yet another RO reconstitution question

[heckelcrazy]

lemme get this straight...the "waste" water from RO is tap that has been through a 10,5, and 1 micron filter correct? Is it therefore feasible to reconstitute your RO product water with the RO waste water RATHER than with tap water as so many ppl do?

just thinkin outloud guys
aran

[Cosmo]

possible, but probably not desireable. The waste water is actually water that's loaded with whatever "other" material can't get thru the RO membrane. therefore, it's extremely hard and contains all those things you bought an RO unit to keep out (including anything alive and nasty).

It's essentially super ugly tap water once it goes thru the RO and ends up in the waste discharge.

Knew someone that used RO waste water and his TDS count was somewhere around 485 ppm. Fish looked ok, but don't think I'd want my fish in that water.

good luck if ya try it - and let us know how your poor fish( :) ) react

Jim

[heckelcrazy]

jim...understood...cheers mate
aran

[RandalB]

Aran,
RO waste water is tap water that has been micron filtered and dechlorinated.

It's NOT "essentially super ugly tap water" or "Extremely Hard". The TDS of the waste water will be 20-30% higher in TDS than your regular feed water and that's it.

I don't know where Jim is getting his tapwater from but I doubt it has anything "Alive and Nasty" in it and I doubt yours does either...

Aran,
You could very likely use your RO waste to reconstitute unless the water has been processed through a water softener first, then it might have too much sodium or potassium in it...

HTH,
RandalB

[heckelcrazy]

hey cheers randal...i thought it was just super filtered tap water that came outa the waste too. I know in your post you said that it was perfect for grow out discus right? I just am looking for some way to save some of the waste water is all. Cheers buddy


aran

[gary1218]

That's how I've been reconstituting my RO water for my ram babies for months now. It's working fine :) I have hundreds of ram fry doing very well ;D

GARY

[mench]

Ok so what do ya add to it to make it usable??

Mench

[Cosmo]

Randal,

Bow to your knowledge being superior to mine on this subject. My water comes from lake Michigan (same as yours?) - rightlyfully or wrongly I don't trust it.

Got the TDS reading at Jeff's Discus before he closed up shop, was at 485 and he told me it was his RO waste, maybe he was adding something else as well?

Now I know, and if I ever get the fish room completed and get some fry, I'll know to route some of the waste into the growout tanks

thanks - learned something new
Jim

[RandalB]

Jim,
You are right, my water also comes from Lake Michigan. I drank it for 20+ years with no problem. It's only been in the last few years (Since my daughter was born) that we switched over to RO for drinking. I've been reading some alarming things about water flouridation. There's nothing to worry about in your tapwater Jim, millions of people are drinking it! ;D

Jeff from Jeff's discus used Discus Buffer in his water which explains the high TDS reading he gave you. He liked to keep the pH low in his tanks.

My tap water comes out around 178PPM. RO waste in the 250 range...

RandalB

[fshngal]

Aran,

I'm with Randal. We use RO waste water consistently and have had no problems with it over the past year. I raise all my discus fry and juve's and our angelfish in it.

I do, however, add additional minerals to increase the TDS as our RO waste water has a TDS at 175 ppm. I like the TDS up around 400 for raising fry and juve's so I add calcium sulfate, calcium chloride and magnesium sulfate at minimum levels to increase the TDS.

Also, we pre-filter the tap water with a carbon block prior to it getting to the RO System. Therefore, it is pre-filtered by three filters before it hits the holding tanks. I cannot imagine that there are any "nasties" in the water after that filtration.

Wishing you lots of luck,

Fshngal :)

PS if you read TDS by microsiemens, 175 ppm would be around 222 uS

[Cosmo]

Fishingal,

I have a Hanna DiSt that reads either ppm or microsemens. the conductivity is always about double the ppm reading. I called them since that didn't seem right but they claim it is and that the normal conversion factor is 1.9 to 1. The meter allows for changing the conversion but they tell me that's only done for people in aquaculture.

What conversion factor do you use? Does your meter do the conversion, or do you have a conversion table you use?

Randal - any thoughts on this?

Thanks all,
Jim

PS. I got the TDS reading at Jeff's on my meter, it was several weeks after I'd bought a fish from him and got him home only to find Jeff's water had crashed and was in the very low 4's - prior to that he had tried to keep it in the 6.2 range so I'm thinking he loaded it up to prevent further crashes. Maybe added RO Right on top of the waste?

[heckelcrazy]

Randal...i know you are busy making my new RO unit so ill make this brief ;)

I have a TDS meter which says my tap water is 198-203 (have gotten readings between these levels consistently). What am i to expect the tds in the RO product water to be? I also will need some sorta instructions mate on how to make the buggar work since im technilogically challenged! I still havent been able to locate a source of calcium chloride or calcium sulphate yet guys...help me out...specifics!!! I have a box of epsom salts so far :-\


aran

Cheers mate
aran

[RandalB]

Aran,
No Worries Mate, It comes with instructions and my phone number...

Hard to guess your exact out of unit TDS but it should be less than 10PPM

RandalB

[Steve_Warner]

Hi all,
Aran, I have an R/O unit and my tap is about 750ppm on a Myron-L TDS meter. I get product water out of my R/O of approx. 25ppm, so I would concur on Randal's guess of your water coming out 10 or less. You have good tap water! On the subject of waste water, you can call your local water supplier and ask them about their treatment process and find out if they are within EPA guidelines of MCL's(Max contaminent levels).....I would bet they are. Also, ask them what the resdiual is at the tap for sanitizing chem., usually a Chlorine residual of about 1-3 ppm's at point of tap to insure cleanliness ;)


Steve

[heckelcrazy]

randal...mate that sounds awesome! I cant wait to get the unit. How far away is it do you think?

aran

[RandalB]

Aran,
Friday of Next week at the latest. I am out of a part and will be getting more in Tuesday.

RandalB

[heckelcrazy]

Randal...any problems with the parts for the RO unit? I was hoping it would have arrived today.

cheers
aran

[SSTurner]

soon grasshopper :)

[heckelcrazy]

STEVE !!! hey dood...how are that yellow pair gettin on? did ya get ur new fish from Hep yet?

i will call you tonight after work

aran

[RandalB]

Aran,
I shipped it Thursday, must have missed your Saturday post. Watch your mail tomorrow....

RandalB

[heckelcrazy]

randal...thanks mate thats awesome! I will look forward to seeing it and trying to figure out how to use it tomorrow then!
;D

aran

[SSTurner]

Did you get the RO yet ? ;D

[heckelcrazy]

steve...nope no sign of it yet bro..will check the mail again today. Cross ya fingers

aran

[SSTurner]

Good deal you pay they send someday :-\

[heckelcrazy]

Randal said he shipped it on Thursday last week (6 days ago) but it wasnt in the mail today either. Maybe the post office lost it? ???