth, and copper, often present in tap water due
to leaching from pipes, is highly toxic to
invertebrates. Because RO filters remove practically all
of these impurities, they are becoming more popular
among aquarists, particularly marine hobbyists.
Q. What is the difference between reverse osmosis and
deionization?
Reverse osmosis and deionization (DI) perform the
same task of removing impurities from tap water.
However, DI purifies water utilizing the principle of
ion exchange to remove impurities and replaces them with
pure water. In most instances, an RO unit serves as a
well-rounded filtration method that removes the majority
of impurities; coupled with a post deionization filter,
the resulting water is 99.9% pure. Many RO units are
available as a combined RO/DI unit or are able to
accommodate an add-on DI unit that simply attaches to
your existing RO unit.
Q. How do I know if my reverse osmosis water is pure?
If your RO product water is pure, your aquarium
should have minimal algae growth, a steady pH level, and
low phosphate and nitrate levels. You can check the
purity of your RO product water using a conductivity
meter, TDS meter, or by measuring the general hardness
and alkalinity of the water with a test kit. Purified
water will have a general hardness of 0 GH and
alkalinity of 0 dKH. If your test values vary from those
described above, you may need to replace cartridges
and/or the RO membrane.
Q. I've recently purchased 80 gallon per day reverse
osmosis unit and it is only producing 50 gallons per
day. Is this unit defective? if it isn't, why is it not
producing the rated 80 gallons per day?
It's not likely that you received a defective unit. But
there are a few factors that effect the output of
reverse osmosis units. These factors include; the source
water pressure, temperature, and the amount of total
dissolved solids within the source water.
The ideal operating pressure for a RO (reverse osmosis)
unit is 65 psi (pounds per square inch). An operating
pressure of 45 psi will reduce the output of a unit by
50%. There are pressure gauges available to monitor the
operating pressure of the system. If the operating
pressure is too low, an RO pressure boosting pump can be
added to increase the operating pressure to the ideal
range. (click here for more information about our
SuperPump).
The temperature of the source water should ideally be in
the 70° to 77°F range for optimal performance. A
temperature of 50°F, or lower, will reduce the output of
the unit by 50% or more. Either hot or a mix of hot/cold
tap water should never be used for the source water due
to the minerals that are added to the water from most
water heaters.
Finally, the amount of total dissolved solids in the
source water can reduce the amount of water produced by
a RO unit. The PurePro units are rated to treat water
with a dissolved solid amount of 500 ppm or less. If
your source water contains a higher concentration, it
would be wise to install a mechanical pre-filter in line
prior to the unit. These filters are available at most
hardware stores. Because of the requirements of reverse
osmosis units, it is wise to purchase a unit that is
rated above the gallons per day that your needs require.
Q. Is there any way I can check the purity of the
water my reverse osmosis system is producing? Also, how
often do I have to change the membrane?
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems remove most of the
impurities (heavy metals, minerals, nitrates,
phosphates, and so on) in tap water, giving you pure,
healthy water for your aquarium. If your RO product
water is pure, your aquarium should have minimal algae
growth, a steady pH level, and low phosphate and nitrate
levels. If these conditions change, check your RO
product water purity using one of the following methods:
Use a conductivity meter (TDS meter), which will
accurately measure the amount of impurities in the RO
product water. Whereas regular tap water will have a
reading in the range of 300-500, purified water should
be in the range of 5-25.
Measure the general hardness, alkalinity, and pH of the
water with a test kit. Purified water will have a
general hardness of 0 GH, alkalinity of 0 dKH, and a pH
of 7.0. If your test values vary from those described
above, you may need to replace the membrane.
The lifespan of the RO membrane depends upon the quality
of your source water. Under most conditions, an RO
membrane will produce about 25,000 gallons of purified
water and last 2-3 years. However, high concentrations
of certain minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium
will shorten the lifespan of the membrane.