Reverse Osmosis Systems for Aquariums

Reverse osmosis filters have made clean, safe water conveniently accessible and affordable for commercial establishments and households. 

Did you know that RO filtration has revolutionalized freshwater aquatic care and maintenance, too? 

Benefits of Reverse Osmosis Water in Aquariums

Successful aquarium keepers and enthusiasts know that reverse osmosis filtration is critical to keeping their fish healthy and safe. 

Here’s why:

• It helps you recreate the best marine environment. Different types of fish demand different water conditions for survival. Saltwater fish have different needs than freshwater ones. You can’t just fill your aquarium or tank with tap or purified water and expect your finned pets to last.
  
  Regardless of the type of fish that you’re looking after, reverse osmosis helps you create the right pH level of water. The closer you get to recreate the natural habitat of your aquatic pets, starting with the pH of the water, the healthier your fish will be. 

• It elevates water quality. Many people fill up their tanks with tap water, thinking that nature will just take its course and create an aquatic environment for the fish. Don’t make this rookie mistake? You have to invest in a reverse osmosis water filter to give your fish a safe habitat.
  
  RO filters eliminate the mineral content of water that may be harmful to your fish. Chlorine, ammonia, nitrates, and other hazardous elements are separated from the water so your fish stays healthy. Good water quality also keeps algae growth from getting out of hand.

• It creates a consistently healthy aquatic environment. Keeping an aquarium is already challenging without you having to mix and refill it with saltwater mixture every so often.
  
  Reverse osmosis water filtration helps you keep a consistently healthy marine habitat without the hard work. RO filters produce quality water so you won’t have to do elaborate water tests to keep your fish safe and healthy.

3 Things to Consider In Your Aquarium’s RO System

1. Filtration Stages. RO systems come in multiple filtration stages. Some have 3 stages while others can go up to 16 phases. Many aquarium keepers prefer to have around 3 to 4 stages in their reverse osmosis filter. 

   RO systems with 3 filtration phases have compact bodies, lightweight, and can easily be stowed away or kept under the sink. The Crystal Quest Guardian Whole House Water Filter has 3 stages of filtration, starting off with purifying the water from heavy metals such as lead, mercury, pesticides, herbicides, and chlorine. The water is then treated so that bacterial and algae growth are prevented. Filtration finishes with the water being freed from commercial and industrial solvents. This type of filtration ticks off all the boxes when it comes to purifying water for drinking and aquarium keeping.

2. GPD or Gallon Per Day. The maximum amount of water that a reverse osmosis system is able to filter from the source to the desired level of purity can be described by the system's gallons per day (GPD) rating.

   The GPD that you require from your RO system is determined by the size of your tank, the frequency of your use, and whether your RO system has a direct connection to a storage tank. Go for the RO system with a higher GPD as this would mean getting purified water on demand much quicker.

3. RO Membrane. The membrane is a critical component of the RO system that collects the contaminants in the water.

   CTA or Cellulose Tri-Acetate membranes  are ideal for filtering tap water that already has a certain degree of purity. CTAs can remove up to 94% of contaminants from the water.

   TFC or Thin Film Composite membranes can eliminate 94-98% of dissolved contaminants from the water. These membranes are commonly found in systems with 6 stages of filtration. RO filters with TFC membranes are ideal for aquariums with sensitive requirements. 

Final Thoughts

Using tap water for your aquarium is not enough. You will be dealing with algae growth more often than necessary and housing your fish in an unsafe environment.

RO systems offer a convenient and ideal solution. They help you recreate the natural habitat of your finned pets while keeping maintenance at an affordable and doable rate. Remember these key points when selecting the RO system for your aquarium.