Deionized water

[SeaCur]

So at work we have deionized water, an endless supply.  I hear about RODI and RO, but never just DI.  What's the difference, is it the same thing, can I use this for shrimp if remineralized?  I don't have a TDS or PH meter.

 

FYI, I work at NASA, we spray the DI water at aircraft parts at sub freezing temperatures and companies test their anti-icing and deicing capabilities.

 

I ask because I'm looking at going to a caridina shrimp from neos, I currently have Blue pearls but am looking for something different.

[JamesHe]

Just check the TDS, if <20ppm, you're good to go.

[JamesHe]

http://www.amazon.com/Mudder-0-9990ppm-Household-Drinking-Aquarium/dp/B00MRLMG0M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1438622754&sr=8-2&keywords=TDS

[SeaCur]

I just purchased the TDS meter above and a ph meter by the same maker.

[Faralon]

James' reply above is the best.  Seems people that are using RO and RO/DI all use the "RO" abreviation, so its hard to tell.  I typically have TDS in the teens, (12, 15ppm, ect...) going into my DI Resin, and obviously 0 comming out.

 

But yeah, if you can bring home buckets of RO/DI water for free, go for it.

BTW, whats up with NASA testing aircraft parts with DI water.  Understanding that they're trying to mimic an icy environment for de-icing testing, wouldn't they want to use "less than perfect" water to mimic a real world scenario?   I imagine rainwater/condensate is far from 0ppm?

(I'm not judging...its NASA,  I'm a big NASA geek, I'm sure the test works)

[SeaCur]

Water has to be DI, or the nozzles couldn't stay calibrated.  All tests are done conservatively, based on FAA guidelines.  All tests are then also proven to the FAA before parts are acceptable to use in flight.

 

FYI, I'm at 000 and 001 for my readings, tested twice to verify..  If I test GH/KH should those also be zero?

[Shrimpy Daddy]

So at work we have deionized water, an endless supply.  I hear about RODI and RO, but never just DI.  What's the difference, is it the same thing, can I use this for shrimp if remineralized?  I don't have a TDS or PH meter.

 

FYI, I work at NASA, we spray the DI water at aircraft parts at sub freezing temperatures and companies test their anti-icing and deicing capabilities.

 

I ask because I'm looking at going to a caridina shrimp from neos, I currently have Blue pearls but am looking for something different.

 

They are similar but not exactly the same. 

 

DI only is by using resin or artificial minerals to remove the ions from the water via adsoption. This will also produce low TDS water too, but it does not remove non-reactive molecule/ component. Generally this is used in industry or laboratory that just need to remove ions and also to save cost from wasting water like RO.

 

RO filtration will produce much cleaner water because of it will remove non-reaction molecule or compound. However, it does not remove very small ions that permeable through the membrane or the salinity on the two side of the membrane are too different. This is the reason why for highly sensitive environment, which do not care about cost such as laboratory, uses RO with DI.

[SeaCur]

Good explanation, what effect do those non reactive molecules have?  What are they?  

 

I did GH/KH drop tests and both must be very near zero, as they did not need to change colors, requiring only 1 drop.

[Shrimpy Daddy]

Usually not much effect of those non-reactive one. They probably break up under certain conditions.

[JamesHe]

Water has to be DI, or the nozzles couldn't stay calibrated.  All tests are done conservatively, based on FAA guidelines.  All tests are then also proven to the FAA before parts are acceptable to use in flight.

 

FYI, I'm at 000 and 001 for my readings, tested twice to verify..  If I test GH/KH should those also be zero?

 

It's pure RO water.

 

I have same reading if I add DI stage to my RO unit.

 

I dont' think DI only would give you near 0ppm reading.

[ElevateShrimp]

It's pure RO water.

 

I have same reading if I add DI stage to my RO unit.

 

I dont' think DI only would give you near 0ppm reading.

 

His DI unit is probably more expensive than your RO/DI unit 

 

 

Nobody has touched on the largest difference between RO and DI.  DI is really used for chemical analysis because it removes inorganic compounds by passing liquid through columns of ion exchange resins.  However, that is all the "filtering" it will do-- simply removing certain chemicals/dissolved ions.  RO however is more important to the aquarium hobby because it actually filters the water based on particle size (instead of particle charge with DI), so RO also filters organic particles such as bacterium, fungi spores and other organic particulates.

[JamesHe]

His DI unit is probably more expensive than your RO/DI unit 

 

 

Nobody has touched on the largest difference between RO and DI.  DI is really used for chemical analysis because it removes inorganic compounds by passing liquid through columns of ion exchange resins.  However, that is all the "filtering" it will do-- simply removing certain chemicals/dissolved ions.  RO however is more important to the aquarium hobby because it actually filters the water based on particle size (instead of particle charge with DI), so RO also filters organic particles such as bacterium, fungi spores and other organic particulates.

 

My daddy was in silicon industry, they use DI water all the time.

 

Varies filtering stage is essential. the last stage is DI.

 

I can't image that it allows water enter into DI stage directly.

 

the DI resin is expensive. the filtering is cheap.

 

Here are lots of DI resins, eventually this one is absorb type. it's not exchange type. the final TDS value tells the true.