RO (Reverse Osmosis) Water & Why

[BlueBolts]

With the growth of shrimp keeping in Australia, the appreciation and importance of water quality, using reverse osmosis (RO) water for our shrimps, is gaining momentum.

It is critical to know what’s in and out of your water, to ensure all the necessary mineral are available for our shrimps to grow, molt, saddle, breed, raising shrimplets, improving shrimplet survival…etc.

I ONLY use remineralized water from reverse osmosis. We are extremely fortunate that we don’t require a chemistry lab to determine the mineral combination/mix demanded by our shrimps, with products like Benibachi, Salty Shrimp…etc.

Part of the education of our hobby is to know exactly how to create the optimum environment for our shrimps. Using RO water, and creating a schedule/maintenance plan of reminerisling, water changes etc….. allows us to understand the demands for these little creatures.

Issues with Tap Water

Bacteria is often ignored in regards to water. The immunity of shrimps are extremely weak. Due to selective breeding, a weaker gene pool is formulated, thus further effecting the immunity system….leading to bacterial infection. Tap water can contain an abundance of bacteria !

We often hear of massive shrimp deaths with the introduction of new shrimps. Shrimps purchased from a breeder using tap water, can be immune to a particular/range of bacteria, but introducing it to another colony, maybe detrimental.

Dwarf shrimp are especially sensitive to heavy metal, with copper as the No. 1 culprit . Even trace elements of copper via copper plumbing pipes are detrimental to a colony of shrimps. Slow death, lower birth rates, lethargic behavior, % of shrimplet survival….etc.

Simply, tap water has many unknowns, and lack consistency and may cntain pollutants…..there's a reason why the bottle water industry continues to boom, so our shrimps do deserve better then tap water ! LOL….no seriously.

[Gbang]

true dat! a very sad fact but very true that these tb and shrimps are extremely sensitive. many people have told me that they have no problems using tap water....and then they introduce a new purchase or suddenly everything dies from some sort of spike or poisoning from unexpected weather. ro is a safe bet for safe water

[Ziek]

Would the demineralized water you can get from bunnings be safe as well? Will definitely be getting my own ro system later in the year once the baby is born and all settled in at the new place. Heard too many horror stories about ppl losing shrimp cos of the wp.

[BlueBolts]

G'Day Ziek, I presume demineralised water is demineralised water...but from a 3rd source....

I use a portable RO system that cost $140, great simple system, company is in QLD, and has great service. I'm unsure whether there's a smaller unit available, definitely larger ones.

[Ziek]

Damn thats cheap the system I was looking at was about $400. Would you have the name of the company you got yours from?

[blindfisherman]

G'Day Ziek' date=' I presume demineralised water is demineralised water...but from a 3rd source....

I use a portable RO system that cost $140, great simple system, company is in QLD, and has great service. I'm unsure whether there's a smaller unit available, definitely larger ones.[/quote']

Is it the FSA one?

If it is they provide great service and that little portable unit is brilliant.

On a side note they have reduced their portable 4 stage unit to a 3 stage unit so it costs <$50 to replace the resin and the carbon cartridge with the actual RO membrane only needing replacing every 5 years or so

[blindfisherman]

Damn thats cheap the system I was looking at was about $400. Would you have the name of the company you got yours from?

This one is the current closest one I could find. But you really only need this one with the alkalizing filter cartridge switched out for the DI resin.

That is if BB is talking about the same company, if not I have had good experiences with the guys at FSA, always just an email away for an answer.

[BlueBolts]

Yeah, Ian is the owner, and very helpful and responsive. Best to shoot him an email, as the size of the RO unit is dependable upon the amount of RO water expected each week....he can then guide you to the right unit type/size.

[blindfisherman]

Yeah' date=' Ian is the owner, and very helpful and responsive. Best to shoot him an email, as the size of the RO unit is dependable upon the amount of RO water expected each week....he can then guide you to the right unit type/size.[/quote']

Just searched my emails and it was Ian who answered my questions. Top bloke!

[Ziek]

Thanks heaps guys I'll shoot him an email find out what i need and start saving