New RO/DI unit set up

[Weyrman]

This will be somewhat of a test run for me on posting pictures. So be forewarned...

I recently recieved a gift of a 135 gallon reef system. I found out about it when I heard, "tell me when you're going to pick it up." No prior salt system experience. Let alone reef.

OK. So it's been a few weeks and many late nights on RC trying to learn about what you are supposed to be doing. And, finding out what you did wrong.

One thing I decided I wasn't going to be doing was spending $200 a month having someone deliver salt water to the tank for water changes. And this not just because the former individual who used to make the deliveries to the donor wouldn't return my phone calls...

I just wanted to be on top of things.

What I knew... I needed RO/DI water for the corals and inverts. The prior owner had been recieving weekly water changes from the, so called, aquarium guy, for 7 years. He didn't even return their phone calls to say I was interested in picking up his services. Maybe he was killed by an upset coral.

Since I couldn't get salt water from the now possibly dismembered and gutted aquarium guy. I figured I'd better start making it myself.

What I found...

Locally we have a company called Spectrapure. I was given a Spectrapure Litermiter III for dosing Kalkwasser. So I figured I'd check them out for whatever.

I went to their shop and found some pretty interesting folks. Charles, the king pin and founder, gave me somewhat of a tour as the salesman wasn't in. He checked my Gilbert water sample and I wasn't surprised to find that it wasn't very usefull for reef purposes...

He did several tests on my water samples and then made some suggestions as to how I should set things up. I had come figuring on getting the Maxcap90. He said that was probably the best bet and a good choice.

I said I was figuring on hooking it up to a storage tank and he said to check out the Float Level Control Kit - ASOFK. Good choice as I figured out later.

So I walked out with the Maxicap90 and the float level kit. About $350. He had added the high capacity DI cartriges and the 98% RO membrane at no charge. And the sale guy came out with a bunch of extra water line (no charge) for the set up I had told him I was contemplating. I was told that this was because I was a local customer. Here's another reason to support your local suppliers.

I'm new here. Just had another thought. Is what I just posted going to get the post removed because of vender info? Hope not. Mods, let me know if so and I'll edit.

So, here's where I'll try and post some pics of the setup for RO/DI and the storage tank...

There should be a pic of the 60 gallon storage tank.

The tank with the 1/2 inch hole cut for the auto float shut off valve

A shot of the rubber bands I added to the arms of the "remote" to help in getting the float valve in place..

The spectrapure system with the floar shut off in place

my temporary waste water system... It's going down a 100 foot hose to fruit trees for now.

The "y" connector for hooking the RO/DI system up.

 

[Weyrman]

Hmmm... I don't see the pics...

I'll try something else...

 

[Weyrman]

Maybe now?

Keeps saying failed to upload.

Is there a file size limit?

 

[Fish777]

Where did you get the 60 gallon storage tank?

 

[Weyrman]

That tank came from a boy scout troop that replaced it with a smaller tank. So I don't know where it came from.

 

[Weyrman]

You can get a 55 gallon tank from most any "survivalist' shop around. Just google "water tank"

 

[Weyrman]

Maybe pics will show up now.

 

[kingevil]

Where did you mount your tds meters?

Did they give you a printed manual? I got one, much better than having to run to the cumputer all the time when setting up.

 

[Weyrman]

I will be mounting the unit on the wall above and behind the dryer where it is sitting now. The TDS meters will be mounted on the front of the metal unit frame. They will be easy to read there.

Yes the RO/DI unit came with a printed booklet with instructions. The Float Level Control Kit also came with printed instructions. The unit was fully assembled while I was at the Spectrapure shop. All I did was calibrate the waste flow and pre start the unit by doing the "rinse up" of the DI cartridges. Putting the shut off and check valves on the unit for the float level falve to work properly took about 10 minutes.

It was all pretty easy to do.

The most tedious part was setting the waste water flow rate. There is a flow restrictor in the waste water line that you must cut to length based on what the RO/DI water flow is. The ratio of waste to "good" water is supposed to be between 3:1 to 5:1. I set it at 4:1.

I've read here and elsewhere about low ratio systems. Something like 1:1 is possible. That is mostly achieved by running the waste water back through the system. I was told at Spectrapure that this prematurely saturates the RO membrane. So it was deciding between a trade off of longer membrane life and more waste water. I decided to send the waste water to the garden. Problem solved.

Today I'm going to get enough tubing so I can run the waste water line out through the garage and into a bucket that I'll hang under the roof. I'll plumb the bucket with a hose bib near the bottom. I can then hook the hose up to the bucket for watering the trees and garden.

I will have the waste water drip into the bucket as I don't want to restrict the flow.

 

[plantastic]

Another option for running the waste water is to use a waste line as long as you would need it to be to reach the furthest area, and recalculate and cut a restrictor for that flow...not sure if that helps with your application, but I had visions of a bucket overflowing...HAHA!

 

[Fish777]

Good idea on the waste water. Just remember, water at 8 lbs a gallon in that 5 gallon bucket when full will weigh approx. 40 lbs. Make sure that bucket is secured well.

I run my waste water into the grass.

Thanks for the heads up on looking for a storage barrel.

 

[Weyrman]

I thought about using waste line all the way to the garden but that's about 150 feet. That distance might create too much restriction on the waste line. I bought 100 feet which I'll test to see what the results are. I'm filling the 60 gallon barrel now for a water change I'll do tomorrow. Going to mix up the salt today for 20 gallons. The rest of the water will go into fresh water tanks.

If the flow restriction is too great using waste line all the way then I'll go back to using a bucket. It'll be a sturdy bucket and well supported!! Thanks for that advise.

By the way. Since the waste line is not pressurized I used 1/4 inch irrigation line. 100 feet was about $6.75 compared to RO line at $16.00. I suspect the irrigation line would be fine under house pressure but didn't check into that as Spectrapure gave me enough line for the pressurized side of the system. Also, I don't know if the irrigation line is food safe. Though you would think so since it's sold to water vegetable gardens.

 

[Weyrman]

60 gallons RO/DI is made so I checked the flow rate ratios using the 100 foot waste line. There wasn't a huge change. The additional length of line reduced flow from

4:1 to 3.5:1

Optimal efficiency ratio range is from 3:1 to 5:1.

So I think I'll just run the irrigation line and skip the bucket. I'll add another 50 feet and readjust the flow restrictor to get back close to 4:1.

 

[briankmarsh1980]

I may be totally wrong but im thinking RO/DI is bad for fresh water

 

[kingevil]

I may be totally wrong but im thinking RO/DI is bad for fresh water

he's using the waste water to drain into his trees and garden. perfectly fine.

 

[kingevil]

60 gallons RO/DI is made so I checked the flow rate ratios using the 100 foot waste line. There wasn't a huge change. The additional length of line reduced flow from

4:1 to 3.5:1

Optimal efficiency ratio range is from 3:1 to 5:1.

So I think I'll just run the irrigation line and skip the bucket. I'll add another 50 feet and readjust the flow restrictor to get back close to 4:1.

if you extend your waste line,then your ratio is going to be off due to the trapped water within the longer line. to get an accurate ratio both 'good' and 'waste' lines should really be the same length.

 

[Weyrman]

If the lines are both full at the start wouldn't it be accurate?

How I do the test is I let the unit run for a few minutes. Both lines are discharging during this time. Then I take both lines, RO/DI and waste, and put them simultaniously into two different measuring cups (these measuring cups hold more than one cup). After a minute I pull them both out at the same time. I then compare the amounts going into each measuring cup.

 

[kingevil]

If the lines are both full at the start wouldn't it be accurate?

How I do the test is I let the unit run for a few minutes. Both lines are discharging during this time. Then I take both lines, RO/DI and waste, and put them simultaniously into two different measuring cups (these measuring cups hold more than one cup). After a minute I pull them both out at the same time. I then compare the amounts going into each measuring cup.

Yes, as long as both are full with no air, there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Weyrman]

Yes, as long as both are full with no air, there shouldn't be a problem.

Good deal. Both are full and running before I do the test.