RO/DI Basics Help

[FreedR]

The links above to www.airwaterandice.com pointed to a fake site.

Is this the site for RO/DI that people were raving about?
www.airwaterice.com

 

[MichaelJ]

The links above to www.airwaterandice.com pointed to a fake site.

Is this the site for RO/DI that people were raving about?
www.airwaterice.com

Yes... that's the site... good customer service and products.
Some people get theirs off E-bay and have no complaints.

 

[JCheung]

Oh gotta bring this up again, what do you guys think of the compact 5 stage R.O.D.I. from that website?
http://www.airwaterice.com/product/1COMPACT
and just a quick clarification the faucet adaptor just connects into say the bathroom sink faucet and then you turn on the water right?

 

[JCheung]

So no one has an opinion on the compact unit? should i just buy it and be the guinea pig for it?

 

[delta]

Only draw back is the small inline DI cartridge. I would go for the typhoon for the extra 10bucks.

 

[JCheung]

ok thanks.

 

[JCheung]

Oh doh the typhoon doesn't come with a tds meter should i also get the 19.95 TDS3 Meter with carrying case?
http://www.airwaterice.com/product/HMTDS3

 

[origreefer]

I've had a Hi-S 35gpd for about 5 years and just replaced the membrane. My LFS did not have the Kents, which I prefer and have been using for 15yrs. I had to get one online at Marine Depot. I think it was $85. I also got the Kent Hi-S DI cartridge there as well, around $38. Most LFS have carbon block and micron cartriges $5-10, any brand works pretty good. Since you got the unit free, you could pretty much replace all the membranes for about $125 or so, so not a bad deal.

OK, well I already asked this in another thread but I am looking to get filters for my kent marine HI-s that was given to me. I have no idea what this unit needs. guy told me "it will probably need filters soon" it puts out about 12 gallons per day so I'm guessing it needed filters last year (but hey it was free) I was looking at the 3 pack of pre-filters that the site mentioned sells and was wondering if these fit the kent unit and if they are all I would need? I don't have a tds meter so I don't know what I'm currently putting out either.
this is the unit I have:

 

[JCheung]

Oh yeah so should i buy that TDS meter or should i save my money for something better or cheaper? I would like to get the order for the RODI in today.

 

[JCheung]

Alright took the leap and bought the TDS meter and the RODI unit with the faucet adapter.

 

[MikeG]

Alright took the leap and bought the TDS meter and the RODI unit with the faucet adapter.

I would get a dual inline TDS meter rather than a hand held if you can. This way you can monitor after the RO membrane to keep an eye on when that needs to be replaced, and after the DI to know what the final product is and when to replace the DI resin. They are about the same price as the handheld ones.

 

[JCheung]

Great thanks for telling me after i bought it
The one i got was only $20 the dual tds is $30
So should i contact them and ask them to change it or will the handheld one be just fine?

 

[MikeG]

Great thanks for telling me after i bought it
The one i got was only $20 the dual tds is $30
So should i contact them and ask them to change it or will the handheld one be just fine?

I personally would ask them to change it. I have a hand held as well and never use it, just a couple times a year to check my tap water. The dual meters splice into the 1/4" line of the unit and with the push of a button you can see the TDS at 2 places (again I check after RO and after DI as these are really the expensive ones to replace). I have seen people have one hooked before the unit and after to check tap water and final product but don't think it is as useful.

 

[JCheung]

ok paid the $10 difference and got the dual inline one.

 

[JCheung]

Ok now that i've received my RODI unit and set it up heres a couple of questions.
What do you guys store your Ro/Salt Mixed water in? Brute Garbage cans?
I plugged it in and made a sample bucket, Can now unplug it and move it to a new location?
And should i ever empty out the water in the filter containers? or do i just leave it there?
My faucet is kind of far from my tank approximatly 14 feet and then from my tank to my current mixing tank is another 11 feet, so now i have to find a conveinient location to locate the RODI system and the mixing bucket.
Oh and is the waste water still safe to drink? Anything you can use it for besides laundry?

 

[Salty Dog]

Jeff -

First of all, you want to keep the RO membrane wet, that's the (most likely) horizontal filter with the waste water output. If you read the directions, it points this out very clearly. I personally have a valve in front of the RODI and a valve on the output. I close the output first, then the input to keep water trapped in there. Some still gets out through the waste hose, but it's not that much.

The dual TDS was a wise choice - as it lets you ensure you have 0 TDS coming out, but also gives you the opportunity to monitor the TDS of the water coming from the RO side of the system - or from the faucet, depending on how it is rigged up. The TDS on my system between the RO and the DI is around 7, which I guess is pretty low.

Different people use different containers to mix the salt. I used to use a rubbermaid container that held about 35-40 gallons, then I got a 60 gallon barrel, that has a 1.5" PVC ball valve on the bottom. It is mounted on a wooden table that is about the height of a bucket. This works out much better. I fill it with 55 gallons and then mix the salt, and it lasts me a month or so. The key is to put a powerhead in the container, and let it mix for a day or two. In my case with the barrel, I have an MJ1200 with a three foot 1/2" flexible tube that I set up so that it pumps from the bottom to the top of the barrel.

I would run the waste water straight into the drain.

Good Luck,
Eric

 

[JCheung]

Yeah i'm mixing my salt in a rubbermaid tub right now but it's one of the thin skinned ones that when you put any significant amount of water in it starts bowing out. And i have a fairly large pump on it, using a rio+ 1400. Where did you get the barrel and does that bow out?
Right now my RODI is sitting on my kitchen counter which is highly inconvienient, i wanted to move it somewhere out of the way and be able to roll up the intake and out lines whenever i wasn't using it. I currently have the lines in and out connected to the included valves so it would stay wet by closing those off. And yes i'm one of those people that totally ignore the instructions. But i read it now and i think i did it right. It makes no mention of keeping the membranes wet though.

 

[Salty Dog]

Jeff,

It's critically important with tank equipment that you read the directions for the various products, especially those that are more complex, like RODI units and skimmers. Otherwise you're looking at a major crash at some point.

Eric

 

[JCheung]

The packet of instructions they sent me was stuffed with ads for lighting and other reef supplies. But i assembled it correctly anyways it was plug and play.

 

[Salty Dog]

I think maybe you are missing my point....