RO/DI alternatives?

[rb1414]

Hopefully my final newbie question. I've done tons of research and was all prepared to purchase a 130D when I realized that tapwater is not an appropriate source for water and now I'm feeling overwhelmed. Sounds like lots of people have basement and garage RO/DI setups with huge drums of saltwater sitting around and I just don't have the space for that. One of the attractions of going with the 130D is I figured I'd only be replacing about 5 gallons a week. But I don't know what to do about the water. Is an RO/DI the only option? Buying water seems like an enormous hassle. Are there any good faucet filters out there? Does anyone out there not have an RO/DI set up? I'm just wanting some advice. Thanks.

 

[tnwillia]

Nothing says you can't mount your RO/DI under your sink. I have mine mounted in my laundry room tapped of the water line for my washer. The output of my unit is a 1/4" hose I run to my water storage I have a on/off valve in line so I can start/stop the flow as I choose. I fill 20 gals, I could fill 5 if I wanted.

Your other concern is the waste water line. If you put it under your sink, there are adaptors that are sold at Lowe's or Home Depot to put a nipple on your sink water drain line to dump the waste water into.

There are all kinds of ways to make it work. Good luck!

 

[tnwillia]

And... Welcome to RS!

 

[soily]

Hi the ro/di unit need not be a problem, as the post above i have mine by our washing machine. I used a supplied self cutting tap to get the cold water feed and just ran the waste into the washing machine waste. I too do a 5 gallon change every two weeks by drawing off 5 gallons into a brew bin adding the salt and leaving it on a brew mat (for keeping Homebrew beer at 24 degrees) overnight with a power head in it to mix it. The rest of the time i just turn off the unit with the tap. It works really well. The ro/di unit was a reasonable £55 with the tap and spare cartridges from Collins water products based in Sheffield UK.

Hope this helps don't get dissuaded it is a lot of hassle initially but the rewards are worth it.

pete

 

[rb1414]

What about these faucet filters that aquarium stores sell?

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter

Sounds like you just put them on your faucet . . . pros/cons??

 

[magnetar68]

Hopefully my final newbie question. I've done tons of research and was all prepared to purchase a 130D when I realized that tapwater is not an appropriate source for water and now I'm feeling overwhelmed. Sounds like lots of people have basement and garage RO/DI setups with huge drums of saltwater sitting around and I just don't have the space for that. One of the attractions of going with the 130D is I figured I'd only be replacing about 5 gallons a week. But I don't know what to do about the water. Is an RO/DI the only option? Buying water seems like an enormous hassle. Are there any good faucet filters out there? Does anyone out there not have an RO/DI set up? I'm just wanting some advice. Thanks.

Don't be shy about asking questions here. I have asked a gazillion and everyone is always very helpful.

I just by the RO/DI water from the local fish store (LFS). It's really cheap ($0.29/gal). To fill up the tank, I bought three 5 gallon jugs (see pic) for about $10 each. For the other 20 gallons, I bought four 5 gallon buckets from home depot with lids for another $20. I always keep the three jugs filled with R/O water from the store and I do 5 gallon water changes.

 

[rb1414]

Don't be shy about asking questions here. I have asked a gazillion and everyone is always very helpful.

I just by the RO/DI water from the local fish store (LFS). It's really cheap ($0.29/gal). To fill up the tank, I bought three 5 gallon jugs (see pic) for about $10 each. For the other 20 gallons, I bought four 5 gallon buckets from home depot with lids for another $20. I always keep the three jugs filled with R/O water from the store and I do 5 gallon water changes.

Well you've made buying at the LFS sound a lot easier. My LFS is not close (about 20 min drive) but I could certainly do it once a month and keep 20 gal. around. I'm curious about your system. You have three 5 gallon jugs that you fill up at the LFS and then you have four 5 gallon buckets that you use to mix the salt in . . .is that correct? Where did you buy the jugs in the picture, those look great. Thanks. I might start with just buying the water (need to check and make sure the LFS actually sells RO/DI water) and go from there.

 

[David Shaw]

I buy all my RO water premixed with salt from the LFS.

For what it costs me a week, it's as cheap and less messy than mixing my own. I just heat and replace. As it's top quality water never had any algae issues as a result and i know it is mixed to the right salinity and quality.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

all good info above...

I have bought my ro/di & ro/di sw from the lfs since I bought my tank one year ago. I do 5 gal water changes a week. I have six jugs like the pic above & make a trip to lfs about once a month, for the convenience, I figure it cost me something like an extra $150 a year for 130D tank.

Just last week... I did order an ro/di unit for $135, with two simple quick connect attachments, one to the sink facet & one to the garden hose.

After a lot of research... I picked this 75/150 GPD 4 Stage RO DI Water Filter

75/150 GPD 4 Stage RO DI Water Filter - $139.95 : TB Aquatics - Top Quality Aquarium Products, Aquarium & Drinking Water Filtration, Amazing Service!

with these connectors (one comes free with the unit, but Brian gave me both - great customer service & RS sponsor)

RO Faucet - $14.99 : TB Aquatics - Top Quality Aquarium Products, Aquarium & Drinking Water Filtration, Amazing Service!

1/4 Hose Adapter - $5.99 : TB Aquatics - Top Quality Aquarium Products, Aquarium & Drinking Water Filtration, Amazing Service!

For the time being... I am still going to lfs once every 6 weeks now, to get my sw, I am going to start, by using this unit to easily make up my ro/di top-off water & when I buy some salt, I will have the option to easily make up my sw one day too, if I choose to.

Other good companies that sell ro/di units, are bulk reef supply, filter guys & air, water & ice. I think the one I pick is equal to all these or better & a great value.

All the best - hope something in this post helps ! I remember being exactly where you are in the figuring it out process & being daunted a bit, but it's easily overcome ! Cheers

 

[MikeinToronto]

Once you have a RO/DI unit, you'll realise it isn't complicated or difficult to own or use, and water isn't difficult to mix or store. It's the unknown about RO units that scares people.

Personally I couldn't imagine myself buying water from the LFS. It's too much of a pain and eventually I would start taking shortcuts, maybe use tap water when I feel too lazy to go buy more.

I'm all about convenience, and if it isn't convenient, eventually I'll stop doing it.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

It's the unknown about RO units that scares people.

I agree... I am not a big DIYer...

 

[David Shaw]

All down to personal preferences.

For me it's the most convenient thing to pick up from the LFS, only takes me 20 minutes round trip one lunchtime a week. For what the cost is, it is absolutely not worth buying a unit, salt etc. For me to buy a unit and salt V what i pay the LFS, it would take me well over a year to break into a saving.

And for what i would save thereafter i can't be bothered. For me time is money (3 jobs) so this is my preferred option. I just don't have time to make my own and when i get in at 11pm every night from starting work at 10am i wouldn't have the energy or inclination to start mixing water up.

 

[Stody0]

you're not an MP are you David ? lol

 

[Reefmack]

The API water cartridge works - I used one for the first few months and it will give 0 TDS water. But, it runs quite slow, and can get expensive replacing cartridges, especially if you're in a hard water area. I eventually went to a 5 stage RO/DI and I run mine outside on a garden hose hookup.

 

[MikeinToronto]

The API water cartridge works - I used one for the first few months and it will give 0 TDS water. But, it runs quite slow, and can get expensive replacing cartridges, especially if you're in a hard water area. I eventually went to a 5 stage RO/DI and I run mine outside on a garden hose hookup.

The API unit actually runs faster than a RO unit and I agree it is a great choice. I used it for a few years before I bought an RO unit. If you aren't afraid of chemicals you can also recharge the resin yourself. Talking of convenience, recharging resin is NOT convenient. But it is a way of reducing water replacement to about 2 cents a gallon, if even.

The API unit is just DI resin with carbon prefilter. Technically, if you wanted you could just get a couple canisters used for purified water systems from Home Depot, put the carbon filter in the first and DI resin in the second and you have clean water. I'm not even sure if this is more expensive than replacing Brita cartridges, to be honest. You get DI resin from many online stores and some local ones as well.

Honestly, once you understand how the RO/DI system works, the whole thing is a joke. Water goes in, a few filters in between, water comes out.

My suggestion to you is this: Get an API Tap Water Filter Tap Water Filter - API.
This will give you 0 TDS water as mentioned. Get a feel for it. The cartridges aren't too bad to replace and if you're lucky you won't need to replace them as often as Reefmack. Then do some research on RO/DI units. There is no rush. You can use the API unit for a few months, a year, or forever. It's just a DI unit but costs more to run than RO. But it's fool-proof and will relieve your anxiety about purified water until you understand it better.

 

[rb1414]

The API unit actually runs faster than a RO unit and I agree it is a great choice.

Thanks for the encouragement on the tap water filter. Since you've used it, can you tell me whether there is waste water just like an RO/DI unit that just goes down the drain or does it work more like a Pur faucet filter where what comes out is clean water? Just trying to picture the set up for the thing. Also, the box says it attaches to a faucet in seconds -- does that mean it is convenient to just take it on and off when you want to use it or is that a pain and I should have a dedicated faucet? Thanks for all the input. Not sure why I find the whole RO/DI set up intimidating but I do.

 

[rb1414]

Oh, one more question on the API tap water filter . . . do you know approx. how many gallons you'd get from one filter. I know it depends on water quality but I'm just trying to figure out the basic costs. Thanks!

 

[magnetar68]

You have three 5 gallon jugs that you fill up at the LFS and then you have four 5 gallon buckets that you use to mix the salt in . . .is that correct? Where did you buy the jugs in the picture, those look great. Thanks. I might start with just buying the water (need to check and make sure the LFS actually sells RO/DI water) and go from there.

I bought the jugs at the LFS. I have not seen one out here in my area that does not sell them.

Here's what I would do if I were to do it again (I did things a little differently but learned that there was a better way). There is a lot of opinion here especially regarding product choices and lbs etc, so this is just what I would do:

1. Get all 35 gallons with RO/DI water (3 jugs and 4 buckets) at the LFS. Put it in the back of my car (that's why I wanted the lids for the buckets).
2. Get live rock (35#+) and live sand (40#) too. [Or do the few live rocks + dry rock]
3. Get the SeaChem Salinity salt mix ($90 for a bucket that should last a long time)
4. Get SeaChem Stability bacteria starter ($15)
5. Get a Koralia #2 ($45)
6. Get the API Saltwater and Reef kits ($60)
7. Get the SeaChem Ammonia Alert ($8) and thermometer ($4)
8. Get a siphon, small pump, extra heater, and refractometer (the latter I got from Marine depot for $40)
9. Use the empty tank to mix the water with the salt (to the top). Use just the Koralia to mix it up. (Use the buckets first, so you end up with a spare jug)
10. Put in the thermometer and let the heater heat the tank to 79F
11. Check the SG with the refractometer and add salt if necessary (or remove salt water and add RO/DI to lower - since there are 35g there should still be a extra 5 galls jug)
12. Take out 5 gallons into a clean jug with the siphon (you will need space to add rock and sand, but you will need to add back some when you are done)
13. Arrange the rock [there is debate here on putting rock on the glass, but I did. Some use 2" PVC to make stands for the rock. I need to research this mroe.]
14. Add the sand (it's hard to rearrange rock with the sand int he tank because it gets so cloudy so quickly)
15. Ensure the filter floss is setup to get rid of debris
16. Turn on the pumps and let the tank clear overnight
17. Add the SeaChem Stability according to the directions including add for the next 7 days
18. Use the test kits to check the chemistry.
19. Add the Ammonia Alert device when the ammonia gets low enough for the scale on the alert device to mean something

For water changes down the road, I put 5 gallons of RO/DI water in a 5 gallon bucket, mix with salt, add with a heater (use the extra set at same temp of tank water) and a small pump, and let it mix for 24 hours before adding to the tank. I make sure the SG is correct before adding it.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

rb1414 - fyi - the faucet attachment I posted takes like 15 seconds to attach. just screw out one & in the other... you can also just leave it on all the time... I am going to put it in spare bathroom & make my ro/di water in the shower, I think...

 

[rb1414]

Well, my options just got more limited. I called my LFS and they don't sell RO/DI water. They do sell saltwater ("on sale for $12.95 for 4.4 gallons") -- from what I could glean on the phone I think its not their water but some premixed water that they sell.

Just so I can have all the $ figures to compare, how much does the salt mix cost approx/ gallon of water? Thanks again!