RE: R/O Setups (was: Carbonate Reduction)

["Duncan Elkins" <duncan@wiegert.marsci.uga.edu>]

So, what kinds of R/O setups are people using?  I'm thinking of ordering an
R/O unit to try and reduce the phosphate levels (.5-.6 PPM) in my city
water.  I'm told our water is soft enough for spawning Apistos out of the
tap, but the algae production in my planted 135 was pretty impressive until
I started lugging water home from the R/O unit at my lab.

I found a $190 drinking water setup at www.plumbingsupply.com with what
appears to be a 2-3 gallon reservoir that mounts under the sink.  This unit
is rated at 30 gpd.  Poking through the July FAMA, it looks like one can
really go overboard with these things though.  For about the same price I
could get a Kent Maxxima, which ought to hammer the phosphates, but I'd have
to drop an extra $50 for a float valve and rig up some sort of holding tank.
The Kold-Ster-il system comes highly recommended, and wastes no water, but
it another $100 over the Maxxima.

Any Pros/Cons or suggestions from the list?

Thanks,
Duncan

> Date: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 09:00:59 -0700
> From: Dave Gomberg <gomberg@wcf.com>
> Subject: Re: Carbonate reduction
>
> At 11:23 AM 6/14/98 EDT, you wrote:
> >	So you're saying I can. like, run a garden hose to the
> garage, fill a barrel
> >with good water, and then unplug it?  That would work.
>
> Yes, except that most RO units do gallons per day, so the hose would need
> to be hooked up all the time you were not actually using it to water or
> wash the car.
>