ATO/RO-DI Basic Questions

[Nick C]

I know in an ideal environment, everything would be perfectly set up and have it's own room out of view and etc. But right now my tank will be set up in my dining room and my wife won't want a very large Brute bin sitting in there. How vital is RO/DI system for the tank?

I have an RO system for drinking water in my house kitchen already, can i just fill a container up with that and use the ATO to pump it into my sump? I'm sure i could hide some sort of smaller container. I bought the tank and equipment used and bought the R-200 Sump from BRS. So i have a Aqualifter that i was planning on trying to use for ATO? This is a super basic drawing, but i feel like it gets my point. Please let me know if i could elaborate anymore, also any other suggestions.

 

[GoVols]

Hello, Nick

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef, and hope you feel at home.

I'd push a full blown RO/DI unit with an built in TDS meter.

The last time that I pushed a brand new RO membrane by itself, it still read .2ppm on the TDS meter.

The DI takes out what's left over from the RO membrane, and the TDS can climb over time.

Freddie

 

[ihavecrabs]

DI is very important unless you are doing a FOWLR system AND know what is in your water source. If you have city water and they use chloramines, it would be best to utilize an RODI for your FOWLR as well.

For any inverts and coral, RODI is a must.

However, the good news is, many people do not keep their RODI system near the tank but store the water elsewhere and either manually carry or utilize pumps to get the water to the ATO container. Most people keep them in their laundry room or above the toilet in a cabinet.

Edit: Oh and forgot to comment on your aqualifter!

I used to use the aqualifter pump as my ATO as well. My recommendation would be to utilize two aqualifters in case one fails and you are not around. If you check your tank daily and are observant enough, just be wary that they tend to not stay working long without some tinkering

 

[lapin]

I agree with the above posts. Let me add; Not all RO units are equal. Some models have a cartridge on the end to re-mineralize the water.

 

[SandJ]

I have always kept our rodi systems under a sink (kitchen or bathroom). I mount them to the side of the cabinet so they do not take up much room. Plus I can mount the waste water hose directly to the drain pipe on the sink (there is a saddle mount that accepts the 1/4” rodi hose).
Before moving, I had 2 brute cans on wheels. They stayed in my dining room, one in each corner by the table. I bought a nice round table cloth to go over each of them. Then they just looked like round tables and you can even put a lamp to decorations on top. When I needed to make water I just rolled them into the kitchen and hooked the rodi hose up to the float switch on the brute (usually did this at night or when husband was gone during the day so it would not be in the way). You could possibly run a long rodi line to the brute and not have to roll it into the room with the rodi system (through the ceiling or a wall).

This system worked well for me because I always like to have extra water on hand and we had at least 4 tanks up and running so we always needed to top a tank off or do a water change.

 

[Nick C]

Hello, Nick

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef, and hope you feel at home.

I'd push a full blown RO/DI unit with an built in TDS meter.

The last time that I pushed a brand new RO membrane by itself, it still read .2ppm on the TDS meter.

The DI takes out what's left over from the RO membrane, and the TDS can climb over time.

Freddie

DI is very important unless you are doing a FOWLR system AND know what is in your water source. If you have city water and they use chloramines, it would be best to utilize an RODI for your FOWLR as well.

For any inverts and coral, RODI is a must.

However, the good news is, many people do not keep their RODI system near the tank but store the water elsewhere and either manually carry or utilize pumps to get the water to the ATO container. Most people keep them in their laundry room or above the toilet in a cabinet.

Edit: Oh and forgot to comment on your aqualifter!

I used to use the aqualifter pump as my ATO as well. My recommendation would be to utilize two aqualifters in case one fails and you are not around. If you check your tank daily and are observant enough, just be wary that they tend to not stay working long without some tinkering

So i don't have a sink in my Laundry room Unfortunately. To my knowledge and from what i've seen in research of them, they take quite a bit of water and empty a lot of waste right? So what are your thoughts on have it be temporary and only there when i need to make some water? I'm running into an issue with my kitchen sink and the size ariator that it uses and i already have an RO system under my sink for drinking water, so i don't know if you can even hook up 2 different systems to one line? but i could attach one to my bathroom probably pretty easy. ? I'd have to do some research on that.. But i could send the fill line into the same tank pictured above and just carry it over into my tank.

How much water do you guys usually go through in a week? and how big is your tank?

 

[GoVols]

So i don't have a sink in my Laundry room Unfortunately. To my knowledge and from what i've seen in research of them, they take quite a bit of water and empty a lot of waste right? So what are your thoughts on have it be temporary and only there when i need to make some water? I'm running into an issue with my kitchen sink and the size ariator that it uses, but i could attach one to my bathroom probably pretty easy. ? I'd have to do some research on that.. But i could send the fill line into the same tank pictured above and just carry it over into my tank.

How much water do you guys usually go through in a week? and how big is your tank?

Well,
You could use the cold water connection to your washing machine to feed the RO/DI and put the (waste water) line, down the washer machine's drain, in the wall.

Going thru about 25 gallons a week, counting the water change and top off water.

Running an 2013 Red Sea S-400 rated at 110 gallon's, but it's holding 80 after displacement.

 

[Nick C]

I have always kept our rodi systems under a sink (kitchen or bathroom). I mount them to the side of the cabinet so they do not take up much room. Plus I can mount the waste water hose directly to the drain pipe on the sink (there is a saddle mount that accepts the 1/4” rodi hose).
Before moving, I had 2 brute cans on wheels. They stayed in my dining room, one in each corner by the table. I bought a nice round table cloth to go over each of them. Then they just looked like round tables and you can even put a lamp to decorations on top. When I needed to make water I just rolled them into the kitchen and hooked the rodi hose up to the float switch on the brute (usually did this at night or when husband was gone during the day so it would not be in the way). You could possibly run a long rodi line to the brute and not have to roll it into the room with the rodi system (through the ceiling or a wall).

This system worked well for me because I always like to have extra water on hand and we had at least 4 tanks up and running so we always needed to top a tank off or do a water change.

Do you have any pictures of this set up?

 

[Nick C]

Well,
You could use the cold water connection to your washing machine to feed the RO/DI and put the (waste water) line, down the washer machine's drain, in the wall.

Going thru about 25 gallons a week, counting the water change and top off water.

Running an 2013 Red Sea S-400 rated at 110 gallon's, but it's holding 80 after displacement.

Hm never thought of that. it would be pretty simple to mount it behind the washer. Then just do what was mentioned above? Have a split that i can turn to route the water to RO/DI? Seems fairly simple. and it would be a lot easier to access. But my next question would be how do you get water of it? haha. With a sink if it's connected you just turn on the water and it would route to the RO/DI. But with a washer.. Would i have to "start" the washer to get it to start pulling water?

 

[GoVols]

Do you have any pictures of this set up?

Start at post #1594
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/govols-red-sea-s-400.308824/page-80

I keep it under the kitchen sink.

Still on sale...

https://premiumaquatics.com/products/vertex-puratek-deluxe-100-gpd-rodi-system.html

It's been saving us about $10 a month too.

 

[GoVols]

Hm never thought of that. it would be pretty simple to mount it behind the washer. Then just do what was mentioned above? Have a split that i can turn to route the water to RO/DI? Seems fairly simple. and it would be a lot easier to access. But my next question would be how do you get water of it? haha. With a sink if it's connected you just turn on the water and it would route to the RO/DI. But with a washer.. Would i have to "start" the washer to get it to start pulling water?

They make an adapter the goes on the cold water line before the washing machines cutoff valve.

 

[SandJ]

Hm never thought of that. it would be pretty simple to mount it behind the washer. Then just do what was mentioned above? Have a split that i can turn to route the water to RO/DI? Seems fairly simple. and it would be a lot easier to access. But my next question would be how do you get water of it? haha. With a sink if it's connected you just turn on the water and it would route to the RO/DI. But with a washer.. Would i have to "start" the washer to get it to start pulling water?

There is a Y adapter that screws onto your washer supply line. Or it can go further down the hose if need be. Our dryer has a steam setting, so we have a hose that Ys off the cold water line and runs water to the dryer. So these hoses should be easy to find since a lot of dryers have the steam option.
And the cold water supply will always be under pressure so as soon as you start up the rodi (by turning on a valve on the rodi supply line or when the water level gets low if using a float valve). Same with the sink supply line.

 

[Nick C]

Start at post #1594
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/govols-red-sea-s-400.308824/page-80

I keep it under the kitchen sink.

Still on sale...

https://premiumaquatics.com/products/vertex-puratek-deluxe-100-gpd-rodi-system.html

It's been saving us about $10 a month too.

Holy Crap! Haha What size tank did you say you have? I have a 110T

 

[Centerline]

I use a Y adapter from Home Depot

https://www.homedepot.com/p/PowerSmart-2-Way-Y-Connector-with-Flow-Control-Valves-PS1003/302976078

 

[Nick C]

There is a Y adapter that screws onto your washer supply line. Or it can go further down the hose if need be. Our dryer has a steam setting, so we have a hose that Ys off the cold water line and runs water to the dryer. So these hoses should be easy to find since a lot of dryers have the steam option.
And the cold water supply will always be under pressure so as soon as you start up the rodi (by turning on a valve on the rodi supply line or when the water level gets low if using a float valve). Same with the sink supply line.

https://www.amazon.com/Bamos-splitt...&sr=8-16&keywords=faucet+y+water+hose+adapter

Something similar to this? I could probably find a cheaper one at lowes, but conceptually, this is what you're talking about?

 

[SandJ]

 

[SandJ]

Here is my rodi under the kitchen sink:

 

[Nick C]

that looks super easy. and probably the way i want to go! It's a lot shorter of a walk from my laundry room to the dining room that way! You said you had 2? One for Salt and one for Fresh i assume? The salt is for the water changes while fresh is for ATO correct?

 

[SandJ]

that looks super easy. and probably the way i want to go! It's a lot shorter of a walk from my laundry room to the dining room that way! You said you had 2? One for Salt and one for Fresh i assume? The salt is for the water changes while fresh is for ATO correct?

Yes, that is exactly right. Though some salts you do not want to mix up too far in advance. But we always kept about 15 gallons of instant ocean or reef crystals on hand just in case...and it always gets used for water changes. I kept a large brute full of RODI water for top offs, plus I had water on hand if I needed more salt water in an emergency.

 

[Nick C]

Do you keep both heated?