RODI waste water

[small alien]

Greetings friends.

I just got my first RODI filter. A "Water General". Recommended to me as a reasonably priced basic unit that would do the job. It feels solid and seems well-made.

:eek1: I am astounded at the amount of waste water! I swear it was like a 4 to 1 waste water to RODI water ratio! Will this improve? Is there a break in period? Is this a bad unit?

Any thoughts would be helpful.

Also, what do you do with your RODI waste water. I'm thinking of trying to rig up a gravity fed utility sink next to my fish stuff with a camping shower bladder suspended above it. Ideas?!? I can't imagine sending all that water down the drain. Not to mention the cost!

Thanks, the small one

 

[jayb12]

that seems like a normal running system, my waste water is 4 times more then what my r/o water is roughly, i just run the line to a bucket then water my plants and stuff with it.

 

[Shane Hoffman]

Thats normal if not good....Ive seen as bad as 8 to one out of a friends RODI....

 

[small alien]

Wow. Okay, thanks guys.

 

[Stngray]

If you have a pool, use the waste water for topping it off.

 

[Macimage]

4/1 is a commonly recommended waste water ratio.

I have two RO/Di units. I have the water water from one going into the pool and the other one goes into the washing machine.

Joyce

 

[jayb12]

if im not mistaken, i believe that the "waste" water is still better quality then tap water because its passed through the carbon and such

 

[small alien]

I believe that's right, jayb12. Macimage, how do you have it rigged up to your washing machine? Thanks, all.

 

[small alien]

Anyone else have any fancy uses? Sadly, I have no pool.

 

[solitude127]

I have 2 45 gallon brute trash cans on wheels that my waste water goes to. I then wheel those trash cans around to water my plants. I too as amazed of how much water get wasted whne making "Good" water.

 

[troynel]

mine goes to my washing machine?

 

[troynel]

disregard the ? mark

 

[Mike31154]

I don't feel too good about the amount of wasted water either. Use as much as I can for the garden, but that's not possible in the winter. I guess to feel a little better, for those that have no choice but to feed it straight to the drain, it's relatively clean and after passing through the water treatment process once again at your local facility, it will once again be available as 'tap' water. It will help 'dilute' all the other unmentionable stuff that goes down the drain and into the sewer system. But, I think we have to start thinking of perhaps having separate 'grey' water systems in our homes. Aside from the washer (new front loaders use way less water) & the bathtub, your toilet flush tank uses the most water in most residences. A grey water system would be perfect to refill those and your RO waste water would be a bonus in that regard. Unfortunately, it appears we're a long way off in turning that into a reality. To be done properly, your city or town would need to lay a second set of supply and drain pipes. That's an astronomical task, but certainly with some planning, any new developments could be built that way from the get go. I know in my area, there is a separate supply of irrigation water for the local farmers and orchardists. It is not potable water, but not sewage either. Pretty sure it's some kind of grey water system as I've been referring to. Runs only during the growing season and takes the pressure off the potable water supply.

 

[small alien]

Great thoughts, Mike. Troynel, how do you get it into your washing machine? Thanks all.

 

[Macimage]

I purchased extra 1/4" tubing from the garden department at Lowes/Home Depot and a 1/4" ball valve.

I ran the tubing into the top of the washing machine. I added the o/off ball valve on the input side of my RO/DI and once the washing machine is as full as I need it, I turn the ball valve off. After the wash cycle, when I hear it filling for the rinse cycle, I put the tubing back into the top of the washing machine and turn on the ball valve.

I also have a 3 gallon tank under the laundry room sink to store extra RO/DI water, in addition to 3 gallon jugs I can fill.

Joyce

 

[JRechcygl]

A guy in our local club got I believe Spectapure model that gets 1:1 waste water, granted the unit was close to $1000 I believe but the savings in water must be tremendous, plus you get that warm feeling of being "green"

RO booster pumps can also add to efficiency, same with running the water into the RO at ~77 degrees, and at the recommended pressure for the unit will cut down on the waste water.

If you tap into the cold water line as most people do, you will get more waste water as well.

 

[small alien]

Thanks, Macimage. Thanks, JRechcygl. That's interesting stuff. So my pressure to the RODI is about 50. But it's rated up to 80. You're suggesting that if I got a booster pump to get it to 80, I'd get less waste?

Also, any suggestions about getting the temp up? Yes, I'm tapped into the cold line to our washing machine.

Thanks.

 

[Mike31154]

My input line is an extra long piece which I've coiled into a pail of water with a couple of aquarium heaters. I'm told that's not the most efficient thing to do, but up here in winter the feed water is very cold. I saw a thread where a fellow sort of killed two birds with one stone. He had problems keeping his tank temperature down so he did similar to what I've done, but coiled the RO/DI input line inside his sump. This had the effect of cooling his tank water and at the same time warming up the RO/DI feed water. Brilliant.

I'm thinking of switching to a tankless hot water heater some time soon and have been toying with the idea of perhaps tapping into the hot water instead of cold. Newer high end tankless hot water heaters have an active control allowing you to dial in the desired temperature, which will prevent it from being too hot to damage the RO membrane... I hope.

 

[Mark 75g]

You guys need to go to marinedepot.com and look at the - Kold Ster-il Filter System. Its about $350 and you get no waste water. I can fill up a 4gallon bucket in minutes. I have tested the water and there are no nitrates. The water works well in my 75g. No issues as of yet. Running it for about 2 months.

 

[blackthunda77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15360774#post15360774 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mark 75g
You guys need to go to marinedepot.com and look at the - Kold Ster-il Filter System. Its about $350 and you get no waste water. I can fill up a 4gallon bucket in minutes. I have tested the water and there are no nitrates. The water works well in my 75g. No issues as of yet. Running it for about 2 months.

since when do we use RO units cuz of nitrates....? i dont have nitrates in my tap. to my knowledge we use RODI units to bring in phosphate free and 0 TDS water not necessarily nitrate free water.