RO water, where do you get yours?
 

So i have been buying my RO from the Water Store up in the NE as I'm usually up there once a week, their refills are only $2 for 5g, also i know Pisces gets it from them. I have been noticing phosphorus in my tanks so after a few wc and adding phosguard they didn't change. I just tested my ro water from them & found it to be close to 20ppb or .06 ppm of phosphate.

Now i do get it from the vending machine so i plan on going in and asking them whats up? But just in case I'm looking for an inexpensive option, prefer something in the west end where i live.

And before you all say just buy a rodi unit its not in the budget at this time.

How is it not in the budget? You spend 2$ for 5 gallons?? Thats crazy. Add that up. Sounds way more expensive to me. You can find a used cheap RO for like 50$

in another thread calculated my total ro/di water costs for evaporating 2g/day and 60g/month in water changes, used a 4:1 waste ratio and included the ro/di unit price taking in account filters/di/membrane changes and it worked out to 2 cent per gallon. Add in not having to carry around 5g jugs of water, just doesn't make sense not to have your own home system.

yes in the long run it is far more cost affective to buy an RO/DI unit. I can see in the short term using it as a solution but, I fill up my 20 Gal ATO container twice a week and I just can't see me hauling that much water around, never mind the price.

Having an 8 gallon & 15 gallon tank equals out to about 3 gallons a week i changes so my thought process is @ $ $80 a year was not worth spending from what i thought would be over $400 installed for a 5 stage unit with reservoir & labour.

Used cheap one for $50, where? And would i still have to buy filters for it that cost how much for 5 filters, better off with a new one. Like i said, its just nit in the budget @ this time.

I bought my system off eBay for $200. 5 stage filter that is portable and hooks right up to your faucet. Came with many carbon/filter/etc replacements as well. I get 0 TDS every time. Although it takes about 2 hours to fill a 5 gallon jug, this is the best solution in my opinion for a smaller tank.

Got my 4 stage for 60$ with newfilters

http://www.aquasafecanada.com/store/...e-ro-di-system

I got this nice deal! I'm not sure what you guys are take on aquasafe.

wasn't me that said $50.

btw, I'm still using the aquasafecanada unit I bought back around 2005. Other than filter/di changes only other things replaced was the ASOV, a check valve and o-rings. Not like there's much to go wrong but no complaints re: quality.

I use this same one I bought back when they first came out. Running great.

I have an idea, why dont 1 of you other folk from Calgary sell him RO water. Maybe even for a better price....just my 2 cents

I also run this unit and have had no problems.

I have that same system. I have added a DI canister and a vertex 75 psi booster pump. No complaints!

I have an Aquasafe system with a 50 g storage barrel for my RO water, also get our drinking water from this same system with the addition of a polishing filter.
Works great! :spit:

Op, I know you asked where people get their water from hoping for a cheaper alternative to maybe the store you are buying from, plus having possible phosphate issues.

I used to go weekly to pick up 5x5 gl jugs from Water Solutions. I found this to be a huge PITA over a period of time, especially alternate weeks in doing water changes, not just looking for top off water. In emergency situations, I have purchased 5L jugs from Sobeys.

I have an Vertex RO unit I picked up for I believe -$120-$150 a couple of years ago. The cost savings since owning have been substantial, I have water on demand, no gas costs, no finding the time to go and no lugging jugs of water in the winter on slippery sidewalks etc. My filters need changing now and honestly, the cost of running out every few months to pick them up is nothing to what I was spending in the past.

Watch the forums for a used one, they do come up, especially with full system shut downs. They are worth every penny and as essential as any other piece of equipment you may have for your tank, IMHO.

Someone suggested filling jugs for you, I'd offer, but honestly its enough of a pain to fill enough for top offs for the week for my own system, let alone regularly supply someone else. (I still carry 5gl jugs from the basement upstairs... ;-)

The price on water per week has not been my issue as much as the fact it has phosphorus in the water. I dont find it a pita but the phosphate that both of my tanks ate a big concern.

I guess the only answer is to get a rodi, sounds like aquasafe seems like a good place to get one from unless someone else has another alternative in mind. Do i not need a unit that is ro/di vs just an ro unit?

I have been looking on Kijiji for a used one, most are not a good deal vs a new one when you take in to consideration that all of them need filter replacements, could be missing parts, over all condition, etc.

I do have some questions on these units from an install standpoint as this part scares me a bit! I need to install it in my heated garage, as i dont have the room in my kitchen. its always 20 in there so no worry of freezing, i have a garden hose tap that i want to use as my water source and still keep my hose hooked up for cleaning up of my garage. My questions are as follows:

1) is this type of install possible, if so are these units hard to unstall or do i need a pro?

2) i do not have a drain so can i use a large 8 gallon bucket for waste water with these units if i keep an eye on it when its running for an overflow? Is this type of conversion easy to do?

3) i seen a post that someone also used a bucket for their water reservoir, is this also easy to set up that way vs a tank?

4) since ita not being installed under a kitchen sink, can a valve/hose for fill up be installed vs the faucet they come with? Is this again another easy diy?

Sorry for the long winded post w/ lots of questions but i believe all of you are right in getting a unit, i have thought about it Before and even looked for a used one but the install part made me drop the idea, now with all of your input I'm back on that bandwagon again, thanks in advance on answering these questions!

It all depends how much water you want to make. My gf bought a little rodi unit for 90$ that is portable and just hooks up to any standard hose fitting. Very simple and works well. Also RO/DI is better but RO works just fine as well. As long as your tds reads 0 you should be good to go.

Wow, i like that, what brand and where did she get it, sounds perfect?

Im not sure but I will find out and post it on this thread. Just a small little unit but it works great.

Cool, thx! Is it a rd/di or just an ro?

Too bad you don't live in the 604. I'd be happy to help you plumb your new unit into your house, but you could probably handle the install yourself.

You have a hose bib in the garage but no floor drain? That's an accident waiting to happen!

Ya i think so too, was looking at maybe putting in my other bathroom under the sink, more room there but that sink has braided hoses for intake water with these little valves on each line, might need a plumber, sigh, more $

Well if you are in no rush I'd be happy to walk you through it. It's actually really easy.

Installation isn't that difficult, but if you're not comfortable with a little DIY plumbing, yes, it may be an idea to get someone with experience to help you out.

With regard to hookup, there's just about any fitting/adapter imaginable available to hook one of these up almost anywhere. Definitely need a drain or very large container for the waste water. Most of these units produce 4 gallons of waste water for every gallon of pure water, so your 8 gallon bucket isn't going to cut it if you're planning on making more than 2 gallons of RO water. I use a 55 gallon plastic drum to collect the waste water, which I use around the house & in the garden in the summer.

Mine is plumbed into the cold water line that feeds my washing machine in the basement. I did the plumbing myself. Added a t-fitting, quarter turn shut off valve and slip on JG type adapters to get the size down to the 1/4 inch tubing that the RODI unit uses.

https://tsl4pa.bl3301.livefilestore....ion.JPG?psid=1

The white drum laying on its side in this photo is what I use to collect waste water.

https://tsl4pa.bl3302.livefilestore....97a.JPG?psid=1

Here's a link to Buckeye Hydro showing the many adapters available to plumb into a feed line for RODI system. Their FAQ page is a good place fomoinfo about what's required to properly run a system.

http://www.buckeyehydro.com/feedwater-fittings/

it's a DIY even under the sink. Install a Tee between the valve and the braided line (like this one, can even get with valve on the port). For waste use a saddle tee on the drain.

Can't find but one guy here had his ro/di under the sink but was on a roll out panel. Very nice for servicing filters etc.

Never thought of my laundry room, has a drain for waste water, has the standard garden hose output for incoming water so all i would have to make room for is a storage unit.

How fast thes the aquasafe aquarium 2 output water and how hard. Im gonna guess since it says on their site its 100gpd, its spec is 1:1 ratio to make sound beter so i should expect 25gpd @ 4:1, which would be just over a gph? Also could it pump water 8' from my room right to my fw tank, does it have enough pressure?

Thanks, that tee looks easy enough to put in, doesn't the saddle clamp & stuff come with it?

Good advice!

My unit has a 75 gpd membrane & I'd recommend that over a 100 gpd. You lose a few gpd production speed, but the 75 membrane has a better rejection rate, i.e. purer water from your RO stage before it feeds the DI stage. DI media & the membrane are the most costly to replace when the time comes, so it's to your advantage to go for the better rejection rate. I don't think there's a difference in the pure to waste ratio between the 75 and 100 gpd. There are ways to improve that ratio, but that's a whole 'nother topic.

8' line for the product water should be ok, provided it's a fairly horizontal run. If you're going up 8', head pressure could be an issue. The product water comes out at a fairly slow trickle.

Mike so what your saying is filling up after a wc directly from the rodi unit doesnt work, good to know. I just assumed doing the math the gph would have been a bit more. Thx again

I just want to tell you installing a RODI under your sink is easier then putting a lego castle together.

Firstly, I do not recommend using a saddle clamp. They are not reliable and prone to leaking. And if you want to take your system out now you are stuck with a hole in your pipe. Doing it right from the beginning will save you a lot of hassle in the future.

I am also using an aquasafe 7 stage RODI system. They are super cheap and I get ZERO TDS from my water. I paid $135 before tax & free shipping for the system. It came with a free TDS meter. In less then 2 years it would of paid for it self. Ask their Reps for discount codes. They always have 15% off.
http://www.aquasafecanada.com/store/...e-ro-di-system

Now for the installing process. For under the sink I would recommend a simple T. Or you can even get a simple Kitchen Faucet Adaptor. All you have to do is screw it on to your tap (see link)
http://www.aquasafecanada.com/store/...faucet-adaptor

But back to the T valve you can get one from home depot for $6. All you need is a 3/8" x 3/8" x 1/4" Plumbing T. Standard Canadian facuet water lines are 3/8". And from there it's simple. Screw the T on and plug the RODI water line in.
http://www.aquasafecanada.com/store/...umbing-adapter
Here are some pic. Feel free to ask me questions.

p.s. I live in ward 13 (Somerset) we have more then enough PSI to run the RODI system.

Attachment 12726

Not sure what you mean by 'filling up after a wc directly....'? Filling up what? Your tank or sump? I have a separate container to mix up my water for water changes. Always fill that, add salt & mix for at least a couple of days before doing water change. Water changes for me involve siphoning the display & then bucket brigading 23 gallons of fresh salt water up from the basement. Good workout.

My sumpless 77 gallon Hagen evaporates about a gallon of water per day, so I use glass wine carboys that hold approx. 6 gallons of fresh RODI water as automatic top up directly into my display. A small air pump on a timer keeps the carboy pressurized & the water gets pushed to the display through a mechanical float valve. Takes about 2 hours to fill one of the carboys. Production rate is highly dependent on water pressure & temperature, so don't necessarily expect to get the advertised gpd from your unit.

Mike, sorry for the confusion, i also have a fw tank. I was thinking of just filling up that tank after a wc directly from the ro unit, saving a step.

I mix mu sw in a 6 gallon bucket for 24 hours with its own circulation pump.

You're still gonna have to remineralize the RO water for you freshwater tank. You can use additives or mix with aged tap water.

Is using ro for freshwater a bad thing then? Should i just stick to conditioned tap water? I know Calgary's water is quite good, i let mine sit out for 24 hours in two 5 gallon pails before using plus use water conditioner.

I use my waste water from my RODI for my fresh water tank. I find that a higher mineral content in my water makes my FW plants strive.

I don't recommend RODI water for a fresh water planted tank unless you add supplements.

Good to know, thx. Do u still have to use Prime on your waste water or is all of the chlorine gone in waste water?

The carbon filter plumbed in before your RO membrane takes care of chlorine. Without it, your costly RO membrane wouldn't last very long. So yes, all the chlorine should be gone in your waste water, no need to treat with Prime.

Last question, do you still need to add suppliments with the waste water?

If so what suppliments do you add as of course i dont dose my fw planted tank with anything but flouriish excel?