flyboywbl
New Member
So I only have a 30 gallon tank so this might be overkill, but I got fed up buying RO water from the grocery store every week. I decided to get an RO/DI unit. My original setup was just a Brute 44 gallon trash can with a 100W heater and a 800 GPH pump for circulation. I would add RO water and salt and mix. With the addition of an RODI unit, I needed a place to store the RO water. I also did not want to by extra pumps to pump the RO water out so I knew I needed to raise the RO tank so I could let gravity do all the work. Here is what I came up with. I ordered everything from Bulk Reef Supply and Home Depot.
Here is the equipment list.
2, 32 Gallon Rubbermaid Brute trash cans
1, Edsal 36" W x 72" H x 18" D commercial shelving unit (rated at 4000lbs or 800lbs per shelve)
1, 150 gpd 6 stage RO/DI unit
1, Iwaki MD-20RXT 822 gph external pump
1, boost pump kit (going to return it my home psi is above 60)
4, 1" Uniseals
1, 10' piece of 1" schedule 40 PVC
6, 90 degree 1" elbows. 5 external 1 internal to direct the return flow down so it does not splash out.
2, 1" slip slip slip T's
1, 1" slip slip femal T (added a plug on the mixing pump return if i need it later)
6, 1" ball valves
6, 1" slip unions
2, 1" slip to female, this is to add the 3/4" nozzle for filling
2, 1"male to 3/4" nozzle for filling
1, 45 degree 1" slip to slip elbow (to compensate for the angle of the return of the pump)
2, 1" Female to Slip fittings to attach the pump.
4, sheet metal screws (for hanging the RODI unit)
4, nuts bolts washers and rubber washers (for mounting the pump to the shelving)
I put together the shelving unit. I only used three out of the 5 included shelves. The bottom shelf is two notches from the bottom so I could have access to the bolts for mounting the pump. Also it allows me to clean under there if I spill water.
Then I drilled the trash cans with a hole saw and inserted the Uniseals. After that it was all pvc cutting and fitting. This was my first time building with PVC so i kind of just went with it. I had a basic idea but i just kind of kept adding stuff. It turned out ok, not the neatest job but it works and there have been no leaks. Also, investing in a pair of PVC cutters is a must. Mine said they were only rated for up to 3/4" PVC but it cut 1" no problem. Using a hack saw never cuts straight and it leaves PVC shavings everywhere.
I made sure to add lots of unions so I could change stuff in the future with out having to rip it all apart. With the Unions, I'm able to take apart the pump and the RO fill line and clean the trash can every so often when it is empty.
I also added the T fitting from the pump return with a plug in it so if I were to build a big tank on the other side of the laundry room wall, I could plumb in a fill line for water changes.
I went with the Japanese model of pump which just had bear wires so I had to install a plug I also purchased from Home Depot. To run the pump I just use a power strip with a switch on it.
If I had to do it over again, I would have epoxied the shelve boards to make them waterproof. When I first ran the mixing pump, before I added a 90 degree elbow inside trash can from the pump return, I came back an hour later to find salt water all over the bottom shelf. When I looked under the trash can lid I saw the return was shooting across the top of the water and out the other side onto the floor. The 90 degree elbow pointed down to the bottom of the trash can helps a lot though.
Now all I have to do is open two valves to fill 1 gallon ro jugs and run a pump and open a valve to fill a bucket with salt water. Super convenient and no more trips to the grocery store lugging 5 gallon jugs of water.
When I do my water changes, in order to save energy, I run the mixing pump for about 20 minutes and then fill a 5 gallon bucket with salt water. Then I stick a 100W heater in that the night before. That way I'm not heating 32 gallons of water all the time.
Again this might be overkill for a 30 gallon tank but it was a fun project and a good intro to plumbing.
-Matt
Here is the equipment list.
2, 32 Gallon Rubbermaid Brute trash cans
1, Edsal 36" W x 72" H x 18" D commercial shelving unit (rated at 4000lbs or 800lbs per shelve)
1, 150 gpd 6 stage RO/DI unit
1, Iwaki MD-20RXT 822 gph external pump
1, boost pump kit (going to return it my home psi is above 60)
4, 1" Uniseals
1, 10' piece of 1" schedule 40 PVC
6, 90 degree 1" elbows. 5 external 1 internal to direct the return flow down so it does not splash out.
2, 1" slip slip slip T's
1, 1" slip slip femal T (added a plug on the mixing pump return if i need it later)
6, 1" ball valves
6, 1" slip unions
2, 1" slip to female, this is to add the 3/4" nozzle for filling
2, 1"male to 3/4" nozzle for filling
1, 45 degree 1" slip to slip elbow (to compensate for the angle of the return of the pump)
2, 1" Female to Slip fittings to attach the pump.
4, sheet metal screws (for hanging the RODI unit)
4, nuts bolts washers and rubber washers (for mounting the pump to the shelving)
I put together the shelving unit. I only used three out of the 5 included shelves. The bottom shelf is two notches from the bottom so I could have access to the bolts for mounting the pump. Also it allows me to clean under there if I spill water.
Then I drilled the trash cans with a hole saw and inserted the Uniseals. After that it was all pvc cutting and fitting. This was my first time building with PVC so i kind of just went with it. I had a basic idea but i just kind of kept adding stuff. It turned out ok, not the neatest job but it works and there have been no leaks. Also, investing in a pair of PVC cutters is a must. Mine said they were only rated for up to 3/4" PVC but it cut 1" no problem. Using a hack saw never cuts straight and it leaves PVC shavings everywhere.
I made sure to add lots of unions so I could change stuff in the future with out having to rip it all apart. With the Unions, I'm able to take apart the pump and the RO fill line and clean the trash can every so often when it is empty.
I also added the T fitting from the pump return with a plug in it so if I were to build a big tank on the other side of the laundry room wall, I could plumb in a fill line for water changes.
I went with the Japanese model of pump which just had bear wires so I had to install a plug I also purchased from Home Depot. To run the pump I just use a power strip with a switch on it.
If I had to do it over again, I would have epoxied the shelve boards to make them waterproof. When I first ran the mixing pump, before I added a 90 degree elbow inside trash can from the pump return, I came back an hour later to find salt water all over the bottom shelf. When I looked under the trash can lid I saw the return was shooting across the top of the water and out the other side onto the floor. The 90 degree elbow pointed down to the bottom of the trash can helps a lot though.
Now all I have to do is open two valves to fill 1 gallon ro jugs and run a pump and open a valve to fill a bucket with salt water. Super convenient and no more trips to the grocery store lugging 5 gallon jugs of water.
When I do my water changes, in order to save energy, I run the mixing pump for about 20 minutes and then fill a 5 gallon bucket with salt water. Then I stick a 100W heater in that the night before. That way I'm not heating 32 gallons of water all the time.
Again this might be overkill for a 30 gallon tank but it was a fun project and a good intro to plumbing.
-Matt
