RO top-off water question

[dudz]

I use a calcium reactor to dose calc and alk.

Should I be adding anything to my RO water prior to it being dosed into the sump tank ?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Not Necessary.
1 Precaution - don't top off directly from the RO unit.
Reduces the life of the membrane & increases the dissolved organics in the water.
The longer the unit runs the better the water gets.
Use some king of holding tank you fill every so often.

 

[dudz]

Not Necessary.
1 Precaution - don't top off directly from the RO unit.
Reduces the life of the membrane & increases the dissolved organics in the water.
The longer the unit runs the better the water gets.
Use some king of holding tank you fill every so often.

I use a float valve in a plastic 13ltr bucket to start and stop the RO unit. At the bottom of the bucket there is an outlet going to a dosing pump from a read switch float valve that is situated in the sump.

 

[bertoni]

The RO water is safe to add directly to the system.

FWIW, the concern with running an RO membrane the way you describe is that it runs only for a short time, and thus it will let a lot more contaminants through. Also, if the float valve fails, and they do seem to fail, the tank can get a lot of RO water added.

 

[dudz]

Point Taken. I have had the system running for 8 years like this, and only failed once, because calcium built up on the float and stuck (in the sump). It just seems this way is the most reliable way to me. There is around 2 ltrs of evaporation per 24hrs.
We also use this water from the bucket for everyday drinking water and water for coffee etc..,between 5 people, so its running alot.