New aquarium owners may have come across two acronyms online: RODI and RO. As a new hobbyist, you may be wondering what the difference is between these two types of water. Both can be used in fish tanks, but the difference between RODI water vs RO water does impact fish tank water quality.
So what are they? And what is the difference between them? It’s basically about an extra step in the water filtration process, but a very important one.
The Basics About RODI Water vs RO Water for Fish Tanks
The RO in RO water stands for reverse osmosis. RODI water stands for reverse osmosis deionized water.
The process of reverse osmosis cleans up tap water to remove 95% to 98% of the impurities.
The reverse osmosis water treatment process removes impurities from water by sending it through a semipermeable membrane. As a result, the contaminants are filtered out, leaving clean water behind.
To create RODI water, reverse osmosis water goes through an additional step of deionization. In this process, a filtration system exchanges positive and negative molecules, essentially polishing the water to make it 100% pure.
Impurities that remain after reverse osmosis include positively or negatively charged ion molecules such as calcium, sodium, and chloride. The “deionization” process works by removing these ions and replacing them with hydrogen and hydroxyl ions, which make water.
Why It Matters
When it comes to RODI water vs RO water, you may be wondering if that difference of 4% or so really matters. The truth is that it can when the living creatures in your aquarium are only a couple inches long and only weigh a few ounces. Any unnecessary amount of impurity in the water can make the fish uncomfortable or sick.
You should never use tap water in a fish tank, especially here in Arizona where the water is especially harsh. Even a trace of chemicals from tap water — or that remaining 4% of RO water — can threaten fish and other livestock. It can irritate fishes’ eyes and skin, as well as make it hard for them to breathe.
That effect can be exacerbated if other problems exist in your aquarium, such as:
- Overfeeding of fish, leading to excess waste
- A sick fish that may be already endangering other fish
- A misfunctioning filtration system
- Unhealthy live plants or a large amount of algae on artificial plants
Through our Seatech H2O RODI water delivery service, you can always have 100% pure water on hand to fill or clean your tank. We can also fill your tank for you, making it even more convenient for you to keep your livestock safe and sound. Order fish tank water delivery through our website or by calling us at (602) 628-7270.
You may also contact us if you want to know more about RO water vs RODI water for your aquarium.