How do you get your water??

[Neptune 555]

I am struggling with how to obtain water for my saltwater fishtank. Please indicate how you obtain your water

A. Carry buckets of RO /DI water from your lfs

B. Make your water at home w/ a RO / DI system. (Do you have it attached to sink or do you have it drilled into your pipes?)

C. You have water delivered to house?

Neptune

[jimnchal]

I have a RO/DI under my tank. I tied it in under a sink in the bathroom and ran a line under the floor into the stand. Also ran a 1-1/2" line into my stand that ties into my septic. This is used for waste water from the RO/DI and a 1" connection for water changes.

[jellyfish4me]

I think it depends on the size of your tank. i have 5.6 gallon nano. So I just buy the already mixed natural seawater from my LFS. It comes in 5 gallon containers.

If you have a large (75+) system I would think the expense of an RO/DI system would be worth it in just convenience alone.

But maybe for a medium (20-50 gal) size tank it wouldn't be so bad lugging water home from the store? But I know my one 5 gal pre-mix container would be a pain if I needed several every week!

[Reel North]

i have a 150. i bought a vertex RODI and a 50g food grade storage bin. i cut my waterline in the basement and plumbed in a valve. i mounted the unit to the wall above the container.

[Spork3245]

Purewaterclub.com sells cheap portable rodi systems that come with an adapter to connect to your bathroom sink, it's what I use.

[Cbsailor11]

Option B. I have a 46bow and building a 180. It was one of my first purchases when getting into saltwater.

[snorvich]

RODI in the basement. I use about 160 gallons per month in water changes so I use pumps to move it around to the sumps in the basement.

[KCFITZ78]

I get my water from my local Water & Sewer Treatment district. The have multiple small building locations around the area called "The WaterShed". Cost is $0.25 per gallon or $1.00 for 5 gallons.

What is the WaterShed?

A stand-alone building owned by the Northwestern Ohio Water and Sewer District that houses a reverse-osmosis, 9-step drinking water treatment system, which gives you a perfect tasting purified water at a low price!

The 9-step Process
•Ion exchange water softening
•1 micron filtration
•Granular activated carbon filtration
•5 micron pre-filter
•Reverse osmosis
•Ultra violet sterilization
•Sub-micron filtration
•Solid block carbon filtration
•Final ultra violet sterilization

[hogfanreefer]

I get my water from my local Water & Sewer Treatment district. The have multiple small building locations around the area called "The WaterShed". Cost is $0.25 per gallon or $1.00 for 5 gallons.

What is the WaterShed?

A stand-alone building owned by the Northwestern Ohio Water and Sewer District that houses a reverse-osmosis, 9-step drinking water treatment system, which gives you a perfect tasting purified water at a low price!

The 9-step Process
•Ion exchange water softening
•1 micron filtration
•Granular activated carbon filtration
•5 micron pre-filter
•Reverse osmosis
•Ultra violet sterilization
•Sub-micron filtration
•Solid block carbon filtration
•Final ultra violet sterilization


That is pretty cool. Wish we had that set up here. What does the TDS run on the water you get there?

[KCFITZ78]

That is pretty cool. Wish we had that set up here. What does the TDS run on the water you get there?

TDS.... total dissolved solids?

[Dan90]

My rodi system is in garage plumbed to laundry sink. 55 gallon

[mkoop]

I have an rodi unit that fills a 100 gallon barrel which is plumbed with valves to pump water to one of two ATO reservoirs.

I'm curious if anyone has rodi delivered... And what you get charged for that... I'd imagine that is not cheap.

[Berje]

I have an rodi unit with dual tds meters that fills a 32 gallon brute can. It is just attached to the sink and when I am done I disconnect it and then store it under the sink.

[Fish_King_25]

I have an rodi unit with dual tds meters that fills a 32 gallon brute can. It is just attached to the sink and when I am done I disconnect it and then store it under the sink.

I'm looking to get a unit that I can attach to my sink, what type are you using?

[raybyrne67]

I have my BRS 5 stage RODI in my laundry room, I added a Y connector on the cold water line going to the washer. The RODI is mounted on the wall above my water containers. I use about 15 gallons a week between water changes and ATO usage.

[EricBuzz]

Rodi under the sink plumbed into the feed and the drain line. Clean water gets pumped into the 20 g storage tank for top off. Separate feed for mixing barrel.

[pufferpoison]

I have like 3 RO/DI systems in my house. It's a long story, but if your doing saltwater, you should have an RO/DI unit. It should be one of the first purchases for your addition, I mean hobby. I went with airwaterice and have the typhoon III under the sink and in a bathroom & a compact typhoon III in the other bathroom. I also have the 3.2 gallon bladder tank and a faucet set up so we can access RO water instead of city crap water.

You can always use the RO/DI unit to make awesome bottle water for yourself instead of buying bottled water or drinking the poison the city sells you.

[moe458]

I recently bought a unit of RODI from Max Water (you can google them)
unit costed me 134 bucks in total and it was at my place in 24 hours later..but i'm in canada not sure what's the deal for US guys.

Description of the product:
5 Stage 125 GPD REEF AQUARIUM REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER SYSTEM RO DI

[para57]

TDS.... total dissolved solids?

Hi KCFITZ78, I'm also from northwest ohio and this is the first time I've heard of the watershed! I'm also wondering if you've ever tested the total dissolved solids of this water. I'm genuinely interested! Thanks!

[pufferpoison]

Be very careful of purchasing RO/DI water without having a TDS meter to test what you are buying. There was a local place several years ago that got in some trouble for selling RO/DI water with a TDS of over 200!!! just know your source not by reputation, but by testing it.

it's a no brainer to buy your own unit. Most LFS are basically doing what you would be doing, by purchasing an RO/DI unit and having a storage tank. with all the way to hook them up to basically any configuration, this should be a mandate before purchasing corals.

[Neptune 555]

YES - I also think having a RO / DI system is required for a saltwater / reef tank at 50 gallons or more. I am upgrading to a 75 gallon tank w/ a 20 gallon sump so this I must automate this process. Just two more questions...

Anyone running a RO / DI system on a house that has a septic system? Neighbors are saying that having running water non stop while I fill my bucket will compromise the septic system??

I have been using a 30 gallon rubbermaid trash can for making my saltwater? Why does everyone specify a food grade container?

Anyone have experience with the Coralife RO / DI system? How do I test the water output?

Neptune

[SuperAWE]

YES - I also think having a RO / DI system is required for a saltwater / reef tank at 50 gallons or more. I am upgrading to a 75 gallon tank w/ a 20 gallon sump so this I must automate this process. Just two more questions...

Anyone running a RO / DI system on a house that has a septic system? Neighbors are saying that having running water non stop while I fill my bucket will compromise the septic system??

I have been using a 30 gallon rubbermaid trash can for making my saltwater? Why does everyone specify a food grade container?

Anyone have experience with the Coralife RO / DI system? How do I test the water output?

Neptune

You don't want any chemicals leaching from cheap plastic bins into your newly made water, which will then make its way into your aquarium.

[Gopilosaurus]

I have the 4 stage RO/DI with TDS meter from BRS in my laundry room. It's attached to my sink faucet when I'm using it. I fill the 5 gallon jug and haul it up the stairs to the tank. It takes 2 hrs and 10 minutes to fill the jug :)

[petere1989]

Ro/Di unit in my basement and i carry the water in 5 gallon jugs up to the second story level where the tank is.

[KCFITZ78]

Hi KCFITZ78, I'm also from northwest ohio and this is the first time I've heard of the watershed! I'm also wondering if you've ever tested the total dissolved solids of this water. I'm genuinely interested! Thanks!

I have never tested it nor do I know how too.

Here is their web site with listed locations http://www.nwwsd.org/watershed.html

[SneakyPete]

I have a RO/DI in my basement. Currently I fill 5 gallon buckets and do everything through that. I use the armstrong method to get that water upstairs to my tank. Don't do that, it's awful. I'm upgrading that system currently. I'll fill a 32 gallon Brute trash can and use a pump to move water to a 10 gallon brute trash can that I will use for mixing salt. I'm also using a 10g brute trash can for my top off, but I'll use the 5 gallon buckets for top off.

I think the important thing about your water supply is to have a significant amount on hand so you don't have to wait while you make water and such. At least that was the part that irked me so much. It's going to be so nice to just draw water as I need and not have to wait.

Make sure you have enough pumps to move water around though.