Making RODI water

[StPatrick89]

I’m coming from using tap water to run my tanks to now today for the first time making RODI water. This sucks. It takes FOREVER. I could’ve made 50 buckets in the time it’s taking my unit to make water. It’s a 50GPD unit that was given to me. I’m counting my blessings but dag!!! Okay I’m done my rant lol

 

[Garf]

I’m coming from using tap water to run my tanks to now today for the first time making RODI water. This sucks. It takes FOREVER. I could’ve made 50 buckets in the time it’s taking my unit to make water. It’s a 50GPD unit that was given to me. I’m counting my blessings but dag!!! Okay I’m done my rant lol

Welcome to the world of RO production

 

[StPatrick89]

Welcome to the world of RO production

lol thanks
Do the filters that have higher gallons per day push out more water?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Yes, but you also need to match your flow restrictor with the membrane.

What's the water pressure in your house. Low water pressure results in slower running RO/DI. Might need a booster pump.

I have a 50 gpd with booster pump and with the warmer water in the summer, takes about an hour and 15 minutes to make 5 gallons.

 

[Reef.]

Good way to check if your home water pressure is high enough is too time how long it takes to make 1 gallon, then multiply that by 24 to,see if you are getting 50gpd.

If not you'll need a booster pump, most systems you can change the membrane to a bigger one as it should still fit in the same canister, you'll also need to match the flow restritor at the same time, this will produce water much faster.

 

[StPatrick89]

Yes, but you also need to match your flow restrictor with the membrane.

What's the water pressure in your house. Low water pressure results in slower running RO/DI. Might need a booster pump.

I have a 50 gpd with booster pump and with the warmer water in the summer, takes about an hour and 15 minutes to make 5 gallons.

I live in an apartment and I’m not sure how to check that. But I should run hot water? I was just looking into a booster pump

 

[StPatrick89]

Good way to check if your home water pressure is high enough is too time how long it takes to make 1 gallon, then multiply that by 24 to,see if you are getting 50gpd.

If not you'll need a booster pump, most systems you can change the membrane to a bigger one as it should still fit in the same canister, you'll also need to match the flow restritor at the same time, this will produce water much faster.

Ok cool I’ll look into that. So far for a 5 gallon bucket I’m at an hour and 15mins and I have maybe 2 1/2gallons, but I’ve also been running it on cold water. Idk if that makes a difference

 

[Timrpn]

I live in an apartment and I’m not sure how to check that. But I should run hot water? I was just looking into a booster pump

No, never run hot water through it. That is a good way to burn through the membrane and possibly melt the plastic of the unit.

 

[StPatrick89]

No, never run hot water through it. That is a good way to burn through the membrane and possibly melt the plastic of the unit.

Eh, thank you

 

[redfishbluefish]

I live in an apartment and I’m not sure how to check that. But I should run hot water? I was just looking into a booster pump

As already stated, no hot water, and that means no turning on the hot water at all to warm it. Cold water only.

Pressure gauges are about 10 bucks and you can get one that fits right into your RO line:

Or one that has a hose fitting:

Both of these examples came from Amazon. Your local HD or Lowes most likely carries them as well.

And ideally you want 80 psi, but if you're above 50 is acceptable, but lower flow rates.

 

[StPatrick89]

As already stated, no hot water, and that means no turning on the hot water at all to warm it. Cold water only.

Pressure gauges are about 10 bucks and you can get one that fits right into your RO line:

Or one that has a hose fitting:

Both of these examples came from Amazon. Your local HD or Lowes most likely carries them as well.

And ideally you want 80 psi, but if you're above 50 is acceptable, but lower flow rates.

Thanks

 

[Reef.]

Ok cool I’ll look into that. So far for a 5 gallon bucket I’m at an hour and 15mins and I have maybe 2 1/2gallons, but I’ve also been running it on cold water. Idk if that makes a difference

If you are getting 2.5gph then looks like you have good water pressure as a 50g membrane should be giving you around 2gph, good news no booster pump needed, if that is too slow for you then swap to a 75g membrane for around 3gph or even a 100g membrane for over 4g an hour.

 

[StPatrick89]

As already stated, no hot water, and that means no turning on the hot water at all to warm it. Cold water only.

Pressure gauges are about 10 bucks and you can get one that fits right into your RO line:

Or one that has a hose fitting:

Both of these examples came from Amazon. Your local HD or Lowes most likely carries them as well.

And ideally you want 80 psi, but if you're above 50 is acceptable, but lower flow rates.

Where does this go? In between the faucet and the first filter the water goes through?

 

[MaxTremors]

Where does this go? In between the faucet and the first filter the water goes through?

Yes.

 

[StPatrick89]

If you are getting 2.5gph then looks like you have good water pressure as a 50g membrane should be giving you around 2gph, good news no booster pump needed, if that is too slow for you then swap to a 75g membrane for around 3gph or even a 100g membrane for over 4g an hour.

So the membrane is independent of the rest of the system? I can throw a 150gpd membrane on and be good to increase the flow?

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

I’ve got a 50gpd aquaticlife ro/di system as my first, not a lot of experience here in my case but I can say while it’s quite the pain in the behind the algal control + stability are way more worth the wait. Here’s one of those cases that a little extra week by week planning and patience really pays off!
Watched all my diatoms disappear within 48-72 hours after making the switch. The crabs seem to be much more active too! (My build is still very young, no corals or fish)

 

[StPatrick89]

I’ve got a 50gpd aquaticlife ro/di system as my first, not a lot of experience here in my case but I can say while it’s quite the pain in the behind the algal control + stability are way more worth the wait. Here’s one of those cases that a little extra week by week planning and patience really pays off!
Watched all my diatoms disappear within 48-72 hours after making the switch. The crabs seem to be much more active too! (My build is still very young, no corals or fish)

Yea I’m seeing planning will be essential. I was just trying it out.

 

[LeftyReefer]

I'm making RO/DI for the very first time this week too, after finally picking one up in the Marine Depot liquidation sale.
Making RO/DI at home is SOOOO much better than lugging water from the LFS, which I had been doing. I completely filled my mixing station and all my extra containers and topped up all tanks/ATO's the other evening and for once, my back still felt great afterwards.

I got a 4 stage 100gpd unit. I'm getting 60psi on the pressure gauge, and seem to be getting between 3.5 and 4 gals per hour, which would be pretty close to the unit's claimed output. My incoming water is in the 60's (F) so I'm sure that is slowing my production a bit. My incoming water is showing 95-100 TDS, which doesn't seem too bad, so hopefully, I'll get decent filter/membrane life.

 

[Doctorgori]

swap out the membrane you might find shelling out 20 bucks for a 100gph membrane worth it
100 gph membrane on Amazon

 

[StPatrick89]

swap out the membrane you might find shelling out 20 bucks for a 100gph membrane worth it
100 gph membrane on Amazon

Thanks