Small FOWLR tank, RO/DI necessary?

[dmolavi]

I'm going to do a small (20 gallon) FOWLR tank, with 2 clowns and a small cleanup crew.

Will treating the water with Prime be sufficient, or is using RO/DI really required? (I already use Prime in my 2 freshwater tanks).

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Prime won't do anything about the metals and phosphates in the tap water. Regardless of tank size, RODI is always the way to go. Algae issues will most certainly occur with tap water.

 

[dmolavi]

Prime won't do anything about the metals and phosphates in the tap water. Regardless of tank size, RODI is always the way to go. Algae issues will most certainly occur with tap water.

Is DI needed in addition to RO? And for a 56 gallon fresh and 20 gallon marine, I'm guessing a small gpd would suffice for my use, correct (assuming 25% changes in each every week)?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

For the small diff in price, I would do RODI. A lot of them will make water out of the RO at 10-20ppm TDS, which is still kinda high. In order to come out at 0ppm TDS it would need the DI. And in terms of gpd, mine is 75. I would check out bulk reef supply and try to get into a group buy. The 5 stage plus comes with an inline TDS meter, pressure gauge, RO membrane flush kit, and sink adapters, and is under a couple hundred bucks...

 

[Retired_AF]

Take my advice and take the safer, smarter route. Go with RO/DI to make sure you have pure water. That eliminates most of the possibility of putting water in the tank that can cause problems. I bought a 100 gallon per day portable unit for less than $70 and it lasted almost a year before I had to change the filters. If you get one I would also get a TDS meter to monitor the water quality.

 

[dmolavi]

Take my advice and take the safer, smarter route. Go with RO/DI to make sure you have pure water. That eliminates most of the possibility of putting water in the tank that can cause problems. I bought a 100 gallon per day portable unit for less than $70 and it lasted almost a year before I had to change the filters. If you get one I would also get a TDS meter to monitor the water quality.

whoa, where did you get a rig like that for $70? I've seen 50-75 gpd units for $180-ish...

 

[Retired_AF]

whoa, where did you get a rig like that for $70? I've seen 50-75 gpd units for $180-ish...

Ebay - This one is $66

0ppm Portable 100GPD Reverse Osmosis Ro Di Filtration | eBay

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Definitely on the cheap side... Just keep in mind the things you may want to add on. Pressure gauge, TDS meter, sink adaptor, etc... Looks inexpensive for a reason, just sayin.

 

[dmolavi]

Definitely on the cheap side... Just keep in mind the things you may want to add on. Pressure gauge, TDS meter, sink adaptor, etc... Looks inexpensive for a reason, just sayin.

Yeah, and I saw some reviews of other portable systems that the replacement filter cartridges can cost more because they are smaller and not standard sizes. Before I drop a penny on RODI, I need to figure out where to install it; I think I have room in the laundry room, but I need to make sure...

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

You don't need to install it anywhere if u don't wanna...I use mine then put it away after...

 

[dmolavi]

You don't need to install it anywhere if u don't wanna...I use mine then put it away after...

View attachment 132247

With 3 kids in the house, I couldn't get away with taking over a bathroom, though I could do an in/out setup in the laundry room.

Thanks for all the insight, everyone

Edit to add: I'm guessing you don't heave 5 gallon buckets over your shoulder to dump the water in (bad for the tank and your back)...I haven't seen any submersible pumps that look like they'd fit the bill...most of the ones I've seen wouldn't be able to pump up 4+ft to go over the tank lip...any suggestions?

 

[chbix]

I hooked mine in the laundry room. Bought a t fitting and hooked into the water for the washer. Put a 35 gallon trash can for the clean water and use the waste water to fill the washer or you can just run if down the drain.

One thing to note is that the waste water comes out faster than the pure. Most units are 4;1 or 5:1 ratio. This means for every gallon of clean water it produces 4-5 of waste. Now by waste doesn't mean it's bad but not pure for the aquarium.

 

[dmolavi]

One thing to note is that the waste water comes out faster than the pure. Most units are 4;1 or 5:1 ratio. This means for every gallon of clean water it produces 4-5 of waste. Now by waste doesn't mean it's bad but not pure for the aquarium.

Yeah, I've seen that; a big turn-off for me (uber high water bills for weekly 25% water changes). I'll have to figure out what to do with the waste. I'm guessing it's still good enough to drink (or does it have higher concentrations of impurities than tap would have?). Failing that, I could use it to water my rose garden.

 

[Retired_AF]

I bought the adapter that screws into the faucet. I put the system in the tub with the bucket to collect the RO/DI, then put it away when I dont need it.

 

[Retired_AF]

With 3 kids in the house, I couldn't get away with taking over a bathroom, though I could do an in/out setup in the laundry room.

Thanks for all the insight, everyone

Edit to add: I'm guessing you don't heave 5 gallon buckets over your shoulder to dump the water in (bad for the tank and your back)...I haven't seen any submersible pumps that look like they'd fit the bill...most of the ones I've seen wouldn't be able to pump up 4+ft to go over the tank lip...any suggestions?

I have a small pump that pumps the water into the sump, then I turn on the return pump to fill the main tank. I have a bad back and this is the laziest... err... I mean EASIEST way for me to refill the tank. I even have one of those rolling planter stands with a piece of rope to move it through the house so I dont have to carry it. I just have to put the lid on so I dont make the wife mad from sloshing.

 

[chbix]

Rose garden would work...laundry, I don't drink it but not sure how "bad" it is...figured it can't be worse than tap water.

 

[dmolavi]

Rose garden would work...laundry, I don't drink it but not sure how "bad" it is...figured it can't be worse than tap water.

If I could figure out how to plumb it to the washer, I would. From a monetary standpoint, it would only cost me about $20/yr, but I hate to waste all that water.

 

[chbix]

Basically mine had a screw on adapter...it's the same ad a hose connection. I got a spliter and Hooked it up to the cold water next to the washer. One for washer one for Ro/di. They have on off valves for each one so you can shut off the Ro/di. I just put
The waste water hose into the washer when I'm making ro/di

 

[dmolavi]

Basically mine had a screw on adapter...it's the same ad a hose connection. I got a spliter and Hooked it up to the cold water next to the washer. One for washer one for Ro/di. They have on off valves for each one so you can shut off the Ro/di. I just put
The waste water hose into the washer when I'm making ro/di

The adapter is for the input to the RODI, I'm trying to figure out what to do with the flush water, and how to connect it to something that my washer can use (a pressurized tank?). From a dollar standpoint, it's trivial, but I feel bad about wasting it all.

 

[chbix]

My waste water isn't plumbed into anything. I just put the waste water tube into the washing machine tub when I'm making water. When either the container of good water or washing machine tub is full I turn off the Ro/di. When it's time to wash clothes I just remove the waste water tube.