What does everyone do for RO/DI in So Cal?

[demeyer2]

I recently moved from Michigan and used to buy RO/DI water for 50 cents per gallon at our LFS. I moved here and purchased a nano Tunze RO unit and can't believe the amount of water that is wasted and how much that might cost me in monthly water bills. I'm going to have a 25 gallon tank, what would be the best solution to my problem?

Thanks for the help everyone!
Dan

[ryno726]

Live in a condo with Free water like me : )

[herozero]

pay for a more efficient RO unit or plumb the waste water to be used for irrigation or clothes washer.

[bergzy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15659422#post15659422 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by demeyer2
I recently moved from Michigan and used to buy RO/DI water for 50 cents per gallon at our LFS. I moved here and purchased a nano Tunze RO unit and can't believe the amount of water that is wasted and how much that might cost me in monthly water bills. I'm going to have a 25 gallon tank, what would be the best solution to my problem?

Thanks for the help everyone!
Dan

water here in yorba linda is considered expensive. heck, living in orange county is silly expensive.

here is a sample water bill. the rates have recently gone up:
http://www.ylwd.com/service/about-bill.html

it says $1.79 per unit. and a unit is 748 gallons. yl water is now at a higher rate and on a tier system...just like our electricity.

i am not sure if manhattan beach is on la dept of water and power...but if you are, then your electricity and water rates will be stupid cheap compared to us poor saps in orange county.

a little math will definitely show you to get a rodi unit.

50 cents a gallon? wow!

one hundred gallons will cost you $50 for rodi...and thats not even including salt.

$125 ro unit with a 4:1 rejection rate... my ro unit has made thousands of gallons without membrane or even sediment carbon changes ...since the tds meter is still reading 6-8 ppm tds from the ro output.

i make a batch of rodi at about 100g per shot. this preserves the membrane, cartridges and the DI resin. my dual canister di resin easily makes 1000 gallons before showing a tds reading of 001.

i guesstimate that it costs about $20 to refill my di cartidges (buy di resin in bulk).

so....1+3...carry the 2 over...


1000 gallons of rodi will cost me:

$11.96 in total city water usage (old rates IN orange county)
$125 for initial rodi purchase (filtersdirect.com)
$20 for di resin...$156.96 total

this estimate is high in price for the consumables and includes the initial purchase price of the ro unit.

thus, it costs 1/3 the money INCLUDING the ro unit purchase to get double the amount of water you would if you were buying rodi from a lfs for 50 cents a gallon.

short of it from a long explanation...YES, it is worth it to use your own rodi at home. if youre worried about your water bill, look up the rates...i would be surprised if it was outrageous.

[ryno726]

Nice breakdown bergzy. Also add in the time and gas going to the LFS. I am mad I waited over a year to buy my RO/DI. I tapped my wast line right into my sink drain, so I have not physically seen how much is wasted. If I had a yard, I would use it for that though.

[beaudry]

Supermarket vending machine RO/DI water at
$.25 - $.30 a gallon.

[phatsonate]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15662709#post15662709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by beaudry
Supermarket vending machine RO/DI water at
$.25 - $.30 a gallon.

Glacier- Yeah, that's what I used to get before I had a large tank.

[boodha]

I agree with Bergzy, but it really depends on your personal situation. Are you in an apartment or house? And how many RODI gallons do you need a week or month? Do you plan to mix your own salt water?

And there's several LFS around the south bay and LAX airport.

Check out the LFS map if you haven't already: http://www.zoyzoy.com/aquarium/aquariumstoresmap.php

[dodgerblew]

I just use a bucket to put waste water in and water plants with it

[tripinpn01]

After 3 years i finally realized my cyano problem is from the ro/di from a lfs. the only place i would get ro di from is tom's. But thats a drive. i finally ordered a ro/di from BRS and plan on using the waste water for the yard. I cant wait to set it up meaning no more water runs to the lfs and cya cyano. I think the water runs are what got me lazy on my tank and got me broke from always having to buy stuff.

[reefkeepa14]

use own r/o d/i unit. so handy to sit at home and fill =)

[nrike]

Im in the process of purchasing an RODI system, i was looking at MD an these are the two that catch my eye, Puratek http://www.marinedepot.com/SpectraPure_MaxCap_RO_DI_System_90gpd_w_Pressure_Gauge_Purity_Monitor_90_to_180_Gallons_Per_Day_RO_D I_Water_Filter_Systems-SpectraPure-SP1711-FIRORDNH-SP1711-vi.html100g and Spectrapure 90g. What do guys think about these two systems?

[herozero]

Big fan of my spectrapure. i've used both their pre-filters and BRS ones, I like spectrapure better but it is a matter of opinion.

[jlt23]

I have the MaxCAP unit and like it. I've actually thought about upgrading the the UHE model so I waste less water.

[Paulairduck]

you will not be using that much water on a 25 gallon tank, you will be fine with the tunze unit

[bubba1170]

is the water at the glacier vending machines really ro/di? or just ro?

[demeyer2]

Thanks everyone for the great responses! I plan on doing 5 gallon bi-weekly water changes for my 25 gallon tank.

I really think my Tunze RO unit needs a new filter inside because my reject rate is probably 50-to-1.

Thanks for the great store link (http://www.zoyzoy.com/aquarium/aquariumstoresmap.php), does anyone have any personal experience buying RO from any of these stores?

Thanks again everyone.

[marfuerte]

I used ro/di for years in Chicago and ultimately switched over to a kati/ani after reading Anthony Calfo and Steven Pro and when my membrane needed replacing. Recharging the kati/ani is a chore but it is so much cheaper than buying filters. I recharge every couple months and its a few bucks in lye/acid. I do run a prefilter so I have to spend $50 a year on that.

I know it's not for everybody but I'm sold on it. 0 tds every time.

[demeyer2]

Very interesting, I've never heard of kati/ani. Do you have any information about what this is or should I just Google it? :)

Also, I know that back in Michigan the tap water is high in phosphates, what is the tap water quality in California?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15669850#post15669850 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by marfuerte
I used ro/di for years in Chicago and ultimately switched over to a kati/ani after reading Anthony Calfo and Steven Pro and when my membrane needed replacing. Recharging the kati/ani is a chore but it is so much cheaper than buying filters. I recharge every couple months and its a few bucks in lye/acid. I do run a prefilter so I have to spend $50 a year on that.

I know it's not for everybody but I'm sold on it. 0 tds every time.

[herozero]

TDS on tap for me in WeHo (West Hollywood) and now in Sherman Oaks has never been over 150 ppm. Not sure about silicates or phosphates at the tap, but I am at 0 for everything after my DI. You can search around for the LA DWP website for some very thorough water facts (if they service you down there in Manhattan).

http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp000505.jsp

[bergzy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15680406#post15680406 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by demeyer2
Very interesting, I've never heard of kati/ani. Do you have any information about what this is or should I just Google it? :)

Also, I know that back in Michigan the tap water is high in phosphates, what is the tap water quality in California?

kati & ani is just the two resins used in 'di' resin.

after talking with the guys at spectrapure...the ideal ratio is not 1:1...and i cant remember what it is since i use premixed mixed bed resin now. separate di resins are great if you use A LOT of resin and would make economical sense (and less waste water) to recharge the resin since it is easier to recharge resin individually. even for my size of tank...it isnt worth the time or effort to do so.

call up the la dwp and ask if they put in chloramines in their water. that is a biggie. over here in yl, they dont but i do call every so often just to make sure.

the tds over here in yl is over 230 ppm tds. not that good but is easily handled with a good ro unit.

[herozero]

call up the la dwp and ask if they put in chloramines in their water. that is a biggie. over here in yl, they dont but i do call every so often just to make sure.


DWP does use chloramines.

[bergzy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15680608#post15680608 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by herozero
DWP does use chloramines.

then i 'might' consider using this:

Chloramine filters (http://www.thefilterguys.biz/chloramine_filters.htm)

[herozero]

i think these chloramine filters are marketing hype, i never had one until 2 months ago and the water tastes better without them IMO. fish don't seem to care either way.

[GTR]

Carbon breaks the chloramine bond and leaves the ammonia. That's not hype.

Our local water company uses a chlorine generation system and the by-product of that is dumped back into the water. So our water ends up as hard as a rock. TDS is always near 400.

SteveU

[herozero]

I didn't say I didn't have a carbon block in my RO/DI. Selling a 3 stage refill kit, carbon carbon carbon, hmmmmmmm . . . that gives me pause for concern when my 1 stage of carbon does great.