Water pump and RO question

[Royalbluewilds420]

Hey everyone,

So my new RO unit from BRS and Eheim Water pump came in the other day. I am kind of worried about using the RO on my faucet because of the water bill, and I am not sure if my parents will get mad at me for letting it run for 24 hrs to get the daily GPD. I've got a few 55 gal barrels as well, so I was wondering: If I fill one barrel with tap water, Is it possible to place a 1046 GPH pump in the barrel, hook it up to the RO, and have the RO filter the water coming through the pump in the barrel?? Does anyone know if the PSI of the water would be enough? If so I would have the RO pump the new water into another separate empty 55 gal barrel, instead of having to have my faucet running all day, trying to think of an alternative and this was the best I've pondered on so far, but not sure if that works. Any advice would be great. Thanks96923

[zchauvin]

Sorry but it does not work that way. I am not educated enough to tell you how it works but your only option would be to spend a lot more money and get a high efficiency RODI unit for about $800 and it will give you a 1:1 ratio waste water and product water. Without a high efficiency system, your only other options would be to get a booster pump so that you have higher pressure coming through the unit. Other membranes will increase the amount of water produced in the system but will more than likely have the same waste to product ratio.

[LizStreithorst]

Use water from the tap. If your water pressure is low use a with a booster pump if your RO unit can handle the additional pressure. There is no need to spend $800. Depending on the hardness of your reject water you may be able to use it for grow outs and adults. That's what I do. If it's very hard you might think of breeding Rainbow fish.

[DJW]

Liz is right, you need to have the RO hooked up to the tap, it needs at least 35 to 40 psi of pressure for the membrane to work at all. The Eheim pump only produces a tiny amount of pressure, nowhere near enough.

[zchauvin]

Use water from the tap. If your water pressure is low use a with a booster pump if your RO unit can handle the additional pressure. There is no need to spend $800. Depending on the hardness of your reject water you may be able to use it for grow outs and adults. That's what I do. If it's very hard you might think of breeding Rainbow fish.

A booster pump won't get him any higher than what the system is capable of to begin with, lower pressure will give less. He said he doesn't want to have all of the waste water. You will not get this unless you spend more money on a higher efficiency system. Yes it doesn't have to be $800 but if you want a 1:1 system making more than 75gpd it is not cheap.

[zchauvin]

OP - a quick search will provide many options that range from $300 to however high you want. A "super efficient" 1:3 ration system that makes 100gpd is about $400

[LizStreithorst]

How many GPD do you need?

[Royalbluewilds420]

The RO unit I bought is a 75 GPD

[Royalbluewilds420]

I've got three 55 gal barrels, two separate water sources, one faucet is 15 ft away, the outside hose is on the first floor (my fish room on the 2nd floor) however if I use the water source from the outside hose I am worried about the winter months, I in eastern CT/USA

[Royalbluewilds420]

I can hook up the RO unit to the regular faucet a few hrs a day, and store whatever water I get, but I can't leave it running the full 24 hrs, (unfortunately, until i have a place of my own) that's the biggest dilemma I have right now, so any suggestions would be awesome

[Cosmo]

I can hook up the RO unit to the regular faucet a few hrs a day, and store whatever water I get, but I can't leave it running the full 24 hrs, (unfortunately, until i have a place of my own) that's the biggest dilemma I have right now, so any suggestions would be awesome

You do know that you'll only get approx 50% of that 75gpd don't you? Unless the conditions are perfect you never get the full gpd of the rating, with the main culprits being water temp and water pressure. If you get an Aquatec 8800 booster pump that will increase your daily RO output and improve somewhat the product to waste ratio. If you live where there is winter (like I do) you'll get less output in the cold months than the warm months due to water temp coming into the house. If it were me, I'd run it 24/7 until they say something, it might not be as noticeable on the bill as you're thinking it will be. If you get a booster pump, you can always add a second pressure vessel and membrane which will also increase your daily production using the same amount of water.

oops, just saw you live in the cold like I do :p

[Royalbluewilds420]

Yes, I realize that, I'm not in a rush to fill my storage tanks, especially since I haven't even cycled my tanks yet, still in the process of getting everything set up. I'll look into the booster pump then, if I have to buy a higher end RO I guess I could make an exchange with BRS

[Royalbluewilds420]

If not, I'm just gonna suck it up, and wake up early in the AM to start using the RO on the faucet. The earlier I get it done, the better. I'll just do that until I get a more powerful RO

[zchauvin]

If not, I'm just gonna suck it up, and wake up early in the AM to start using the RO on the faucet. The earlier I get it done, the better. I'll just do that until I get a more powerful RO

If your unit is rated up to 75gpd I would advise against a booster pump. It will help, but only to get you to a 1:3 ratio or that 75gpd. I would put the money from booster pump towards a more efficient system down the road. Honestly though, your water bill may go up $10-$15 a month and if you can afford the fish then I'm sure this is a no brainier to simply compensate them for the difference, if they even say anything.

[rickztahone]

If your unit is rated up to 75gpd I would advise against a booster pump. It will help, but only to get you to a 1:3 ratio or that 75gpd. I would put the money from booster pump towards a more efficient system down the road. Honestly though, your water bill may go up $10-$15 a month and if you can afford the fish then I'm sure this is a no brainier to simply compensate them for the difference, if they even say anything.

This is a good point. You can factor how much the extra water will cost you which may not be that much. Furthermore, are there things around the house that need the water? Could you collect the waste water and use it on the lawn, flower bed, etc...? Do you have other fish tanks? You can use the water on those tanks as well. You don't simply have to run that water down the drain, by all means, use it. It is good drinking water!

[zchauvin]

This is a good point. You can factor how much the extra water will cost you which may not be that much. Furthermore, are there things around the house that need the water? Could you collect the waste water and use it on the lawn, flower bed, etc...? Do you have other fish tanks? You can use the water on those tanks as well. You don't simply have to run that water down the drain, by all means, use it. It is good drinking water!

A household with a kid will probably do a lot of laundry, I bet collecting the wastewater for washing clothes could make them super happy. That would be a win win situation.

[LizStreithorst]

If you lived where I live I'd suggest you collect rain water and run it through a carbon filter. I wouldn't do it where there was any degree of air polution.

What a shame we no longer have RandalB. He would have told you exactly what you need, made it for you, and it wouldn't put you into bankruptcy.

[rickztahone]

If you lived where I live I'd suggest you collect rain water and run it through a carbon filter. I wouldn't do it where there was any degree of air polution.

What a shame we no longer have RandalB. He would have told you exactly what you need, made it for you, and it wouldn't put you into bankruptcy.

Do you think I could collect rain here in Los Angeles? Not much pollution around here...:spit:

[Royalbluewilds420]

This is a good point. You can factor how much the extra water will cost you which may not be that much. Furthermore, are there things around the house that need the water? Could you collect the waste water and use it on the lawn, flower bed, etc...? Do you have other fish tanks? You can use the water on those tanks as well. You don't simply have to run that water down the drain, by all means, use it. It is good drinking water!


You can drink the water that comes out of the waste line??

and I figured out a solution, the outdoor hose is right below me, I've got a 50 ft garden hose, (and obviously the RO has the connection) And I'm just going to run that up to my room on the 2nd floor. No more snow in CT for the meantime so this will work for me until winter. Also, I am going to take over the water bill and have that switched over in MY name so that NO ONE will be able to complain about the water, because I pay it :-) haha

[LizStreithorst]

Yes you can drink it! I use my RO waste in fish tanks (just not breeding tanks). If fish live in it it is certainly good to drink.