RO/DI Questions

[gato]

Hi all,
I was hoping some of you could post some pics of your RO/DI units. Im just wondering how and where they are hooked up in your houses. Im currently getting my RO/DI water from my work (we produce around 50k gallons a day) but its getting old lugging buckets back and fourth. Also any recomendations on what are the best units for around $150. Thanks in advance!

Chris

 

[moortim]

I don't have my own system yet but I have heard a lot of good things about Air Water and Ice co.
www.airwaterice.com
On the left menu there is a section for reefkeeping. Check it out.
To anyone else, what do you thing of this brand? I was planning on getting one myself but I would like a little more info.

 

[gato]

They look nice but then again none of them look bad to me. Im just looking for middle of the road price, quality water and something easy to use.

 

[wrightme43]

I like aquasafe systems from ebay. I have two 100 gpd systems now. One two years old the other new. Both work great. Its getting close to time for a new membrane on the first one, but I use a lot of water, aquarium maintence service.

 

[gato]

I only use 20-25 gallons a week, so 100 gpd would be plenty. I was thinking of using the water supply to my hot water heater or my washing machine. Is that how most people plumb theres? Sorry if these are stupid questions.

 

[mmkeeper]

I have mine in my gargage with a autoshut off valve that I bought from plumbing store for $4. It feeds into a 32 gallon rubbermaid. I tapped into a gargage sink plumbing. I bought it on ebay, when I searched ebay I did the search for ro/di no anything related to reef or fish. Paid about $100 for a 100 gallon per day, 5 stage filter.

 

[liveforphysics]

I would recomend testing your water before you bother with rodi. Often our local tap water is better than what comes out of many other places rodi units in other parts of the country.

I know my tap water tests undectable for phosphates, nitrates, Cu, chlorimene. LOL, its only like 37 TDS straight out of the tap. Thats better than many stores sell!

 

[wrightme43]

I would recomend testing your water before you bother with rodi. Often our local tap water is better than what comes out of many other places rodi units in other parts of the country.

I know my tap water tests undectable for phosphates, nitrates, Cu, chlorimene. LOL, its only like 37 TDS straight out of the tap. Thats better than many stores sell!

37 ppm of what exactly?
What happens if there is a screw up at the water treatment plant?
What happens over say 5 years of water changes with untreated water? Does whatever is dissolved in the water build up, or disappear?
I test my brutes for tds every time I pump water to jugs. TDS 1 means to replace the prefilters and di resin. That 40 gallons gets set aside for my customers with f.o. or f.w. tanks.
All it takes is one change or failure on the part of the water treatment or delivery loop to cause a problem in a multi thousand dollar reef.
Is 150$ worth it? In my opinion yes.

 

[oldsaint]

WOW!! you're lucky liveforphysics. My tap water reads 420. I'm curious what test kit you're using for chloramine. I used one back when I was in the pool business but didn't think it was very accurate.

gato, I just bought a Y adaptor from Home depot and used the cold water supply line for the washing machine. That worked great for a while. I had some plumbers out doing some other work and they were nice enough to plumb in a dedicated line at no charge . LOL I say at no charge but that was after $5500.00 to re-plumb the whole house after a pipe busted in the slab. Notice the 1/4 turn on/off valves.

 

[DonW]

Mine is split off my washer also. My TDS is usually only 19-21 going in and 0 comming out. Even at 20 my filters get dirty.

Don

 

[Krish]

Crap!!! You could use my tap water to start an algae farm! I tested one thing...Nitrates. My test chart goes as high as 160 ppm and my tap water was WAY above that! I stopped testing anything else right there and said screw that! You guys are lucky if you can use water right out of the tap, but I don't know if I will trust it like Steve said. Heck, I've got ocean surrounding me everywhere and don't even use that water!

 

[gato]

Thanks for all the input!! Any other pics will help but I have a much better idea now on what I have to do. Thanks again.

Chris

 

[oldsaint]

Here's a shot of my whole system.
Water goes thru a pre-filter to a booster pump then to the ro/di unit under the sink. It then spilts. One leg goes to the 25 gal barrel up above (FW) and the other leg into the 65g barrel towards front (SW).
All this is moving to a closet in 2-3 weeks.

 

[NUGIO]

I got the air water and ice unit its a 5 stage w/a 75gpd membrane,its also got the auto shut off valve
i got it in the laundry room,going out to the garage to a 30g toppoff drum w/a float valve in it .then its gravity fed to the sump

 

[gato]

Great pictures! Im probably going to go with the Laundry room too. I really appreciate all the input.

Chris

 

[shallowreef]

Now i have a couple of questions about this. First how do we know that when we go to our LFS that they are changing the mebranes on their RO/DI units? Also you guys say it only cost 150 for a unit but don't those units waste a lot of water? How much is your water bill going up after plumbing that into your sytem? I don't mean to sound like a jerk i'm just very curious and i would like to cover all my bases before i jump head first into something.

 

[gato]

LOL I was just wondering about how much waste water there is too.

 

[oldsaint]

First how do we know that when we go to our LFS that they are changing the mebranes on their RO/DI units?

That's the problem you won't unless you test it yourself.

Also you guys say it only cost 150 for a unit but don't those units waste a lot of water?

Yes they do but it's still alot cheaper and more convenient than going to the LFS.

How much is your water bill going up after plumbing that into your sytem?

Not sure on how much it went up, but I run a ratio of 3-1 waste water to product water.
Also make sure you get this type of shut off valve. It shuts off both product and waste water.
This one only shuts off product water. I learned that the hard way.

 

[Rock-N-Ruin]

I run my waste water in to the washing machine, and usually do laundry while I am making water, or run the waste water outside in the summer to water the lawn.... just some suggestions...

 

[gato]

Those are great suggestions. It would be nice not to waste the water, my water bill is already high enough as it is.