Brass valves on RO units????

[scott324]

I recently put a brass valve on my RO unit. I am now worried that this might leach copper and zinc into my system. Does anyone know if this is true or not. Thanks
Scott

 

[monkeyboy]

Depends where it is, if it's placed before the water gets filtered then there should be no problem. If it's at the end after the water has been filtered then i wouldn't trust it.

 

[Dave Visovatti]

Agree before the system is ok, after the system is very bad. Remember pure water is very aggressive and will eat thru that like a knife.

 

[esmithiii]

In either case you are OK. Keep in mind that the water is in contact w/ the brass for very short periods of time, specifically only when you are filling your containers, unlike brass/copper in the tank or in the plumbing of the tank. Remember, your lines in your house are copper as in most homes, and many people use tapwater for their reefs! (RO water is used to reduce silicates and phosphates primarily)

I am not sure what "aggressive" water is, but it will not eat through the valve like a knife!

Ernie

 

[dbman]

I believe when Dave says "aggressive" he means that after water has been filtered and deionized, it has a MUCH greater affinity to anything that can be dissolved. Tap water won't corrode a brass valve very quickly because it's already saturated with minerals; DI water has all kinds of room to absorb whatever ions it can get ahold of, so it will corrode a metal valve or fitting much faster.

Short contact time doesn't help all that much; regardless of how fast water is flowing, the water at the inside surface of a pipe or fitting has zero velocity; this will do any necessary reacting with the surface metal and diffuse the ions into the passing water that contacts it. Considering just how sensitive our reefs can be to copper in the water I would think that rather than debating this, one would just pay a few dollars for a plastic or stainless valve on the output side and have some peace of mind.

Been awhile since my chemistry days but this much I remember, even if I didn't say it right.

[ September 13, 2001: Message edited by: dbman ]

 

[esmithiii]

Give me a break! Go back and study chemistry. We are talking <1 ppm being disolved (Thats PARTS PER MILLION!) as for RO/DI water being much more corrosive than tapwater, I doubt it matters. You folks forget that most people who keep reefs use tap water, and other than phosphates and sillicates, there is little problem in most areas. The pipes in your house are made of COPPER, not even brass!

You guys crack me up.

 

[dbman]

Actually most of the houses I've seen only used copper pipe on the hot water line... which is an excellent reason not to top off your tank with hot tap water.

 

[McReef1]

BRAVO, dbman! Absolutely use a plastic or stainless valve. DI water WILL dissolve other metals and leach them into your system. No need to take the risk, IMO.

Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

I figure after dropping a hundred or more dollars to have a great water system, why skimp on a single valve when a plastic one would be cheaper.

 

[scott324]

I only have RO, no DI. So everyone thinks it will be alright if its before the RO unit. Mine is before. I think the people that have successful reefs use RO water. Anyone that uses tap water with no filtration is asking for trouble. I couldn't find plastic valves. I got this one at Home Depot. Thanks
Scott