Ro or RO/DI system questions

[excaliber]

We are just about ready to order an RO/DI system for our Discus setup.
I have been in contact with Liquagen and BRS about their systems. I've read here DI isn't needed when breeding Discus as the RO only system should get the TDS down under the 20 range +/-

We were looking at a 75 GPD stage system with the water saver option to go to 150 gpd.(5 stages)
We have almost 70 psi water pressure where the RO system will be installed.

I was told that adding the water saver feature(75 GPD RO stage)would give us more production and 1/2 the waste water. Is this true at 70 psi water pressure?

Did you eliminate the DI process on your setups?

I keep reading here, Do not use carbon. The RO setups all have two Carbon blocks I don't understand what people are taking about here.

BRS or Liquagen? Any preference here? Maybe another brand to look at?

[LizStreithorst]

The RO system seller that IMO has the best information to share but Liquagen is a good company as well. The reason for the the carbon filters is to remove the clorine before the water gets to the RO membrane. The membrane is the most expensive of the filters and chlorine will ruin a membrane.

I think that the 75 GPD with the option to add greater production is an excellent option. With 70 psi you will get excellent production. In the summer months production will be greater than in the winter months when the water entering the system is cold.

DI is absolutely not necessary for Discus.

[jeep]

RO units are basically made up of the same components so I wouldn't be too concerned about brand. Optional features like pressure gauges, TDS monitors, etc... just depend on what you are looking for and how much you want to spend. The unit doesn't determine the output, the membrane does. A 100 GPD membrane is about the most efficient. DOW Flotec is the best membrane on the market - they invented the RO process, so you may consider that option even though there are some quality competitors out there.

DI is not needed and can even be harmful is the resins become saturated. DI only removes the remaining 10 or so TDS that is produced from RO and part of that is chloramines. A saturated DI chamber will produce water that smells like rotten eggs. I have a DI chamber on my unit and i rerouted the lines and turned that chamber into an additional sediment pre-filter but you could use it for an extra carbon block is you choose. The carbon block in the RO unit isn't the traditional carbon filtration everyone talks about and not dangerous. You must use a carbon block in order to remove chlorine because chlorine will destroy the RO membrane.

I'm not sure what the water saver feature is but it's probably just a flow restrictor, which is good because I hate dumping perfectly good water down the drain. I only use RO for breeders and I pump the waste water into an additional storage barrel and use it for grow outs and adults. 70 psi should be sufficient pressure to keep your unit efficient. If not you could look into a booster pump.

Just be aware that you may still have to use a water conditioner if chloramines are present in your water supply. And, aging your water is still desirable because even pressurized RO water contains compressed co2 and will fluctuate the ph. My RO water is produced at ph 8+ and ages to a neutral 7.0.

BRS does have an outstanding reputation!

[excaliber]

We do have chloramines which we remove with Prime or safe depending on the tanks.
I'll eliminate the DI and go with just RO only. They call it a water saver feature by merely adding another RO membrane. We plan on capturing the waste water and using it for our Angelfish.

Our tap water PH is 7.7 with TDS 276+/- It looks like we are going to be in the 80/20 mix to get the TDS down to the correct level.
I'm using a EC meter to convert to TDS. The RO system will have a TDS meter and pressure gauge on it.

I'm still trying to figure out how to capture the waste water as it's likely going to be 1.5-1 waste water. Might need more storage water tanks in the same ratio?


thanks for your help

[jeep]

I use 2 55g plastic drums. $10 each on Craigslist. RO goes into one for the breeders and waste water goes into the other for regulars. Age, heat and pump to the tanks...

water storage.jpg

[RogueDiscus]

Our tap water PH is 7.7 with TDS 276+/- It looks like we are going to be in the 80/20 mix to get the TDS down to the correct level.
I'm using a EC meter to convert to TDS. The RO system will have a TDS meter and pressure gauge on it.

You may have said elsewhere what your plans are, but you only need RO for breeding to keep the eggs from calcifying or something like that. Since I stopped breeding, I have been keeping all my discus in my 450+ ppm tds and close to 8 pH hard well water with no issues. It is an old myth that discus require soft water. Many here will attest to that. There's nothing wrong with using RO, just not necessary if you're not breeding.

[jwcarlson]

I use 2 55g plastic drums. $10 each on Craigslist. RO goes into one for the breeders and waste water goes into the other for regulars. Age, heat and pump to the tanks...

How do you control levels, jeep? I'm not currently planning on doing RO, but capturing the waste water as well as the RO makes sense. My tap ages to 8-8.2 and GH = 18 degrees, KH = 16 degrees (or maybe it's 20 and 18, can't recall... it's extremely high and takes a lot of drops).

A float on the RO barrel to turn off the unit wouldn't be too hard to do. I've been mulling the idea over and am just curious if anyone tries to "automate" it.

[Aquaman218]

I have a system similar to what Jeep uses. I use a 55 gallon food grade plastic drum to store the RO water and a 75 gallon barrel to store the waste water. My RO system was an inexpensive system sold on amazon. I added a second RO membrane, in parallel (water saver configuration). It did in fact reduce my waste water by about 40%. My water pressure is about 90psi pre- RO and with 2 RO membranes it is around 70.

I automated my system using a home built controller, based on an ESP32. I have a level sensor that allows me to trigger the water on when the level drops about 1/3 of the barrel, and turns off when it is full. I didn't want to cut holes in the barrel, so I designed, and 3D printed a set of barrel screw caps with fittings for all of the inputs and outputs that I needed. I use an external pump to pump water to my tanks.

The automation works great, and helps reduce the time required to do water changes on my tanks.

20220122_145714.jpg
20220122_143532.jpg
RO Water Controller ESP12E Page 1 v69.jpg

[jeep]

How do you control levels, jeep? I'm not currently planning on doing RO, but capturing the waste water as well as the RO makes sense. My tap ages to 8-8.2 and GH = 18 degrees, KH = 16 degrees (or maybe it's 20 and 18, can't recall... it's extremely high and takes a lot of drops).

A float on the RO barrel to turn off the unit wouldn't be too hard to do. I've been mulling the idea over and am just curious if anyone tries to "automate" it.

I used to control them with my mind, but after about 1000 floods I figured that wasn't reliable so I decided to use a stopwatch, lol... Once I replace the floors in that room from all the flooding, I'll rig up an auto shutoff of some sort...

[jeep]

I have a system similar to what Jeep uses. I use a 55 gallon food grade plastic drum to store the RO water and a 75 gallon barrel to store the waste water. My RO system was an inexpensive system sold on amazon. I added a second RO membrane, in parallel (water saver configuration). It did in fact reduce my waste water by about 40%. My water pressure is about 90psi pre- RO and with 2 RO membranes it is around 70.

I automated my system using a home built controller, based on an ESP32. I have a level sensor that allows me to trigger the water on when the level drops about 1/3 of the barrel, and turns off when it is full. I didn't want to cut holes in the barrel, so I designed, and 3D printed a set of barrel screw caps with fittings for all of the inputs and outputs that I needed. I use an external pump to pump water to my tanks.

The automation works great, and helps reduce the time required to do water changes on my tank

Awesome setup!

[Charlyc11]

I did an over kill and in reality I have it as a backup since one time I had a Nitrogen spike in my well water. I don't really use it now but I will pipe to my kitchen when my filters under the sink (kitchen) are ready to be replaced and take out of service. It's a 300 GPD and I don't really need a tank to use it. It's got 3 100 GPD membranes and you can add one or 2 more.
I removed the 55 gallon fish tank as storage and replaced it with a 55 gallon barrel with insulation blanket.

Attachment 132688

[Aquaman218]

I did an over kill and in reality I have it as a backup since one time I had a Nitrogen spike in my well water. I don't really use it now but I will pipe to my kitchen when my filters under the sink (kitchen) are ready to be replaced and take out of service. It's a 300 GPD and I don't really need a tank to use it. It's got 3 100 GPD membranes and you can add one or 2 more.
I removed the 55 gallon fish tank as storage and replaced it with a 55 gallon barrel with insulation blanket.

I used an insulation blanket on mine as well. The 55 gallon barrel is outside. With the insulation wrapped around the barrel, and the foam box around the whole unit, I can use a 300watt aquarium heater to heat the water to 83F, even if the outside temperature is in the 20's.

20220122_143225.jpg

[Aquaman218]

Awesome setup!

Thanks. If anyone is interested in the screw tops for the barrel, I might be willing to print a few. I have a few different types, based on what sensor I might be using or how I want to set it up.

I plan to try moving it to the basement. My problem is I haven't found a pump that can pump water to the second story Hobby room where I have three tanks.

Robert

[Charlyc11]

I have mine in my water room where I have the softener and the well tank and at this time of the year the room is at 59-62 . I use a pump and it does well for the same floor but the have more powerful than the one I use in that brand. I been using a 500watt heater but I turn it on 4 hours before I use the aged water and get it to 85F.

https://amazon.com/gp/product/B07VWW...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

Ps. Now that I recall it pumped water to my turtle tank upstairs not as fast as in the basement but it was the lower end pump for $79

[Aquaman218]

I have mine in my water room where I have the softener and the well tank and at this time of the year the room is at 59-62 . I use a pump and it does well for the same floor but the have more powerful than the one I use in that brand. I been using a 500watt heater but I turn it on 4 hours before I use the aged water and get it to 85F.

https://amazon.com/gp/product/B07VWW...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

Ps. Now that I recall it pumped water to my turtle tank upstairs not as fast as in the basement but it was the lower end pump for $79

The one I have does a good job of getting it from the first floor to the bonus room upstairs. I'm just not sure it would get it from the basement to the bonus room. I plan to check this out once it warms up. Right now, with the barrel on the back deck, it works well. the biggest problem is it take 12 hours to heat it up to a usable temp.

https://smile.amazon.com/SumpMarine-...ps%2C67&sr=8-7



Robert