RODI Well Water Assistance

[KimNotKardashian]

I am on well water and had previously used my RODI to make roughly half my water for salt or top off. 40 gallon tank so about 5 gallons.

I had read about high Co2 levels in well water and knew it was probably the reason my DI would go dead fairly quick.

What I didn’t realize, that along with quick depletion, it is still horribly de-oxygenated water. I incorrectly assumed my DI was unbinding it somehow but not the case that I think now.

I did a 12 gallon change a few weeks back with only my water and my fish hung around the surface that night. Got up the next morning and it dawned on me that they weren’t being weird and I needed to get that water out.

Here is my dilemma: I previously read to pump the RO to bucket, then aerate for 24 hours and then run through RODI.

I am in West Texas and so I worry about my garage because of all the sand, dirt and dust with the top off to aerate.

I also am not sure how to rig the RO aerated water up to pump through my DI canisters? I normally just attach the DI to the end of my under the counter RO and so I think that thing has a pump.

Anyone have any thoughts on how I can make this happen and what equipment I might need to buy?

Thanks yall!
Kimberly

 

[malacoda]

I'm on a well too, and also have to deal with some CO2.

That said, it doesn't sound to me like your RODI water is the primary culprit.

Here's why...

1 — The DI resin should be binding the CO2. That is why it depletes quicker. Aerating RO water before passing it through the DI will prevent such rapid depletion of the DI resin, thereby saving money over the long term ... but it's not worth doing for the purpose of aerating water for water changes because...

2 — Even if some CO2 did make it past the DI resin, if you mix your saltwater overnight, it should be providing the necessary time and aeration for any residual CO2 to gas off ... same as it would if you used an aeration tank between the RO and DI.

3 — There would have to be a very significant difference between the O2 level of the new water-change water and that of well-oxygenated DT water in order for a 25% water change to have that kind of an impact.

If the water change was indeed the trigger, it could be a sign the DT was already near the low-oxygen threshold ... and only need a slight nudge lower to make the fish have to fight for more oxygen.

I would suggest the following...

• Make sure the DT water is skimming well as it enters the overflow. Turn off your circulation pumps, then watch the water surface in the DT near the OF weir. Any particles or debris should easily get pulled into the OF. (the skimming action and water agitation of the OF weir and sump weirs are responsible for the bulk of the oxygenation that takes place in our tanks)
• Check to make sure your DT wavemakers and/or return nozzles are creating gentle ripples/motion on DT water surface.
• Do you run a skimmer? (They do a great job of helping to oxygenate the water.)
• Try a stronger pump (more agitation) for mixing your saltwater ... or add a wavemaker to your mixing chamber. And, if you don't already, mix it for at least 12-24 hours. If CO2 is getting past your DI resin, this extra time and agitation will serve the same purpose asa degassing chamber between the RO and DI.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[KimNotKardashian]

I'm on a well too, and also have to deal with some CO2.

That said, it doesn't sound to me like your RODI water is the primary culprit.

Here's why...

1 — The DI resin should be binding the CO2. That is why it depletes quicker. Aerating RO water before passing it through the DI will prevent such rapid depletion of the DI resin, thereby saving money over the long term ... but it's not worth doing for the purpose of aerating water for water changes because...

2 — Even if some CO2 did make it past the DI resin, if you mix your saltwater overnight, it should be providing the necessary time and aeration for any residual CO2 to gas off ... same as it would if you used an aeration tank between the RO and DI.

3 — There would have to be a very significant difference between the O2 level of the new water-change water and that of well-oxygenated DT water in order for a 25% water change to have that kind of an impact.

If the water change was indeed the trigger, it could be a sign the DT was already near the low-oxygen threshold ... and only need a slight nudge lower to make the fish have to fight for more oxygen.

I would suggest the following...

• Make sure the DT water is skimming well as it enters the overflow. Turn off your circulation pumps, then watch the water surface in the DT near the OF weir. Any particles or debris should easily get pulled into the OF. (the skimming action and water agitation of the OF weir and sump weirs are responsible for the bulk of the oxygenation that takes place in our tanks)
• Check to make sure your DT wavemakers and/or return nozzles are creating gentle ripples/motion on DT water surface.
• Do you run a skimmer? (They do a great job of helping to oxygenate the water.)
• Try a stronger pump (more agitation) for mixing your saltwater ... or add a wavemaker to your mixing chamber. And, if you don't already, mix it for at least 12-24 hours. If CO2 is getting past your DI resin, this extra time and agitation will serve the same purpose asa degassing chamber between the RO and DI.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Thank you!!! Great ideas that I am already enacting!