Why don't more people do their own RODI

[Harpo]

Why don't more people buy an RODI system? Do they live on a well and an economical RODI won't fix the problem, or do they not have good place to put it? Maybee, they live in an apartment?

I don't know why but the thought of lugging 5-gallon pails would outweigh any of the above.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Why don't more people buy an RODI system? Do they live on a well and an economical RODI won't fix the problem, or do they not have good place to put it? Maybee, they live in an apartment?

I don't know why but the thought of lugging 5-gallon pails would outweigh any of the above.

I don't understand that either -

I have a well with sulfur water and I've used a RO Buddy for years. I just hook it up to my kitchen sink when I'm going to do a water change. I will say that I only make 5 gallons at a time though. My nearest LFS is 30 miles away, I couldn't fathom going there for water....two trips would pay for a RO unit in just my time alone.

 

[braaap]

I think it’s probably the other way around. I think more people own and use systems than don’t own them. Usually the people that don’t own one have smaller tanks and live in apartments/big cities and have an LFS close.

My nearest LFS is 200 miles away. I’m on well water. But I have no issue with it chewing through my media or filters. It’s actually quite good well water.

 

[MikeReefs]

Yea I don’t know my LFS is around the block from me and I still make my own water. It’s very easy for me to flip on a switch come back hours later and have 20 gallon ready to go

 

[workhz]

Apartment. Initial cost of unit. Cost of salt and storage. Small tank. More tech to deal with. Don’t do many changes.

I did when I rented, right out of college. Lasted about 6 months.

 

[rtparty]

I bet the majority of users on here have their own RODI

 

[Reeferbadness]

I have 2 x 200g tanks and do 10-12% water changes weekly - with evaporation i go through about 50+ g of RODI a week - so having a good RODI system and 2 x 50g barrels for storing and mixing is key for my set up.

 

[EricR]

I think it’s probably the other way around. I think more people own and use systems than don’t own them. Usually the people that don’t own one have smaller tanks and live in apartments/big cities and have an LFS close.

My nearest LFS is 200 miles away. I’m on well water. But I have no issue with it chewing through my media or filters. It’s actually quite good well water.

Agreed. *never considered well water and/or living in an apartment but those are good points

I think due to initial cost and lack of knowledge when first starting out, a lot of us probably just progress:
1. Start out buying RODI and saltwater (pre-mixed)
2. Keep buying RODI but mix our own saltwater
3. End up with our own RODI system

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I was lugging five gallon carboys down the stairs, with water from grocery RO/DI, a friend tested for TDS, I was basically paying for tap water. With a recent test of my well water, called BRS, they set me up with a great system, to take care of the Iron and a trace of sulfur. This was back in October 2018. The only thing I’ve replaced is the Sediment Filter. I’ve made 1000’s upon 1000’s of water. TDS at 1. I did add a booster pump and a second RO Membrane.

 

[braaap]

I was lugging five gallon carboys down the stairs, with water from grocery RO/DI, a friend tested for TDS, I was basically paying for tap water. With a recent test of my well water, called BRS, they set me up with a great system, to take care of the Iron and a trace of sulfur. This was back in October 2018. The only thing I’ve replaced is the Sediment Filter. I’ve made 1000’s upon 1000’s of water. TDS at 1. I did add a booster pump and a second RO Membrane.

Yup you nailed it. I added a 2nd membrane and booster pump on my system for my well water. I also have 2 BIG carbon filters before my water softener which takes out a ton of the impurities.

 

[56longroof]

I started using one when I had a high tech planted freshwater tank. The water here is so high in carbonate we call it liquid rock.

 

[malacoda]

Agreed. I don't think it's well water and rural living, but rather, in many instances the opposite — space constraints of urban living.

When I set up my first two tanks, a 20g soon followed by the additions of a 65g, we lived in a 3-story town house...

I was able to get away with having an RODI because our children had moved out and their bathroom became a rarely used guest bathroom.

Fortunately there was enough room under the vanity for an RODI unit. And I was able to discretely run the output and waste lines to the nearby tub. Buckets in the tub captured the RODI and the waste water went down the drain.

Under the kitchen sink nor the laundry room wouldn't have worked because there was literally nowhere to put buckets to capture the output. And it would've been a nightmare to try to run RODI lines through the walls.

If it weren't for that spare bathroom, I wouldn't have gotten an aquarium.

Now that we've moved to a rural home in the mountains and are on a well, I don't have to use a chloramine filter in the RODI unit, but do have to replace the regular filters slightly more often due to sediments, etc.

 

[DexterKarin]

I don't understand that either -

I have a well with sulfur water and I've used a RO Buddy for years. I just hook it up to my kitchen sink when I'm going to do a water change. I will say that I only make 5 gallons at a time though. My nearest LFS is 30 miles away, I couldn't fathom going there for water....two trips would pay for a RO unit in just my time alone.

I'm the same. RO Buddy is cheap, portable and super easy to use. I make about 5-8 gallons a week. I set it up in less than a minute in garage, set timer and done. Test for TDS regularly and no problems. I would not have a reef tank if I had to buy saltwater at an LFS

 

[Paul B]

I built mine for practically free about the time they invented water.

 

[Bruttall]

I think it is more a lack of understanding how much they could save with a RODI system.

 

[Uncle99]

Many people believe it’s not necessary.
They use tap water
For the most part, that’s just plain wrong.
However might take some time for the bad to happen.
Perhaps in very few cases it works.

 

[Hishman]

How are yall dealing with well water? I ran tanks for years on city and this is the first time on a well.

Getting around 380-400 TDS coming in and 7-5 post membranes (pair of 75). I go through and entire 10” canister of DI resin in 50-75 gallons. Is that normal for a well? Previously I could feel like I could make a couple hundred before exhausting a refilled resin. I run a 2nd resin bed so tds is still 0 but it’s just a time waste refilling and DI resin has become on of the more expensive parts of my tank.

At 40 PSI but 7/400 is less than 2% so seems membrane are working fine.

 

[Bruttall]

How are tall dealing with well water? I ran tanks for years on city and this is the first time on a well.

Getting around 380-400 TDS coming in and 7-5 out. I go through and entire 10” canister of DI resin in 50-75 gallons. Is that normal for a well? Previously I could feel like I could make a couple hundred before exhausting a refilled resin. I run a 2nd resin bed so tds is still 0 but it’s just a time waste and DI resin has become on of the more expensive parts of my tank.

How old is your Membrane? The 1st stage on the RODI filter, sounds like you need a new one.

 

[Hishman]

How old is your Membrane? The 1st stage on the RODI filter, sounds like you need a new one.

Sediment and both carbons are brand new.

Not sure on the membranes but isn’t 400>7 almost an 98% rejection rate? (Edit* I think it’s 98.25%)

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

How are yall dealing with well water? I ran tanks for years on city and this is the first time on a well.

Getting around 380-400 TDS coming in and 7-5 post membranes (pair of 75). I go through and entire 10” canister of DI resin in 50-75 gallons. Is that normal for a well? Previously I could feel like I could make a couple hundred before exhausting a refilled resin. I run a 2nd resin bed so tds is still 0 but it’s just a time waste refilling and DI resin has become on of the more expensive parts of my tank.

At 40 PSI but 7/400 is less than 2% so seems membrane are working fine.

You need to boost the pressure up with a RO/DI Pump. Also after your sediment cartridge you need two Charcoal Canisters, before your RO Membrane. Also you need to check to see if there is CO2 in your water because that can shorten the life of the DI.