The water that comes out from our taps may be filled with all sorts of toxic materials, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium, pesticides, industrial pollutants, etc. These pollutants are toxic to humans as well as aquarium fish, reef corals, and invertebrates. In marine & reef aquariums it is essential to maintain low levels of phosphates, silicates, and nitrates to keep undesirable algae from overtaking the system, yet tap water in many places is high in these compounds. An effective combination of both reverse osmosis and deionization (RO/DI) is the most popular solution due to the low cost of ownership and minimal operating costs.

One of the most important factors in an RO system is the water pressure. Production rates are dependent on applied pressure and temperature of the water source. Homes usually have 40-60 psi water pressure, which is sufficient for normal water production. The product water production rate is dependent on the pressure across the membrane, while the waste water production rate is mostly dependent on tap water pressure. If you are using a bladder tank, its back pressure quickly starts to reduce the working pressure across the membrane, while the waste water flows as always. If your water pressure is low or require high production rates, we suggest you look into a pumped RO system to keep the pressure consistent across the membrane.