ro/di alternatives

[Flipper62]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12575421#post12575421 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flipper62
rjsilvers,

WOW....Just tonight you have already have new PM's going out about you...Were all getting PM's telling us to just ignore you..Good job...

MAN...BEFORE YOU REPLY...READ THE POST...I use RO/DI water. BUT when that guy got started. I said it was not the best...BUT distilled water was his best alturnitave to RO/DI water..

WOW...AGAIN......Maybe you cant read english..... DUDE....YOU should really shut up...... solber up.....And your next reply should be after you have a few years under your belt & you know what the hell your talking about

 

[Flipper62]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12575429#post12575429 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by meco65
This has gotten a little off topic.

I agree...Sorry for the bash. I just hate when some newbie jumps in & talks trash...and has no clue.

Sorry original poster..... I was just trying to help you

 

[rjsilvers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12575421#post12575421 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flipper62
rjsilvers,

WOW....Just tonight you have already have new PM's going out about you...Were all getting PM's telling us to just ignore you..Good job...

I guess I should be thankful I'm that popular...

First off, I'd like to thank Flipper62... Without his support I would have never made it to this thread. And I would have never been engaged in a debate on whether or not people who openly admit to not being able to afford our hobby could sustain a reef tank on Wal-mart water alone. Nor could I possibly attempt to fathom how someone with supposed 8 years experience could offer such bad advice while at the same time having some kind of superiority complex and a need to call me an idiot and to 'solber up' while at the same time criticizing my english and making absolutely no sense.

I can't leave out Meco65, either. While his post count far surpasses my meager one, the knowledge he shares will always pale in comparison to the joy reading his posts gives me.

Here's to you guys. :smokin:

 

[NewFish3]

BERTONI...Mhurley... RC MODS please close this thread.

This rjsilvers is an moran & is just trying to start crap. DONT know his problem....DONT care.

Thanks. Jonathon

 

[rjsilvers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12575472#post12575472 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NewFish3
BERTONI...Mhurley... RC MODS please close this thread.

This rjsilvers is an moran & is just trying to start crap. DONT know his problem....DONT care.

Thanks. Jonathon

Start crap? Because I offer a different opinion and get called an idiot and 'moran' from multiple people when I haven't insulted a single person in return?

Yeah, I'm the one starting crap... I guess if you aren't buddy-buddy with all the rest of the RC regulars you just get attacked by going against the grain. Oh well.

 

[frank2926]

I think the original question is causing some confusion.

"Are there alternatives to RODI"?

Well we need more info to answer this appropriately. Do mean for a short time while you save up for a RODI unit? Do you mean for fish only or a Reef tank? Where do you live and have you gotten a water report from you municipality? Most post there water report online.
Do you know your tap water TDS? Do you know what kind of fish you plan on keeping?

All of these are key in answering this question. Some areas of this country have extremely low TDS and could use tap water by just running some water with carbon in a bucket for few days. If fish only with very low tds you do not even need to do that. Some areas have very high tds, Like Arizona. I believe the tds there is over 800. Some fish are very sensitive to copper, even in the lowest levels.

But the practical answer is unless you have extremely low TDS with No chloramine then NO there is no LONG TERM PRACTICAL alternative.

There is something called a Kold Steril unit, but I think they are more money than an RO unit.

 

[Aerowen]

I started off using tap, then i went to distilled and now that i saved up i got the R/O DI. this only worked because my tank is 24G and average evaporation was 1/2 G every 2 days, so i did not need that many bottles. However it is a pain, and an R/O unit would be easier, but meanwhile you can certanly use distilled. all my params are good. 0 TDS, and no copper or phospates. And just to be clear i am not recommending anyone to use tap, it was a mistake alot of people make when they start off- Also, i am sure that people who have been in this hobby for a while have better advice i am just a newb- but i had the same problem as you and I am telling what worked for me.

 

[bandh0526]

Do you know anyone else in the hobby with a RO/DI unit? The reason I ask is that we have a buddy of ours with an RO unit (a nice one) and we have kind of a barter system going. If we buy him the salt to make his water every month, he will supply us with all the RO water we need. It's kinda like a reefer support group. We also frag swap - have sleepovers - paint each other's toes...oops didn't mean to divulge all THAT information.
:lmao:

Just saying if you know anyone, sometimes it can benefit both of you guys. You could have like a mutual benefit relationship! Like a clownfish and an anemone...

 

[HumanIMDB]

We used RO Water from a grocery store in our 10g nano for two years without any issues.

The cost of buying 15 gallons of RO water a month for two years = ~$215 CAD. (5 gallon water change every two weeks and top up water.)

When budgeting for the AGA92, we calculated the cost of buying 65 gallons of RO water a month (15 gallons for the 10g Nano and 50 gallons for the AGA92), the cost was ~$1185 CAD for the first year (100 gallon initial fill) and ~$470 CAD per year after that.

The cost of our Spectrapure MAXCAP 90 that we got for the AGA92, ~$370 CAD.

We're still figuring out the maintenance costs (filters) for running the RO/DI unit but we're estimating a savings of at least $750 in the first year and $400 a year going forward over buying RO water. Plus the convenience of not having to carry that much water back from the grocery store.

We have noticed a slight increase in water quality in the 10g since going to RO/DI water, but like I said, we never had any issues with RO water from the grocery store. Had we been keeping more demanding specimens, we might have had issues, but with what we were keeping we were fine. Mistakes from inexperience were far more devastating to the inhabitants than water quality.

As brandonandholly mentioned, if you know of someone with an RO/DI unit, you can likely work out something with them until you can get your own unit. Also, if that person is a fellow reef keeper, you will likely benefit in many other ways from that relationship.

Yes it is nice to get everything you need right at the start, however the reality is that most people are unable to do that or don't know what they need and just jump in feet first. Being on RC and asking questions, you're already doing better than most people/we did when we started.

Spend what money you have where you can and try to keep things that will do well in the system you can afford but keep in mind, no one ever goes in to reefing to save money. Yes, if you build a fancy system you can eventually sell frags/spawn but likely you will never make enough to break even let alone profit from the hobby...

 

[HumanIMDB]

Whoops, bad math in that post...

Initial fill = $2.99/5g x 100 gallons = ~$300 CAD
A Year of Water Changes and Top-ups for both systems = $2.99/5g x 780 gallons = ~$470 CAD
Total for the first year = $770 CAD not $1185

Still money saved that has been/will be spent on other things for the new tank.

 

[Longchamp]

bulkreefsupply has a fairly nice RODI unit for $160.

If you can talk someone else in your area into buying one theyre $150 each, the price goes down to $140 with 10+ units

Check craigslist or see if theres a local club in your area. I got my RODI unit with a fresh membrane for $50

Its an ebay unit, but its better than buying distilled.

Theres always a way to do things economically, buying used is the main one. I've got a 28g bowfront nano that only cost me about $180 (after selling off a couple of corals in it)

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/for/658851021.html

Check out this link.. Id offer him $50 shipped and you can get a DI addon for like $30

 

[HumanIMDB]

If you are investing in a RO/DI unit, best to stick with ones that are proven/recommended here on RC:

www.thefilterguys.biz
http://www.melevsreef.com/ro_di.html
Premium Series from www.buckeyefieldsupply.com
www.spectrapure.com

We have the Spectrapure MAXCAP 90 now. If/when we go to a bigger tank, we will likely get the MAXCAP 100 UHE. If/when that happens, we'll be selling the MAXCAP 90.

Be careful with "unknown" units...if in doubt, ask A.J. (AZDesertRat
). He can give you the specifications you should be looking for.

 

[jhnsail]

Start whever you are! Put in what your tank, lighting, and filtration can handle. Build as you can and add change what is in your tank as you are able to upgrade. I kept a 29 in college using tap water, IO and regular flouresent tubes with an undergravel filter and a tank back filter. Had a very interesting FO tank for very little. Just my $ .02

 

[Gtstricky]

If you live at home with your parents you need to take a water sample and get it tested. Then take the report to them and show them why they NEED and RO system for the drinking water and ice maker. Invite one of the local sales reps to come and talk to your parents if it needs to be a hard sale. Then just add on the DI part for the fish tank water.



Someone else also recommended joining your local reef club. That is a great idea. Someone will hook you up.

 

[jimbo78]

you dont need an ro/di filter to have a reef tank. i bought one of those cheap ebay units and dont even use it. ive been getting my water at the LFS because i can spend $10 a week but droping 200 on a filter is not in the cards right now

 

[jimbo78]

btw i test the TDS from my LFS and they have only been above 0 twice ..

 

[Ajilon]

walmart sells RO/Di water for .33 a gallon. On a 20 gallon tank, it won't be that much to maintain and probably would benefit you financially more than an RO unit since you have excessive wastewater to deal with as well. If that were my only tank, I wouldn't have an RO unit at all.

I know people that use tap water. I don't recommend it, especially in a small tank because hair algae will form as a result of it, and it's harder to keep parameters in check. My 90 gallon fowlr was purchased from a guy who never once used RO, only tap water. It took MONTHS to clean it up. I also know of someone who has 10 coral tanks of various size (3 over 100 gallons) and they only use tap water. That would depend on how much maintenance you're willing to do and what the tap water quality is like coming into your home.

Again... I wouldn't recommend it, but I've seen it done with success.

 

[jkrentz2515]

Buy the 50 gpd mightmite from airwaterice. It is $90 and hooks right up to your faucet. You also get a free tds meter with it. I have had it for over a month now and it works great. 0 reading everytime.

 

[Gunjee]

I've been reading this thread, and there is a lot of useful information. I am a freshwater Cichlid guy who was going to upgrade to a 75 gallon tank. But I am debating whether I should upgrade, or start with saltwater. I have always wanted to do saltwater, but have stayed away because of the very essence of it - the saltwater.

I'm reconsidering saltwater again, but I'm a little turned off by the RO/DI. I have no problem going to the LFS or Walmart to buy the water, I just have a problem making my own. Sure, it will save money in the long run, but what about the amount of water that is going to waste?

It is like a 4 to 1 ratio if I am not mistaken (1 gallon of good water, while 4 gallons of bad water go to waste). I have heard some folks say they use this "waste" water for their garden or washing machine. I guess that is fine...but some folks have said that they evaporate 2-3 gallons a day.

Does this mean that they are adding 2-3 gallons of water back into their tank every day? How much water is kept aside to maintain the tank? It seems like you are dealing with water changes / adding all the time.

Again, I do not have a saltwater tank and you guys are far more experienced than I am...I am just trying to pick your brains to see if it is worth going to saltwater.

 

[jimbo78]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12578375#post12578375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gunjee
I've been reading this thread, and there is a lot of useful information. I am a freshwater Cichlid guy who was going to upgrade to a 75 gallon tank. But I am debating whether I should upgrade, or start with saltwater. I have always wanted to do saltwater, but have stayed away because of the very essence of it - the saltwater.

I'm reconsidering saltwater again, but I'm a little turned off by the RO/DI. I have no problem going to the LFS or Walmart to buy the water, I just have a problem making my own. Sure, it will save money in the long run, but what about the amount of water that is going to waste?

It is like a 4 to 1 ratio if I am not mistaken (1 gallon of good water, while 4 gallons of bad water go to waste). I have heard some folks say they use this "waste" water for their garden or washing machine. I guess that is fine...but some folks have said that they evaporate 2-3 gallons a day.

Does this mean that they are adding 2-3 gallons of water back into their tank every day? How much water is kept aside to maintain the tank? It seems like you are dealing with water changes / adding all the time.

Again, I do not have a saltwater tank and you guys are far more experienced than I am...I am just trying to pick your brains to see if it is worth going to saltwater.

you pretty much got the water thing down. i hate that we (tank owners) waste so much water in drought conditions here in florida.
as far as evaporation i have a 90g and since switching from PC lighting to T5 light the evaporation rate went from about 2 gallons a day to less than 1. i dont know if everyone with T5's has had the same results but have noticed a couple people have said the same thing in the NEP T5 owners thread