DI without RO for 0 tds

[SuperDux]

Hi all, and thanks in advance.

Im from a freshwater background, and I've just picked up a little aio 55litre, I'm researching and pondering whether to try a nano reef for the first time.

Anyway, first question that may make a difference, I'm a professional window cleaner, where I live tds is about 80 out of the tap, so I just run it through a mixed bead DI without RO for work. I double filter it so it's always 0ppm on the glass even after the first DI filter starts to fall away (I say always, sometimes may hit 4/5ppm if I'm not paying attention for a while)

Is there any reason this pure water would not be suitable for a reef tank? Basically does the RO process do anything else to the water that a DI does not?

 

[dedragon]

im pretty sure that is fine but i am not a rodi expert. might want to just run a simple three chamber unit with no ro membrane. just sediment, carbon, and di resin so that you dont deplete the di resin so fast or have to double filter it

 

[UncommonSense]

Is there any reason this pure water would not be suitable for a reef tank? Basically does the RO process do anything else to the water that a DI does not?

The carbon filtration would be the biggest one I’d imagine being useful, pre-DI! (Chemical/pigment/odor filtration)

But, carbon blocks clog up quickly without a sediment prefilter, so I’d say bare minimum would be a two canister add-on bracket with sediment prefilter, then carbon prefilter before running through DI!

At this point, the RO membrane part of the system would just significantly increase your DI resin’s lifespan!

 

[SuperDux]

So I already have the DI setup running on my van for work. I purify about 1-1.5 tonnes of water per week with it, costs about £300-400 per year on DI. I wouldn't be looking to change the setup if I could help it.

I'd just nip to van, pump off 10litres a week for water change and top ups.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

DI only will remove most problems, and will cost a lot more than RO/DI to produce the same amount of water.

If you already have a di only setup, it's going to do all you need except:

1. May not remove chlorine and chloramine.

2. Assuming you are starting with potable water, organics are not likely to be an issue, but all uncharged organics will get through a DI.

3. May not adequately remove silicate, which is hard even for RO/DI. Silicate is not a concern unless diatoms reach undesirable levels.

4. Be sure the DI water does not pass through or get stored in metal before use.

 

[rtparty]

With decent enough tap water, you could likely run only a RO unit if wanted to save money as well. A little more up front obviously but your DI only setup may be just fine.

If you want….a little 4 stage RO unit should be pretty cheap. Sediment filter, 2 carbon filters, and the RO membrane.

Come to think of it, Jake Adams may have been running a DI only setup. I remember a video of him talking about how clean the water was in Colorado where he was at and I think he mentioned only “polishing” the water with some DI before use

 

[SuperDux]

Thankyou all, helping me to build some understanding. For window cleaning as long the TDs reads 0 that's all that's needed!

I would add T after the DI vessels and in line TDS to address point 4, otherwise it runs through metal couplings and hose reel....

Would running GAC after DI address 2 and 3?

I know it probably seems backwards just easier for me to utilise a setup I already have than right up a rodi in small property for small tank.

I'm looking to keep 'easy' soft corals and perhaps a clownfish or two, still researching.

Thanks again

 

[dedragon]

could you use a tee union and a couple of ball valves to divert the line to a sediment and carbon block canister? have it run direct to the di most of the time for window cleaning, and close one valve and open the other when you are using it for your aquarium. these are just examples and you may need larger than 1/4" for you applications but i linked them any way as well as the canisters for sediment and carbon filters.
Amazon product ASIN B00D04CHRM

Mur-lok RO Tee Union Push Connect

Mur-lok RO fittings are the only RO fittings that feature dual EPDM O-rings to ensure a straight leak free fit. These high quality American made fittings are constructed with FDA approved materials. Polypropylene construction NSF Standard 58 Certified Compatible with RO tubing

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Mur-lok RO Inline Ball Valve Push Connect

Why does BRS recommend this? Mur-lok ball valves are some of the highest quality ball valves for push connect style tubing on the market. With high quality parts, smoother operation, and dual O-rings they will give you a lifetime of leak free operation. Mur-lok RO fittings are the only reverse...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[SuperDux]

could you use a tee union and a couple of ball valves to divert the line to a sediment and carbon block canister? have it run direct to the di most of the time for window cleaning, and close one valve and open the other when you are using it for your aquarium. these are just examples and you may need larger than 1/4" for you applications but i linked them any way as well as the canisters for sediment and carbon filters.
Amazon product ASIN B00D04CHRM

Mur-lok RO Tee Union Push Connect

Mur-lok RO fittings are the only RO fittings that feature dual EPDM O-rings to ensure a straight leak free fit. These high quality American made fittings are constructed with FDA approved materials. Polypropylene construction NSF Standard 58 Certified Compatible with RO tubing

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Mur-lok RO Inline Ball Valve Push Connect

Why does BRS recommend this? Mur-lok ball valves are some of the highest quality ball valves for push connect style tubing on the market. With high quality parts, smoother operation, and dual O-rings they will give you a lifetime of leak free operation. Mur-lok RO fittings are the only reverse...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I was starting to wonder this, definitely doable. It's all rigged up with John Guest 12mm, and I've already setup a few bypass and direction flows using those ball valves, prob got some spares. There is a strainer already pre pump, so really it would just be adding in carbon block canister and bypass I guess might be the way to go.

Thankyou, I'm sure I'll be back with some more questions!

 

[Freenow54]

Hi all, and thanks in advance.

Im from a freshwater background, and I've just picked up a little aio 55litre, I'm researching and pondering whether to try a nano reef for the first time.

Anyway, first question that may make a difference, I'm a professional window cleaner, where I live tds is about 80 out of the tap, so I just run it through a mixed bead DI without RO for work. I double filter it so it's always 0ppm on the glass even after the first DI filter starts to fall away (I say always, sometimes may hit 4/5ppm if I'm not paying attention for a while)

Is there any reason this pure water would not be suitable for a reef tank? Basically does the RO process do anything else to the water that a DI does not?

The DI as to what I know is for dissolved

solids . The other filters are for chemicals and impurities. The picture I will post is according To Lassie a very knowledgeable man is due to the type of lake my water comes from I forget the name at the moment . But I prefer not to have it in my Tank

 

[UncommonSense]

I was starting to wonder this, definitely doable. It's all rigged up with John Guest 12mm, and I've already setup a few bypass and direction flows using those ball valves, prob got some spares. There is a strainer already pre pump, so really it would just be adding in carbon block canister and bypass I guess might be the way to go.

Thankyou, I'm sure I'll be back with some more questions!

Here’s the solution to the “valves everywhere!” complication:

JG two-way selector valve.

My application:

— It is supplied from the bottom of the T shape by RO product water.

— Valve in center (position 0) is off, valve to position 1 is RO only, valve to position 2 is RODI only.

You could use one of these valves, and possibly one check valve after the sediment/carbon to just have them teed off pre, or post DI!

 

[redfishbluefish]

First off I'd never guess that window cleaners used zero TDS water....I'd assume a little surfactant would result in streak-free windows. Anyway, an RO unit would still be the way to save money and with a decent membrane, reduce TDS by at least 98%. In the States a $150-200 would give you a unit that wouldn't need a new membrane for years. That said, if you work for a company that is paying for the DI resin, there is no problem in using that water for your aquarium. We used to have a company (that no longer exists), that was called Kati/Ani that was simply DI resin (not mixed, but separate resins) that you would regenerate when needed. I had a couple friends purifying their water this way. The longer clear tubes are the Kati/Ani unit

One last point, 80TDS on your raw water is pretty good. I'm currently at 320-350 and we have some places here that are 1200 or more.

 

[Freenow54]

First off I'd never guess that window cleaners used zero TDS water....I'd assume a little surfactant would result in streak-free windows. Anyway, an RO unit would still be the way to save money and with a decent membrane, reduce TDS by at least 98%. In the States a $150-200 would give you a unit that wouldn't need a new membrane for years. That said, if you work for a company that is paying for the DI resin, there is no problem in using that water for you aquarium. We used to have a company (that no longer exists), that was called Kati/Ani that was simply DI resin (not mixed, but separate resins) that you would regenerate when needed. I had a couple friends purifying their water this way. The longer clear tubes are the Kati/Ani unit

One last point, 80TDS on your raw water is pretty good. I'm currently at 320-350 and we have some places here that are 1200 or more.

Your bringing up Memories for me . I used to work for Culligans . A soft Water Company . I used to haul the tanks out of the basement and replace them. They had a huge vat to dump the tanks out and would re ionize the resin . No brainer Job

 

[redfishbluefish]

Your bringing up Memories for me . I used to work for Culligans . A soft Water Company . I used to haul the tanks out of the basement and replace them. They had a huge vat to dump the tanks out and would re ionize the resin . No brainer Job

Kati/Ani was regenerated by leaving the resins in their canisters and either running hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide through the respective resins and then rinsing...done. They made it fairly simple.

 

[SuperDux]

First off I'd never guess that window cleaners used zero TDS water....I'd assume a little surfactant would result in streak-free windows. Anyway, an RO unit would still be the way to save money and with a decent membrane, reduce TDS by at least 98%. In the States a $150-200 would give you a unit that wouldn't need a new membrane for years. That said, if you work for a company that is paying for the DI resin, there is no problem in using that water for your aquarium. We used to have a company (that no longer exists), that was called Kati/Ani that was simply DI resin (not mixed, but separate resins) that you would regenerate when needed. I had a couple friends purifying their water this way. The longer clear tubes are the Kati/Ani unit

One last point, 80TDS on your raw water is pretty good. I'm currently at 320-350 and we have some places here that are 1200 or more.

Traditional window cleaners don't, but any water fed pole setup should be 0ppm so that it evaporates off the glass crystal clear, well you can get away with 10/20 depending on the weather, but it should be pure H2O really, double DI vessel filter ensures this (unless I get lazy).

I will look into a rodi and do the maths, I just told the wife this morning of the potential cost of setting up my first nano reef and it went down much better than I expected!

Yes our water is excellent from the tap, but also the most expensive in UK so it should be!

 

[redfishbluefish]

The one issue with RO is that there is an approximate 3 to 1 waste water to pure water. That is, to make one gallon of good water, three gallons go down the drain. If your water is expensive, that might be another consideration in going to RO. The one thing I do is collect that water and it's used to run our washing machine.

 

[SuperDux]

The one issue with RO is that there is an approximate 3 to 1 waste water to pure water. That is, to make one gallon of good water, three gallons go down the drain. If your water is expensive, that might be another consideration in going to RO. The one thing I do is collect that water and it's used to run our washing machine.

Well the one guy I know who used to RO his water locally for window cleaning switched to DI only after a few years....

Think I'm going to get my serious math hat on....

Thanks again all

 

[UncommonSense]

The one thing I do is collect that water and it's used to run our washing machine.

Smart thinking!

Mine goes to my outdoor aquaponic system, it serves as top-off for ~50ft2 of surface area, and I let the plants in there suck up all the usable nutrients from the RO waste water!

Think I'm going to get my serious math hat on....

At such low source TDS, you might see benefit from a dual RO membrane “water saver” system with waste:product water ratio closer to 2:1, or even 1:1!

 

[Freenow54]

The one issue with RO is that there is an approximate 3 to 1 waste water to pure water. That is, to make one gallon of good water, three gallons go down the drain. If your water is expensive, that might be another consideration in going to RO. The one thing I do is collect that water and it's used to run our washing machine.

I have a zero waste made by Watts an old established British Company . However you need a Tank / vessel water heater and no back feed protection .