DIY ATO Questions

[joeyhatch11]

Not a problem. If you have any further questions, please ask away.

 

[Jumbo]

You don't have a problem with float valve directly into your sump??
I heard in other sites that don't should it connect direct to Ro di ?
I very confused about it[emoji16]

In my experience this ATO method works great. The evaporated water is filled daily by dropping from the float no more, no less.
I have a very stable water level in the sump maybe that's is the reason.

Sorry for my bad English [emoji14]

 

[David M.]

Do they sell this kind of stuff at home depot? Im leaving next monday and don't really want to have to order online. Id like to get it up and running ASAP so I can test it. My LFS sells the float valves but they're 20 bucks a pop which is way over priced.

 

[Windy]

its a pretty generic float valve. it should work. only issue with these is its difficult to protect it from buildup at the hinge so it can get stuck allowing for an overflow.

IMO these are better as theyre easier to protect and maintain to prevent an overflow.http://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Pieces...8&qid=1449984036&sr=1-1&keywords=float+switch

That is your opinion only. Can you give some examples??

 

[Dtackett]

examples of what? the switches failing? sorry, don't really have links handy.

reason I say the kind I linked to is easier to maintain is because it can be protected in a pill bottle that prevents the buildup of detritus and causes the float to stick.

 

[joeyhatch11]

I don't have anything protecting mine. I just clean it off once every 2 years.

 

[Purpule Tang]

Hi,guys.
Can I connect directly Ro di to float valve for evaporated water? Or should diy ATO container?

 

[Windy]

I go from the RO DI to a pressure reducer ant then to a float valve in my sump. Been doing this since 1995. No problems or switches to fail.

 

[Purpule Tang]

I go from the RO DI to a pressure reducer ant then to a float valve in my sump. Been doing this since 1995. No problems or switches to fail.

Thanks for your guide windy.
So why some of the people using from Ato container for fill of ro di water in it and then connect it to sump?
I exactly don't understand it.
Pls if you know tell me.
Thanks,[emoji4] [emoji106]

 

[Windy]

Many people do move RODI water into a separate container. They believe if their float switches fail, then only the amount of water in the ATO container will dump into the tank. In my setup, water will run until a stuck float valve is fixed. Something I have never had happen, but I have heard of a lot of failed float switches. In fact some systems use multiple switches because of failures. Float valves for RODI are very reliable, as they get rinsed with clean water every time they open. You need to decide which type you feel safest with.

 

[reef_junkie]

Ive done it before, it burned through di resin and fouled membranes very fast. There is another, safer way to use your rodi, by using a "normally off solenoid" on a timer. Doing thus will save your resin and membrane from fatigue and provide you a failsafe of only being able to fill as you prescribe by using an outlet timer or a tank controller.

 

[Windy]

Ive done it before, it burned through di resin and fouled membranes very fast. There is another, safer way to use your rodi, by using a "normally off solenoid" on a timer. Doing thus will save your resin and membrane from fatigue and provide you a failsafe of only being able to fill as you prescribe by using an outlet timer or a tank controller.

What are you saying. The type valve or switch used will destroy resin and membranes. That isn't happening on my system. I think you may have another problem.

 

[reef_junkie]

Yes, the constant turning on of your rodi for only a few seconds at a time will exhaust your resin and decrease your membrane. I have no other problem friend.
Just passing along information.

 

[Windy]

I haven't changed my resin in two years, and its still the original membrane. I have been doing this since 1998, so maybe "YOU" have a problem, but my system works fine.
My TDS is zero our of the RO system and the DI is just added protection. So maybe its a problem on some systems, but not a universal issue.

 

[reef_junkie]

You're pretty defensive on your method. I highly doubt that any resin would last that long in any setup. And you can stop wagging your dirty finger in my direction. I'm just passing on tried and true information.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Civility please gentlemen.

Every time you turn on your RO/DI unit, you get breakthrough TDS for a couple minutes. This is TDS that has passed through the membrane when it was off. If your unit is turning on and off repeatedly to the demands of a float switch, this breakthrough TDS is picked up by your DI. Accordingly, those that run on-demand float switch units will go through DI resin faster than those that make one-time large volumes of water.

I make large batches of water and actual still divert the first three or four minutes of water to waste, until my TDS out-of-membrane gets down to 2. Then I flip the valve and direct that water through DI. The first shot of water out of my system is upwards of 40 - 50 TDS. My DI lasts forever!

 

[Waterjockey]

I ran my ato straight from my rodi through a furnace de-humidifier solinoid valve and into the sump for about a year. I used redundant float switches to control it.
I just switched over to large di water storage bin, and a seperate ato waterstorage/pump system this month for a couple of reasons (still run by the redundant float switch system).

1. Same reason a couple of people have mentioned...tds creep. I hope to extend the life of my di resin.

2. Got tired of filling up my kalk dosing jugs and swapping them out every 3 days. Now I add kalk to my 20 gallon ato bin and make up kalk once every few weeks in just a few minutes....and now have a spare dosing channel.

3. It is great having 25 gallons of di water "on tap" for everything from making fresh saltwater quickly, filling the ato bin, cleaning the tank glass, patio door glass, etc I put a small pond pump in the rodi storage bin....long way from me sitting around filling gallon jugs of rodi manually all the time. Those are just some of the advantages imho of having rodi and ato storage (if you have the space for it) over just running the rodi into the sump. Wish I had done it a year ago!

Cheers!

 

[Windy]

So because of TDS creep as you call it, you should not directly plumb to a float valve. How much is this TDS creep in units. Does it raise your TDS by .01 % or by 10%?
I don't see it on my system as I have zero TDS after the RO and again after the DI canister. How much is the Creep?

 

[Windy]

By the way, my current membrane is about 2 years old. I meant I have used a float valve since 1998.

 

[Windy]

You're pretty defensive on your method. I highly doubt that any resin would last that long in any setup. And you can stop wagging your dirty finger in my direction. I'm just passing on tried and true information.

I simply tried to give an opinion on Purple Tangs question. Much of the tried and true information on these sites are BS. I think this creep thing is way overblown.