How do you have your H2O top-off setup?

[Anonymous]

I would still run carbon and the sediment filter. All the RODI people I have talked to have made the suggestion after finding out my TDS.

 

[Anonymous]

It would eliminate membrane creep and still avoid having to fill up the reservoir manually.

Can you elaborate on this please?

Sure! Someone could probably explain the technical aspects a ton better than this, but here goes--when the RO membrane doesn't have water flowing through it, ions tend to "creep" through the membrane. The end result of this is that the first few drops of water in a stream are much higher TDS than you would expect. If you're making, say, 20 gallons of water at one time it's inconsequential. However, if you're making water a few drops at a time, multiple times throughout the day (hint, hint, the way a tank evaporates) your RO membrane becomes much less efficient. This is one of the reasons you would want to avoid plumbing your RO filter straight into your tank solely with a float valve/switch.

Also, our water is really good, like 30-35 ppm, so I will prolly be removing the RO membrane completely and replacing it with another DI chamber

My water is in this range as well. Would you still run carbon? Maybe youd better send a PM regarding this as to not advocate some sort of ROless top off water craze. :lol:[/quote]

Do a cost analysis. RO membranes are 'spensive.

 

[trido]

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I do the few drops a day (or gallons to be more accurate) RO manufacturing. MY TDS has always been 2-5 after my RO/DI, yet I have never had algea or any measureable nitrates. Maybe in my case as well as Thales. I would be better off Running more DI and getting rid of my RO membrane.

 

[Anonymous]

What is your tds before the RODI?

 

[trido]

My TDS just tested at 24. It was about 36 when I moved up here last summer. I just replaced all of the filters in my unit about two months ago and it made no difference on my TDS. I bought the cheap E-bay 6 stage unit and it has always read 2-5. I purge the membrane regularly.

 

[bleedingthought]

If your TDS is so low before it goes into the unit, shouldn't it be 0 PPM at the other end? Seems like it wouldn't take much to clean that up.

 

[bleedingthought]

Anyone using Aqualifter pumps?

 

[doughpat]

I've got a two stage float switch from autotopoff.com, connected to a cheap peristaltic pump which pulls water from a 55 gallon drum in a room about 30 feet away. The hose (1/4" polyethylene--freezer line) goes from the sump, into the wall, up to the ceiling, across the room, then down out of the ceiling in the resevoir room, and into the barrel. I've got a cheap-o Kent float valve installed in the barrel, juuuuust in case I forget to turn off the RO/DI. Works great, and I can go 2-3 weeks on a 240 gallon tank (w/ chiller and low fan use).

 

[bleedingthought]

I've got a two stage float switch from autotopoff.com, connected to a cheap peristaltic pump which pulls water from a 55 gallon drum in a room about 30 feet away. The hose (1/4" polyethylene--freezer line) goes from the sump, into the wall, up to the ceiling, across the room, then down out of the ceiling in the resevoir room, and into the barrel. I've got a cheap-o Kent float valve installed in the barrel, juuuuust in case I forget to turn off the RO/DI. Works great, and I can go 2-3 weeks on a 240 gallon tank (w/ chiller and low fan use).

What cheap peristaltic pump are you running? (From where)

 

[Anonymous]

I am the top off system.

B-ionic alk, wait a few minutes, b-ionic calc, wait 15-30 min or so then add the top off water from the filter system.

I have acidic water, I have to use the b-ionic or the pH gets all wishy-washy.

 

[doughpat]

Hold on a second...you wait MINUTES between parts 1 and 2 of B Ionic? Uh oh. I wait, oh, maybe 10 seconds (basically as long as it takes me to rinse out the measuring vial and open the next jug). I pour them into my overflow, where theres tons of flow, and I usually see the alkalinity part rapidly clear up (since its makes that white solution its easy to visualize). I hope I'm not precipitating....

And you're talking about adding B Ionic to your top off water? Sounds like a good idea....

 

[bleedingthought]

Hold on a second...you wait MINUTES between parts 1 and 2 of B Ionic? Uh oh. I wait, oh, maybe 10 seconds (basically as long as it takes me to rinse out the measuring vial and open the next jug). I pour them into my overflow, where theres tons of flow, and I usually see the alkalinity part rapidly clear up (since its makes that white solution its easy to visualize). I hope I'm not precipitating....

And you're talking about adding B Ionic to your top off water? Sounds like a good idea....

I only wait a couple of seconds until the alkalinity part clears up, also. No precipitation here.

 

[doughpat]

Cheapest pump (in housing) that I could find: Aqua Medic SP 3000 from Marine Depot. 90$, seems of ok quality. I've never really examined a good peristaltic pump, but this one does the job. Not the smoothest (sometimes the shaft "shudders" on startup), but hasn't ever performed poorly. It pulls water from a barrel, up a wall, runs 25', then doses into the tank, all in 1/4" tubing. Even came with a replacement --insert correct name here-- "squish hose".

The float switch does turn the pump on quite frequently--maybe every 10-20 minutes or so. Hope it handles that for at least a couple years..

I'm curious about the pumps sold without a housing. I think they were way cheap somewhere, like 50$ range.

 

[Anonymous]

Hold on a second...you wait MINUTES between parts 1 and 2 of B Ionic? Uh oh. I wait, oh, maybe 10 seconds (basically as long as it takes me to rinse out the measuring vial and open the next jug). I pour them into my overflow, where theres tons of flow, and I usually see the alkalinity part rapidly clear up (since its makes that white solution its easy to visualize). I hope I'm not precipitating....

And you're talking about adding B Ionic to your top off water? Sounds like a good idea....

Just a couple of minutes or so, I dont think it matters as long as the alk is cleared up. I am a creature of habit, and this is how I have been doing it for years.

I pour each part into my hang on back "filter" (devoid of any material) which mixes it up real nice and very quickly.

As far as adding to top off water, I'd say no, too dangerous. I would NOT do that. Not enough circulation in my eyes.

 

[bleedingthought]

BUMP

 

[Anonymous]

I have a floatswitch that activates a solinoid valve. In the closet behind my tank I have a 30 gal tank that gravity feeds to the sump through a kalk stirrer when the valve is open. I have a second line that runs through the wall that I fill through since the closet does not have a water supply or back up to a room that does. Every 7-10 days I top off the container. I run a line from the RO/DI in the laundry room to the connection I have behind the tank. I have a float valve in the tank and auto shut off on my RO/DI unit so I just let it run over night.