Re running RO water to make it lower TDS

[CountryReefer]

My tap water is running 750-900 depending on how it's feeling today. It's well water.

So I have the BRS 6 stage with dual DI stages. I have the booster set to 75 psi. My TDS after the RO stage is 20-25 TDS. I have co2 so I have it going into a container with a massive air stone and bubbler. It sits for at least 24 hours, most of the time it's 2 days.

Then I use another booster pump to pump it into the DI. I might only get 50 gallons of water before the DI burns up. My current tank evaps off over a gallon of water a day, plus water changes. So that DI resin is costing a arm and leg, and I just picked up a bigger tank......

So here's my thoughts. I have a "spare" 4 stage RO system. Can I use that booster to push my lower CO2 RO water thru the 4 stage or MAYBE even just the RO membrane. I'm trying to get as low as TDS as possible before the DI. I get carbon and sediment filters for "cost" from my job, where I also got the "spare" RO system.

Logically I'm thinking yes, I'm just gonna have a high waste water. But the 2nd waste water I will use around the house and probably even drink it, better than that tap well water. The BRS waste water goes into the pond, so no worries about that.

TLDR: take my RO water then run it back thru to get lower TDS.

 

[Maacc]

I don't see why that wouldn't work. The waste water is way cheaper than burning DI cartridges that fast. Have you thought about contacting spectrapure or one of the custom RODI places for a custom system?
I don't know what your budget is, but they might be able to design a better mouse trap that will be cost saving long term.

 

[CountryReefer]

I don't see why that wouldn't work. The waste water is way cheaper than burning DI cartridges that fast. Have you thought about contacting spectrapure or one of the custom RODI places for a custom system?
I don't know what your budget is, but they might be able to design a better mouse trap that will be cost saving long term.

I contacted spectrapure a while back, they tried to talk me into a $2700 system. Either way I still will do the RO water container. My wife likes to steal some of the water for drinking. And I also have the BRS plumbed into the fridge for amazingly good ice.

The waste water is null to me, I don't have a water bill. Every summer I fill up the kids 4000 gallon swimming pool and my electric bill hardly moves. Plus I might even use the waste water to do the garden with this year. Just many different options. Like I said waste water isn't a concern for me. Even if I put it down the drain, it waters my back yard thru the septic tank sprinklers.

But buying DI resin is getting old.

I might try the 3 part DI stage, looks interesting, no idea if it would actually cost less, or just something cool currently.

 

[Jeepguy242]

BRS sells a water saver upgrade kit that is supposed to re run waste water from the first membrane and double your water output and half your waste output....

you could get the upgrade kit and use the output from your first membrane into the second membrane but you will be halving the RO production and doubling the waste.....

 

[Charterreefer]

I had a similar problem and put in a water softener. My well water is very hard, as a result the RO membrane was going bad way too fast. After talking with the RO manufacture and my well guy I decided to get the water softener. The tds is still high coming out of the tap (water softener) although, that tds number is now comprised to a large percent of sodium ions which are very easily rejected by the RO membrane. My TDS out of the RO is now ~12 and has been for several years, and with the same membrane. A tds of ~20 out of your RO unit is extremely high and will deplete your resin very fast.

 

[CountryReefer]

BRS sells a water saver upgrade kit that is supposed to re run waste water from the first membrane and double your water output and half your waste output....

you could get the upgrade kit and use the output from your first membrane into the second membrane but you will be halving the RO production and doubling the waste.....

I mentioned that before to I believe Buckeye Hydro and was told not to do that, it wasn't okay. But never got told why it was bad. It basically the same thing as running the waste water thru it. I asked BRS about it, they said it's possible, well maybe, but it will take some trial and error.

 

[Jeepguy242]

they just made a video about it...

@randyBRS

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/w...mbranes-versus-one-brstv-investigates.301927/

not quite the same as what you want to do, but still they sure do know more about it than most people

 

[CountryReefer]

they just made a video about it...

@randyBRS

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/w...mbranes-versus-one-brstv-investigates.301927/

not quite the same as what you want to do, but still they sure do know more about it than most people

I saw that video. Not exactly what I need. I already produce enough water and not worried about the waste water. Now if they made a video of the product water from RO membrane #1 going into RO membrane #2, that would be what I'm looking for.

 

[Jeepguy242]

I saw that video. Not exactly what I need. I already produce enough water and not worried about the waste water. Now if they made a video of the product water from RO membrane #1 going into RO membrane #2, that would be what I'm looking for.

that is what i was refering to.. i only posted the video so you could see the kit they sell...

just a theory, but i bet the second membrane would need to be flushed less..

since you state that you have a spare RO unit, what would it hurt to try plumbing the output of RO water from the first into the second and then plumb ALL of your DI after both and run both wastewater outputs into a single line to the garden or your outside plants