RO unit as slow as Christmas

[Biggen]

Ok. So a few months ago I bought my 75 GPD RO unit. Just got it hooked up, purged, and working. Takes 20 minutes to fill up one gallon. That does equate to 75 GPD but, man, is that slow or what?

How does everyone keep their water ready and on hand? Do you guys just fill up a 65 gallon trash can and use that water for top off, water changes, etc?

I will probably have to do something like this because if I create RO water on demand, it will take me hours to do routine work like top off's and such.

 

[stresco]

yup.

 

[fishfreek]

HEHE

Well a 75 GPD unit is just that 75 GPD. IT wil ltake approx 9 hours to fill a 30 gal trashcan. I have a 100GPD unit and this is what I do.

I make 1 trashcan full for top off and 1 trashcan ful for saltwater mixing. This process takes me 16 hours.

I then make up a trashcan full when I either the top off or the saltwater mix are down.

Others setup auto top off systems with electric float switches and electric celnoid's to control water to the filter.

 

[two11devan]

Can you just let the water sit in the cans??? do they need PH's? I figure the salt water one would, but what about the water for the top off?

 

[ReefRaff]

yea mine makes a gallon in 30 min........ mine is a 50 GPD

 

[two11devan]

What about keeping the freshwater for top offs...i could use the same can for both salt and top off...when i do a change, i can put it in a 5 gal and mix it up the day before....so, is it ok for the RO water to sit??

 

[Biggen]

Ahhh. Ok guys thx for the advice. I know my title says "advisor" but that is for FW only!!! I am a true newb when it comes to SW.


I think I will do what Aaron does, but with a small twist. I think I will keep only one can of FW on hand. Then when I need to do my monthly water change, I can put some of the FW in a 5 gallon bucket and then mix the salt in that.

As far as what two11devan says, I think it is ok to let RO water sit. I would assume it can't go bad. I think it would be good to have a tight fitting lid on it to keep out any bugs, but other than that, I see no problem with leaving it sit in there. Not sure if one would need a PH or not. Wouldn't think so.

 

[fishfreek]

Monthly water change?

How big a sw tank are you setting up?

 

[Biggen]

Its a 40 gallon tank with a 10-15 gallon sump.

You think I should do more often WC than 1 a month? I have read people doing WC everywhere from once a week to once a month. Perhaps I should go with a happy medium of twice a month??

 

[fishfreek]

WEll to each his own. People will swear by weekly, bi-weekly or monthly or even no waterchanges.

Its kidn of what works best for you.

 

[Biggen]

How often do you do your water changes, Aaron?

 

[Zack]

and how lazy you are

 

[d9hp]

I do weekly changes, some do montly, and one friend of mine has never done one, just what ever works I guess.

 

[Biggen]

Weekly huh? I guess I will just have to figure out what is best for me. I had thought that once a month would be enough, but now I am re-thinking that approach. I will just see how it goes I guess...

 

[pipermurphy]

I do weekly 10% SW changes. I figure it only takes 1/2 hour to mix the water and 1/2 hour to do the change itself. So while the TV is on rather than sit on my butt with my feet up, why not do a waterchange. This gives me an opportunity to give the tank & inhabitants a once over, blow sand off stuff, a good acrylic scarpe, do a head count, etc. It can't hurt to be overcautious with the money we spend on our 'hobby'.

 

[d9hp]

I do weekly 20% but I have NO skimmer, and just run carbon. I am saving for a CPR bakpak 2 and then I will bump them back to either 2 or 3 weeks.