RO drip system

Hello all.
The time is almost here for my new fish room to start up and i was wondering if anyone has done or is using a RO drip system?
I am going to use a mixing valve to get the right temp into the ro unit and drip a RO/ tap mix into my breeders and try to use the waste RO water for the growouts.
I am going to set the temp at 88 degrees into the RO unit, mix 1 drop tap to 4 drops RO before the tanks, and shoot for 82 degree water( or there abouts) dripping into the breeders. The waste water will be 88 or maybe 87 degrees dripping into the growouts, which on both tanks, should really reduce the amount my heaters need to work and the amount of time needed to clean the tanks.( my main reason for trying this)
My waste water will be higher in mineral content which should be benifical to the fry too. Our water is only 135 ppm out of the tap, so its not going to be a real high ppm after the RO is done with it.
The breeders will get somewhere aroung 100% volume changed daily and the growouts around 300% volume changed daily.( depending on how much my new RO really produces) Plus what ever i vacume when i suck out the poop.
In my mind it works really great, but in reality im a little worried. I have never heard of anyone doing this quite like this. No storage, no aging, no nothing, but a straight drip.
The ph should always stay stable because ill always be adding new water.
So what ya think?? Am i an idiot here, or might it work out?
Any different ideas staying with the same theroy, a drip RO setup?
Thanks, Matt

[Discusgeo]

Matt I don't use a drip system as my R.O water is mixed into a large water barrel but the waste water does go into my other tanks. I use a siphon system as the one shown here to drain out the old water onto my grass. The siphon is sold on Aquabid by Gary1218

http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/1590964.jpg

[Jason]

I have tried something like that Matt, by ph jumped around a bit from the off-gassing and kh drop. not enough to bother the fish though, guess it depends on your source water

[Ardan]

Hi Matt,
I used something like that for a while, had some ph bounce, not bad, but the water flow and mix were affected somewhat depending on the water pressure and incoming water temps.
I did opt to switch to water storage and lg one time wc's as the fish seemed happier and more colorful and it seemed I could control things a bit more. JME and opinions

It may work great for you. Keep me posted I am interested.

Glad you're back into it. :thumbsup:Everyone needs a break sometimes.

Take care.

Ardan

[black rat]

Matt,
I run a drip system straight into my 40 gallon wet dry filter with built in overflow,ph is stable.
Any que :bounce2:stions e mail me

[redlines]

Matt,

How are you going to get the water to 88 before it goes into the RO unit?

Remember that water from you household hot water tank will have more sediment in it and it will cause the RO membrane to have a much shorter lifespan.

Andy

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Andy
I disagree with you a little.
I would think any solids would settle in the hot water heater and wouldn't be a problem for the membrane.
Besides the fact that you have a sediment filter as the first filter in an RO unit.
I use a mix of hot and cold water feeding my RO unit and it sure ups the production verses just cold water.
Dennis

[RandalB]

Dennis beat me to it!

Yep, sediment is what those nifty pre-filters are for.... Most units will filter down to 1 micron...DOW chemical only specifies 5 micron filtration to meet their warranty requirements..

Membranes are not as easy to damage as you might think, flush regularly and you should have no problems. Watch that temp tho, 115 F+ will kill 'em quick.

HTH
RandalB

PS: Finally got those fish from my buddy Dennis!

Andy, well its true sediment collects in the average hot water heater, simply draining them reguluarly (flushing)and the fact we use ours more often than the normal guy, thus flushing more often and not allowing sediment to collect in the first place. So im not to worried about it.
As Dennis has said also the sediment pre filter will also take alot out of the water colum.
I asked the guy i get the RO units from and he said there was very little drawback to running hot water through a Ro unit, unless the temps get over 100 degrees. As Dennis has also stated the output is much higher at warmer temps.
Thanks for the advise though. There are a bunch of things im sure i havent thought of, and as usual, i will have to learn the hard way. LOL
Take care, Matt