Ro/di

phil1964

phil1964

Member
I saw an RO unit at Lowes that does not hav a DI unit with it. Is it important to have a DI unit also? Plus, When you set up a new tank what do you do to fill it since the flow rate is so slow on these things? 40 or 50 gal per day would take days to fill a large tank. Let the tank fill over a period of days then add sand and LR? We have a RO unit at work that is 25 gal per min!
 
phil1964

phil1964

Member
Yes Santas I have been there.
I just thought that one from Lowes being local could be returned more easily if it turned out to be a POS. The one from airwaterice looks nice. I have seen one like that at a LFS. My question was, is a DI unit helpful or necessary?
 
wamp

wamp

Active Member
You do not have top have one but they do clean the water more.
What I do to first start a large tank, I use both outputs. That is the waste water and the RO water. The waste water is better than tap water but has not passed throught the membrane but has gone through the Micron cartridge and the Carbon. I know, it's a risk, but one I am willing to take in order to fill a 180gal faster.
The one from Lowes will probably be OK. The name brand ones do the same thing but usually do not have the pretty cases as Kent does.
 
phil1964

phil1964

Member
Thanks for the info.
I heard the same thing about the waste water at work but was not sure for a tank. I guess I will just get some long tubing. Good thing my wife works at a hardware store.
 
noobie

noobie

Member
Wamp,
So the "waste" water has had the metals and chlorine and chloramine removed even though it has not gone all the way through the RO/DI unit?
 
wamp

wamp

Active Member
Not all of them. Some have been removed by the carbon but not all. Like I said it is a risk but usually everything is OK. It's all up to you. I have done several tanks with this but, my water isn't all that bad to begin with.
 
noobie

noobie

Member
I have the Kent Marine Maxxima Hi-S 60gpd and I just did a 30% water change on my freshwater 55 gal. with the "waste" water. I hope "Frisbee" (my Discus) likes it.
 
noobie

noobie

Member
DvSkin
No problem, you helped quite alot actually by recomending the RO Right by Kent. I never even thought about some of the lost minerals in RO water.
thanks again
Chris;)
 
phil1964

phil1964

Member
I have been told buy someone at work that ro water is ok for human consumption but if it id de-ionized it is not. It is rid of all minerals and and needs additives. It can even leech minerals out of copper tubing and cause leaks. We take water two steps further to make water for injectable drugs and the 'water guy' said if a person drank that for a 'length of time' it could do serious harm. That sounds like pure water!
 
noobie

noobie

Member
I actually tried a drink of the RO/DI water. I would not recomend it to anybody. It tasted like....boring, I wouldn't recommend drinking it. It's blah!! Most bottled water is yummy RO water!
 
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