Ro/di Questions

heath

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2012
Location
Woodstock, Ontario
I only run ro water, we drink it... I started with one tank and then added the second one...the tanks are 2.5g and I found that it was big enough to do water top ups plus fill my water changing drums.. it took to long..as others have said contact Pipes (James) trust me, he will be 150% honest with you on your needs and explain everything, also, he will not rip you off...
 

Canadianeh

Active Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2016
Location
T-dot
Thank you guys for your advice. I feel bad asking more questions as only the same forum members responded and I feel like I am starting to annoy you guys.
 

Pipes

Active Member
Joined
May 21, 2015
Location
Ingersoll
Thank you guys for your advice. I feel bad asking more questions as only the same forum members responded and I feel like I am starting to annoy you guys.
Never be afraid to ask a question. Some will get there first, and if the next 20 agree with that person, we don't usually leave a comment. Another thing you can do is check the number of views your thread has. If the number of views is higher, then most of those basically agree with the previous posts.

When you refer to "the tank add on" are you referring to the pressure tank that comes with a drinking water system? A residential RO will have a pressure tank that is either 3 or 4 gallons. Meaning that half the pressure tank is water. So a 4 gallon will contain 2 gallons of water. Half is air bladder. An RO will produce water at a quick drip, thus the need to have a tank. If there was no tank then it would take 5 minutes to fill a glass of water. A residential RO, when you buy one, should have the RO unit, a 3-4 filters, a membrane, pressure tank and tap for the sink. If you are purchasing a Reef model, then no pressure tank or tap. The number of filters, and designation, will depend on what you need to accomplish. Some Reef ROs will have DI canisters built into their brackets.

Lots of options, so make sure you do your research as to what your feed water is and what it contains, and what you need to remove. Then you will know what model is best for you. But never be afraid to ask...

"We're all in this together. Keep your stick on the ice". (Red Green)
 

new2reefing

Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Location
Ottawa
Hey,

Hopefully I'm not intruding on the conversation.
I am not that knowledgeable and think of everything in simple terms.
Since it was not answered before, you CAN dring RO water, but not DI water, as DI water would remove too much of the minerals in water, which your body needs. There are several studies into the effects of DI and distilled water consumption. Basically to sum them all up, ok if by accident, or even for short periods of time but NEVER a good idea long run.

In terms of the remainder of your questions, everyone here seems to have done a great job of answering. You can use a RO/DI as needed, or have it permanently set up with a storage container, pressurized storage, separate tap, or many other methods that suit your needs. My understanding is the only purpose of a pressurized system if to allow the tap to quickly provide a limited quantity of water. As others have said, a 4 gallon system would give you 2 gallons of tap ready RO only(drinkable), or RO/DI water(top off or small water change). Most with a RO or RODI would then have other containers they would fill for their larger water changes run on either float switches or timers.
Remember, 100 G/Day means 4.167 G/Hour or .07 G/Minute (around a 9 oz glass of water) so using all of the pressurized tank would take a half hour to refill. (assuming 2 gallon of storage space) This would work great for top offs, or nano tank changes, but not 120 gallon tank changes.

Again, I'm new. The others who posted have vastly more knowledge and experience.
I'm in the process of setting up for a ro/di myself, so let me know which unit you end up going with.
 

Pipes

Active Member
Joined
May 21, 2015
Location
Ingersoll
Hey,

Hopefully I'm not intruding on the conversation.
I am not that knowledgeable and think of everything in simple terms.
Since it was not answered before, you CAN dring RO water, but not DI water, as DI water would remove too much of the minerals in water, which your body needs. There are several studies into the effects of DI and distilled water consumption. Basically to sum them all up, ok if by accident, or even for short periods of time but NEVER a good idea long run.

In terms of the remainder of your questions, everyone here seems to have done a great job of answering. You can use a RO/DI as needed, or have it permanently set up with a storage container, pressurized storage, separate tap, or many other methods that suit your needs. My understanding is the only purpose of a pressurized system if to allow the tap to quickly provide a limited quantity of water. As others have said, a 4 gallon system would give you 2 gallons of tap ready RO only(drinkable), or RO/DI water(top off or small water change). Most with a RO or RODI would then have other containers they would fill for their larger water changes run on either float switches or timers.
Remember, 100 G/Day means 4.167 G/Hour or .07 G/Minute (around a 9 oz glass of water) so using all of the pressurized tank would take a half hour to refill. (assuming 2 gallon of storage space) This would work great for top offs, or nano tank changes, but not 120 gallon tank changes.

Again, I'm new. The others who posted have vastly more knowledge and experience.
I'm in the process of setting up for a ro/di myself, so let me know which unit you end up going with.

You are correct. During the 80's there was a fad with the Yuppies (goes to show my age) in Toronto, to drink DI or distilled water. They found out that it was dissolving their esophagus and stomach linings. Which could also heighten their risk of cancer. Di is so lacking in mineral content, being 0-1 TDS, that the process of osmosis, was removing any surface content that it came in contact with. For reefers, the idea is to make as pure water as possible to ensure that the brine (salt) mix is always consistent, and with a low TDS the salt also dissolves quicker, and doesn't leave any precipitous (fallout from the mix).
 

Sean T.

New Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2015
Location
Sarnia
I live in the Sarnia area and use Kern water supply to buy my RO water. I don't have a system myself pr any close pals in the hobby that would fill me up using their systems, so its kind of the only option for me right now. Do you guys think that its an ok place to be getting my water?
 

Sean T.

New Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2015
Location
Sarnia
what did that end up running you $? Did you ever have any issues running your tank with their water?
 

Pipes

Active Member
Joined
May 21, 2015
Location
Ingersoll
To tell you the truth, it would be cheaper long term to purchase an RO. Just remember though that they usually run 3 to 1. Which means that for every 3 gallons down the drain, you get 1 gallon of water, so you pay for 4 gallons and get 1. If you are lucky, you may find a unit that is 2 to 1. For those who don't pay for water they are laughing. But it will still cost less per gallon - if you don't think about the initial cost of the RO and filter replacement for a few years. Some people who live in an apartments must ask their landlord permission to install the units though, as you have to tap into the plumbing. The city of Sarnia has fairly soft water as it is drawn from the lake, so you would be able to plumb it in anywhere you have a cold waterline and a drain. Just make sure you have a plan in place if there is ever a leak...
 

Canadianeh

Active Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2016
Location
T-dot
I can't install mine under the sink as there is no room. Just hook it up on the bathroom sink faucet and store it in a Rubbermaid when I am done.
 
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