Deionizer

Ive been doing some research and a book I was reading said that pretty much a deionizer is better than reverse osmosis... is this true? cause i have only seen them together, and never a DO by its self... if so where can you get just a DO or anyone know how to make one?

Thanks in advance

 

It depends on where you live. You have to factor in the cost of water where you live, the TDS of the water where you live, and what makes up those dissolved solids.

Example: Here in St. Louis, we live at the confluence of the Missouri, Illinois, and Mississippi rivers. Every farmer from Montana to St. Louis who fertilizes their crops is sending us Nitrates and phosphates everytime it rains. Same goes for the Mississippi (all the way to Canada) and the Illinois river (all the way to Ohio).

Where I live the water is inexpensive because it's so plentiful but it has a very high TDS and if we didn't have an RO membrane prior to the DI, we would go broke replacing DI resins. That's why we buy RO/DI units. We can use the wastewater (and RO is very wasteful of water) on plants, the washing machine etc.

Other people in other towns can have different sets of circumstances. For instance Scott (OmarD) lives in a city where he can just use DI only and it will be fine. (I hate you Scott ;D) Water is abundant where he is too and the prices are low.

Other people live in more arid climates and water prices are quite expensive so the economics change for them.

API makes one but for many people, the replacement cartidges cost will quickly make they wished they had a RO membrane. Tap Water Filter (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals)

Kold Steril is another option that's strictly DI but it's more expensive than an entire RO/DI unit.....best used on larger systems.


Thanks in advance[/QUOTE]

 

inwall is correct. the deionizer filters cost a lot and get used up fast. the ro unit in front of the deionizer extends the life of the the filters life. so you get a longer lasting filter and the extra filtration the deionizer provides.