Money down the drain???
- Thread starter agent007
- Start date
Quick update: I installed my RO/DI system. I've got RO to the kitchen sink faucet and the refridgerator. DI runs down to the basement into a storage bin. I got the setup from Air, Water and Ice. Had to tell you because the setup was so easy. I spent most of my time routing the tubing so nobody could see them.
TDS readings:
RO: 27
DI: 0 (yes that's a zero
)
One question, my DI storage is a 32gal rubbermaid bin (new and clean).
Do I need to put a pump in the bin to circulate the water so it doesn't go stale? With a TDS reading of zero, I don't think there much in there that will foul the water while it's in storage but I just want to be sure.
Also, to get the water out I will be using a pump. Can I leave that pump in the bin when not in use?
TDS readings:
RO: 27
DI: 0 (yes that's a zero
)One question, my DI storage is a 32gal rubbermaid bin (new and clean).
Do I need to put a pump in the bin to circulate the water so it doesn't go stale? With a TDS reading of zero, I don't think there much in there that will foul the water while it's in storage but I just want to be sure.
Also, to get the water out I will be using a pump. Can I leave that pump in the bin when not in use?
Shagsbeard
New member
No one has suggested filling your toliets with it? wow. That's the first thing I'd do. Sure, it's work and you wont always do it, but that's one of the main uses of water in a house. Just turn off the valve to the toilet and fill it up after each flush. If you're handy you could rig a pump to pump the water to the toliet.
demonsp
In Memoriam
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11070776#post11070776 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agent007
Already tested. Did research. Already installed system. Did you checkout my the new TDS reading? Captain, she's down to zero :eek2:
Shagsbeard? The toilet aint broke so I'm leaving that alone
OMG , dont get me started . Its irisponseable reefkeeping to say that anybodys tap water is untreatable. Look here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/water4maruse.htm
I have seen wells with water that is not pratical to treat. Fuel Oil contamination which would exhaust a carbon block in a few days.
CO2 concentrations so high that DI resin is exhausted in a few gallons. Or a combination like 300 ppm CO2 and 60 ppm NO3. You can't treat water like that with just an RO/DI. A lot of people on wells have non-potable water. There are many examples where RO and/or DI is not practical.
Artisan Corals
In Memoriam
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11070573#post11070573 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agent007
Quick update: I installed my RO/DI system. I've got RO to the kitchen sink faucet and the refridgerator. DI runs down to the basement into a storage bin. I got the setup from Air, Water and Ice. Had to tell you because the setup was so easy. I spent most of my time routing the tubing so nobody could see them.
TDS readings:
RO: 27
DI: 0 (yes that's a zero
One question, my DI storage is a 32gal rubbermaid bin (new and clean).
Do I need to put a pump in the bin to circulate the water so it doesn't go stale? With a TDS reading of zero, I don't think there much in there that will foul the water while it's in storage but I just want to be sure.
Also, to get the water out I will be using a pump. Can I leave that pump in the bin when not in use?
You could have obtained 0 TDS with just a high end (regenerating resins) DI unit alone. Many other cost advantages like no wasted water, much higher flow, etc.
To answer your real questions: It is recommended to bubble or circulate newly purified water overnight before adding supplements. You can leave the pump in, but it is better to add supplements soon - such as alkalinity, calcium, etc.
That would mean your DI membrane would not last as long, since it has more impurities to filter.
I had a water filter before, for drinking water and wanted a solution
that would work for the family and the fish. I also found that the filtration I was getting from my previous water filter was not truly beneficial. It only cleaned up the taste.
An RO/DI system seems to be the best solution of the family and the fish.
Re water storage:
Thanks for that. I'll cleanup one of my old pumps to circulate the water in the bin.
I dose the main tank daily with alk and Ca (will add reactor(s) some time in the future) so I wasn't planning on adding it to the water storage bin. I wanted to store DI water in pure state for top-ups and mix with salt (in seperate container) when needed. Is that alright?
I had a water filter before, for drinking water and wanted a solution
that would work for the family and the fish. I also found that the filtration I was getting from my previous water filter was not truly beneficial. It only cleaned up the taste.
An RO/DI system seems to be the best solution of the family and the fish.
Re water storage:
Thanks for that. I'll cleanup one of my old pumps to circulate the water in the bin.
I dose the main tank daily with alk and Ca (will add reactor(s) some time in the future) so I wasn't planning on adding it to the water storage bin. I wanted to store DI water in pure state for top-ups and mix with salt (in seperate container) when needed. Is that alright?
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ReefEnabler
Premium Member
"I wanted to store DI water in pure state for top-ups and mix with salt (in seperate container) when needed. Is that alright?"
I am no expert yet, but that sounds good to me. It's not necessary but can make things more convenient. I will be doing something similiar with my RODI system.
a 50G tank will collect RO water. There will be a float valve and solenoid, and an overflow drain near the top of the tank as an added precaution. Directly below will be a 50G mixing tank, so I will not have to use a pump to transfer the water.
The mixing tank will be next to the refugium and frag tank. It will actually be part of the actively circulated water loop, but on a ball valve. It will overflow back to the sump just like the refugium. The idea here is that you could easily do a water change without turning off any equipment in the sump/display tank. Here's the basic steps that would entail:
1)Turn off the valve thats pushing water from the sump to the mixing tank.
2)Turn the valve thats drains the mixing tank into waste water line.
3) Turn the valve on the bottom of the RO tank to fill the mixing tank with fresh RO water
4) mix salt /whatever
5) turn on a pump, and wait a day or so.
6) After that, simply turn the ball valve back on to pump sump water through the mixing tank, and it should slowly mix in the new water all by itself and circulate it through the overflow.
that isn't to say you wouldn't occasionally drain water from the main display tank when doing water changes (like for siphoning out detritus), but for the most part it would make water changes very easy since you wouldn't even have to shut off the main filtration.
I am no expert yet, but that sounds good to me. It's not necessary but can make things more convenient. I will be doing something similiar with my RODI system.
a 50G tank will collect RO water. There will be a float valve and solenoid, and an overflow drain near the top of the tank as an added precaution. Directly below will be a 50G mixing tank, so I will not have to use a pump to transfer the water.
The mixing tank will be next to the refugium and frag tank. It will actually be part of the actively circulated water loop, but on a ball valve. It will overflow back to the sump just like the refugium. The idea here is that you could easily do a water change without turning off any equipment in the sump/display tank. Here's the basic steps that would entail:
1)Turn off the valve thats pushing water from the sump to the mixing tank.
2)Turn the valve thats drains the mixing tank into waste water line.
3) Turn the valve on the bottom of the RO tank to fill the mixing tank with fresh RO water
4) mix salt /whatever
5) turn on a pump, and wait a day or so.
6) After that, simply turn the ball valve back on to pump sump water through the mixing tank, and it should slowly mix in the new water all by itself and circulate it through the overflow.
that isn't to say you wouldn't occasionally drain water from the main display tank when doing water changes (like for siphoning out detritus), but for the most part it would make water changes very easy since you wouldn't even have to shut off the main filtration.
Artisan Corals
In Memoriam
There is no membrane in a De-ionizer. It just has ion exchanging resins which pull the impurities out of the tap/well water. It doesn't require a membrane or any other pre-filters to obtain a higher purity than RO alone. (It is equal to RO/DI-so why use the RO).
It is better to add some supplements after some aeration. The reason is that the de-ionized water is looking for replacement ions to replace the ones the resins removed. This can cause it to pull pollutants out of the air or the storage container. It is also better to add these supplement so that the water you are adding to the tank does not quickly reduce the minerals in the tank water. You alway want to add water with close properties to the tank water i.e. temp, pH, minerals. This same concept is true with R.O. water.
It is better to add some supplements after some aeration. The reason is that the de-ionized water is looking for replacement ions to replace the ones the resins removed. This can cause it to pull pollutants out of the air or the storage container. It is also better to add these supplement so that the water you are adding to the tank does not quickly reduce the minerals in the tank water. You alway want to add water with close properties to the tank water i.e. temp, pH, minerals. This same concept is true with R.O. water.
Artisan Corals
In Memoriam
I am receiving a lot of Private Messages for information on the Kati Ani De-ionizers that efficiently replace RO systems. There are two e-tailers that have a lot of information on their site. Please check these sites out first and I will be glad to answer any additional questions.
www.premiumaquatics.com
www.thefilterguys.biz
www.premiumaquatics.com
www.thefilterguys.biz
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11092837#post11092837 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Artisan Corals
There is no membrane in a De-ionizer. It just has ion exchanging resins which pull the impurities out of the tap/well water. It doesn't require a membrane or any other pre-filters to obtain a higher purity than RO alone. (It is equal to RO/DI-so why use the RO).
RO/DI is still new to me, so thanks for clarifying the DI resin
I use RO for drinking water. So far I'm quite happy with the system.
I'll look into dosing the storage bin with Ca and Alk. The possibility of the storage bin container leaching impurities into the water makes me wonder if I should store the DI water at all or perhaps store it in a container less likely to taint the DI water.
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Artisan Corals
In Memoriam
Laboratories almost exclusively purify their water with De-ionization (not RO/DI). In a lab setting, you would only be "allowed" to store de-ionized water in glass or one type (I forget which type) of plastic containers. However, we are de-ionizing water for a hobby not a laboratory, so plastic containers are common for water storage. It would be better to store water in glass aquariums than plastic totes, but this is not practical for most situations. The compromise is to add supplements as soon as practical to stabilize the de-ionized water.
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