ro/di alternatives

[HumanIMDB]

Yes, most RO Membranes run at 4 to 1 ratio, some much higher and all of those depend on temperature and pressure. If you are concerned with dumping gallons of water down the drain while making RO water, consider the Spectrapure MAXCAP 100 UHE, it has a 1:1 ratio and I believe can get even better than that.

Evaporation is a good thing; it helps cool your system and performs a necessary gas exchange. We're still tracking the evaporation rate of our AGA92 but so far it looks to be settling between 5 and 10 gallons per week. We expect more when we get the 400w Metal Halide over it. We would really like to put in an Auto Top Off unit but lack the space right now.

Our 10g has been running at about half a gallon per day for the last two years.

The sweat spot for water changes according to Randy Holmes-Farley is 30% per month. So you need to make that much RO (RO/DI) water every month and mix it up with salt.

So, for example, a AGA92 with a Sump and Refugium we have around 100 Gallons total. 30 Gallons a month in water changes and about 10 gallons a week in top off. That's 70 gallons a month. An RO/DI unit will pay for itself very quickly if you are buying RO water currently.

 

[OceanAV]

<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.

I am running 75G. 8G water change every week + 5G to 7G top off. So I use aprox. 15G per week - 75G total (RO/DI + Waist). ~300G a month. Considering that we use 7000G -8000G per month this 300 don’t put a dent in our bill. Having a good water is worth it. Of course it is a shame to waist so much…

 

[Gunjee]

Wow! The Spectrapure MaxCap UHE Ultra-High Efficiency 5-Stage 100GPD RO/DI System is listed at $899.99...

Like I said, this process is probably the only thing holding me back. I was at the LFS, and the guy was telling me that I could use tap water and treat it. He told me that this is how they did it back in the day... I presume he was telling me this to make a sale.

So you're doing approximately 30% water changes a month? I didn't realize that water changes were required - I thought a top off is the only thing required for an established tank.

How about this question that I will throw out there: What about those whole house filters? If I attach one of those to the line coming into my house, it filters all of the water coming into the house. I am not sure, but this is close to distilled water. Can I get away with something like that?

 

[jimbo78]

water changes are required both for freshwater and saltwater. at least if you want a healty tank.

 

[dc]

[flamealert]


Several of you in this thread need to step away.

 

[HumanIMDB]

Wow! The Spectrapure MaxCap UHE Ultra-High Efficiency 5-Stage 100GPD RO/DI System is listed at $899.99...

Yep, it's pricey, that's why we went with the MAXCAP 90. That said, the Premium Series from www.buckeyefieldsupply.com for around $160 are recommended by A.J. (AZDesertRat) a lot as well.

Like I said, this process is probably the only thing holding me back. I was at the LFS, and the guy was telling me that I could use tap water and treat it. He told me that this is how they did it back in the day... I presume he was telling me this to make a sale.

You can use treated tap water, but I wouldn't. At the very least, I would buy RO water.

So you're doing approximately 30% water changes a month? I didn't realize that water changes were required - I thought a top off is the only thing required for an established tank.

Water changes get rid of nitrates and other harmful contaminants that build up over time.

How about this question that I will throw out there: What about those whole house filters? If I attach one of those to the line coming into my house, it filters all of the water coming into the house. I am not sure, but this is close to distilled water. Can I get away with something like that?

It's probably better than nothing, but I would test it for TDS and Chlorine.

 

[frank2926]

Several of you in this thread need to step away.

I think they stepped away all the way to the moon by now :lol:

 

[frank2926]

Wow! The Spectrapure MaxCap UHE Ultra-High Efficiency 5-Stage 100GPD RO/DI System is listed at $899.99...

There are alternatives to that system.
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm

With Any RODI unit you get you can get a holding container that hooks up to your sink for drinking water.

 

[Traill]

I just want to thank everyone on this thread for a most enjoyable read this evening. This was a good one. Wasn't expecting a rodi question to be so entertaining!:rollface: