nano experts-what do you do for water?

[jeninjohnk]

coming from a larger system- i would make my own. but now starting fresh. smaller set-up. is is worth making your own? do you just buy from a LFS? 300.00 for a ri/di unit for a disply that only 35 gals? i would think you would use .5 to 1 gal a day top off+5 gal a week changing? what are your thoughts?

[SGT_DAO]

ro/di is worth every cent. small or big tank IMO of course

[jeninjohnk]

i agree the water is worth it. but is it worth the trouble+maintence on a ro unit-to make your own? by the time you buy the unit-replace the filters 6-12 months. is it COST effective?

[jayelblock]

Absolutely, it is cost effective. I only had a 10g tank, and I got one almost immediately after setting it up. Don't just figure in the price of the water at your LFS. Also remember that you have to pay for the gas to get there and back, and frankly, time is money, and you waste time as well. Also, every time you go to the LFS to buy water, you're more likely to make an impulse purchase, which can really add up. Finally, if you're only making 5-10 gallons of RO water per week, you won't be replacing your filters every six months. Mine are 18 months old, and I'm just now reading 0.9 tds on my meter.

[stagger_lee]

Definitely worth it. It will pay for itself in a year. Not having to lug water back and forth from the LFS is worth every penny alone. Walk to the garage and turn on a pump. Drinking and emergency water too. I have 2 - 55 gal drums linked together, Ro/Di through a float valve keeping barrels topped off.

[jeninjohnk]

how much do you guys make at a time+what do you do when its sitting? say you make 30g a month. it would seem to me the unit would sit stagnet for awhile. maybe i reading to much into this?

[stagger_lee]

I have circulation pumps in the barrels keeping it from going stagnant. All food grade containers. Make it as you need it in buckets or a clean new trash can. I use it for other projects too so I go through about 30 - 50g a week. So it never sits too long here.

[cherubfish pair]

I use Culligan water and mix 10 gallons at a time. I don't really have a place for a rodi yet. This is the cheapest route for me right now. The well water I was using was 200 ppm tds. Culligan drinking water is 10 ppm tds for $5.75 a 5 gallon jug. It's not cost effective at all but I feel the better tds water really helps cut back cyano and I'll have rodi within a year.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j289/mkp59923/Reef%20Central%202/standforcan003.jpg

[NanoReefWanabe]

how much do you guys make at a time+what do you do when its sitting? say you make 30g a month. it would seem to me the unit would sit stagnet for awhile. maybe i reading to much into this?

i can tell you tomorrow...LOL i have my RO/di unit sitting on the wall right now and it has not been used in almost two years (still full of two year old water), when i shut my tank down the unit was 16months old and still reading 0 TDS...i only made about 10 gallons of water a month, the TDS would show about 4ppm when i started it up and after a minute of running it would read zero...

[stagger_lee]

Culligan drinking water is 10 ppm tds for $5.75 a 5 gallon jug.
The machines outside the grocery stores run 15-25 cents a gallon and very low ppm as well, 10-20 tops. I lugged 5 home depot buckets a week from the grocery store for a year before I bought my RODI.

[NanoReefWanabe]

well i just ran my RO/DI that has been sitting for two years and after 5 minutes it was reading 0...now for all i know it was the DI resin doing all the work...but it was still zero...my input water is 238ppm

[jeninjohnk]

i guess it does make sense-5.00 a week---52 weeks a year--260.00 anything after a year--its free! i just want to do it on the CHEAP. but seem theres no way around the water thing. thansk guys.

[cherubfish pair]

i guess it does make sense-5.00 a week---52 weeks a year--260.00 anything after a year--its free!I should clarify myself--cost effective for me because I'm getting the Culligan drinking water (10ppm) as a perk (free as of now) because my mom sells it in her health food store where I work part-time.

Culligan has something called DI water (0ppm) which is $5.75 for a five gallon jug. This I can't get as a perk because we do not normally stock it in our store. I'm wondering if the DI water (0ppm) is worth $1.15 a gallon. To get it I would have to sign up with Culligan on an account. I won't do it unless I know 0 ppm will make a heck of a difference.

I think I will just use the DI water for 2-part dosing through my ato. This will keep impurities from forming a precipitate and forming deposits on equipment.

Well this is all FWIW.

[EllieSuz]

Check out the sponsor forum and select, Air, Water, Ice. I purchased a small unit from them called the Mighty Mite at around $100 or so, plus shipping. It can be hooked up to a sink faucet and I use it to make around fifteen gallons a week for water changes and top-off. It's easy to disconnect and store when not in use. After nearly a year in operation my TDS has risen from .00 to .01. The replacement cylinders are inexpensive too.

[jeninjohnk]

thanks for the tip!

[cherubfish pair]

Culligan has something called DI water (0ppm) which is $5.75 for a five gallon jug. This I can't get as a perk because we do not normally stock it in our store. I'm wondering if the DI water (0ppm) is worth $1.15 a gallon. To get it I would have to sign up with Culligan on an account. I won't do it unless I know 0 ppm will make a heck of a difference.

I signed up for an account and I'll let you all know how it goes with the DI water.

[BowieReefer84]

I live in a condo (renting) and don't feel like messing with the undersink plumbing. I use distilled water, and have no issues. I think there is no longer the issue of copper in the water.

[dixiedog]

RODI FTW. I'd quit reefing if I had to outsource my water.

[markgsa]

If you don't like plumbing maybe try this.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/reverse-osmosis-filters-and-systems/ro-plumbing-fittings/reverse-osmosis-valves-and-adaptors/faucet-diverter-valve.html

[roneil]

i got a Bulk Reef Supply (BRS) 75 gpd brand new system on ebay for less than 100 dollars. works great. BRS has the best customer service too.

[Drag Racer]

I bought the filterguys rodi filter about 3 years ago when I had my 55 gal. Now im down to a 4 gallon pico. I make 5 gallons of salt and 5 gallons of fresh rodi for top off. I do 2 gallon WC on the pico a week. so 5 gallons last 2.5 weeks. Top off a gallon a week for evap. Having the unit is well worth the money just not having to go to the store to get water. I also bypass the DI part and make a 5 gallon water jug for drinking. Best water I have drank. No clorine taste or smell. Just pure water.

[cherubfish pair]

This is my top-off reservoir. Just a trash can and I drilled a hole in the bottom on the side for a 1/4" uniseal. I stuck an airline hose through the uniseal and connected the other end to my aqua-lifter.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j289/mkp59923/Reef%20Central%202/atostuff004.jpg

[Johndoe0336]

Having your own water at home is well worth the money. I bought an ro/di when I had my 90 gallon and kept it around when i sold off the system. best thing I did not that I have a 28 gallon again it is nice not to have buckets of water just sitting round for topoff and water changes I can make it as i need it and i know my water is good quality.

[Peef]

I make my own mix. I get water from culligan outside a publix and mix myself. Water is $1.50 for 5g. I also own a 6 chamber RO/DI unit but don't have the water pressure at my apartment to use the dang thing...DOH. Have had AWESOME results with this water...due to my other practises but water is the basis of everything!