College Dorm Friendly RODI

[Zakary2003]

I have a 20 gallon reef tank with me at college. My dorm is an apartment style dorm with a bathroom and a kitchen that I share with my roommates.

So far, I've been buying all my salt and top off water from my LFS. This isn't very cost effective, and their alkalinity for their salt water is about 2 dkh lower than what I keep my tank at. Because of this, I'd like to start making my own water to save time and money in the long run and to have better control over my salt water mix.

I can't have a system that requires permanently modifying the plumbing in my dorm. Are there any RODI units that would be dorm friendly? The little regulators/filters on the sinks are cemented in place, so I can't just attach a threaded sink filter to refrigerator waterline adaptor to those like I did in my dorm last year. The shower heads are also secured in place and aren't removable. The refrigerator doesn't have a water supply so I can't just use that water line either. Are there any other options?

My other option would be to buy RODI water from them and mix my own salt, but that still has me driving there frequently and paying for RODI water.

 

[KrisReef]

I'm going out on a limb here and gonna suggest that you might want to question the value of a degree from an institution that doesn't have RODI in the dorm room, The practical value of keeping a reef tank is something that only a few really great minds are able to grasp.

Ask the Dean of students if thay can put on in for you, and then you will know just how good of an education this school is willing to provide.

Otherwise, there are adapters for RODI systems to run off of many different pipe threads. It wouldn't be difficult to hide one of these units under the sink and use it as needed. (That's where I went to school.) :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing: :smiling-face-with-sunglasses:

 

[Lavey29]

The basic 4 stage RODI system will work fine. Just put a threaded end cap on your faucet. Attach hose when you need RODI and put the unit in the closet when you don't. They are small.

 

[Zakary2003]

The basic 4 stage RODI system will work fine. Just put a threaded end cap on your faucet. Attach hose when you need RODI and put the unit in the closet when you don't. They are small.

The filter thing on the sinks is cemented in place and cannot be removed. I've tried pliers, a wrench, and even using citric acid to break down the buildup of stuff and it won't come off.

 

[Lavey29]

The filter thing on the sinks is cemented in place and cannot be removed. I've tried pliers and even using citric acid to break down the buildup of stuff

It's not cemented but probably has build up like you mentioned. You can swap out the faucet or just get 2 five gallon jugs filled with RODI. With a 20g tank that will last quite awhile and refill at LFS as needed.

 

[Johnd651]

Have you tried the science department? We had rodi, and you could probably fill off their tap

 

[Zakary2003]

Have you tried the science department? We had rodi, and you could probably fill off their tap

That's actually a pretty good point. I have class in some of those labs.

My only issue would be transporting the water back. It's a half mile walk, so a 5 gallon jug would be pretty hard to carry that far. Maybe I'd just do one gallon at a time or something.

 

[Johnd651]

2 of the gallon water jugs... the milk style ones

 

[Pistondog]

I have a 20 gallon reef tank with me at college. My dorm is an apartment style dorm with a bathroom and a kitchen that I share with my roommates.

So far, I've been buying all my salt and top off water from my LFS. This isn't very cost effective, and their alkalinity for their salt water is about 2 dkh lower than what I keep my tank at. Because of this, I'd like to start making my own water to save time and money in the long run and to have better control over my salt water mix.

I can't have a system that requires permanently modifying the plumbing in my dorm. Are there any RODI units that would be dorm friendly? The little regulators/filters on the sinks are cemented in place, so I can't just attach a threaded sink filter to refrigerator waterline adaptor to those like I did in my dorm last year. The shower heads are also secured in place and aren't removable. The refrigerator doesn't have a water supply so I can't just use that water line either. Are there any other options?

My other option would be to buy RODI water from them and mix my own salt, but that still has me driving there frequently and paying for RODI

You need to determine how to connect to a sink, what thread.
Sometimes the spigot end unscrews so you can change the screen. You can find an adapter from that thread to 1/4" rodi line.
I did this before hard plumbing.
Maybe this would work:

https://a.co/d/a38Cw29

 

[Lavey29]

That's actually a pretty good point. I have class in some of those labs.

My only issue would be transporting the water back. It's a half mile walk, so a 5 gallon jug would be pretty hard to carry that far. Maybe I'd just do one gallon at a time or something.

Hard for a college kid? Cmon man...you got this

 

[Johnd651]

Hard for a college kid? Cmon man...you got this

It's less then a 30 rack of keystone or natty light

Edit..2 cases

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Under the sink should be a water valve. Just slap this inbetween.. there's two different common sizes so act accordingly.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Under the sink should be a water valve. Just slap this inbetween.. there's two different common sizes so act accordingly.

I use something similar to this for my tank. I live in an apartment where I can’t permanently alter plumbing. All I did was disconnect one of the water lines from the sink and add a water valve on it (similar to the above picture). All I have to do is turn the water valve on or off and it makes rodi water perfectly fine for my tank.