RO/DI- Waste Water Use ?

427HISS · Mar 14, 2019

I bought a BRS 5 stage Plus Water Saver Plus system. One question for now.

The fish room is behind our in-wall 125g reef. Back in the 90's I ran the waste water line downstairs to the laundry drain. This time we want to use this water for something. I don't know if I want to drill a hole in the outside wall (which is seamless steel) to water plants/lawn etc. We have windows downstairs, but I would rather not drill through it either.

The only idea I have is to get a large container like a 55g barrel and put it in the basement, then run the RO/DI waste tube with a shut off valve to keep from flooding. Then I could remove the window screen and use a large water pump to the lawn etc.

Have any ideas ?

James M · Mar 14, 2019

Water plants/lawn

427HISS · Mar 14, 2019

James M said:
Water plants/lawn

How is yours working ?

Can you have a float valve on the waste line, or will that cause an issue when the RO/DI is running, not being able to drain the waste line ?

Tastee · Mar 16, 2019

When I set my RODI up I also didn’t want to waste the water. I know it will never pay me back but at least I know what I did is environmentally helpful. I also needed to sort out some downpipe issues so was able to deal with that at the same time.

I had my troublesome downpipes changed into a charged system feeding a 1,000L water tank. My RODI waste feeds into the same water tank. I then ran a pump with mains input from that tank to a tap with a manifold in my rear garden. My watering system and rear tap run off that. If there is water in the tank the pump drives that and we use tank water. If the tank runs dry the pump detects that and switches to mains. If the tank overfills it wastes into the stormwater.

Today I ran my RODI to make ~50L of water, meaning around 150L of waste would have gone into the tank to be used on the garden.

James M · Mar 16, 2019

427HISS said:
How is yours working ?

Can you have a float valve on the waste line, or will that cause an issue when the RO/DI is running, not being able to drain the waste line ?

Sorry.. I was giving an example on what to use the waste water for

427HISS · Mar 16, 2019

No problem.

427HISS · Mar 19, 2019

Bump.....

Firemanreefkeeper · Mar 19, 2019

My guess is you will probably fill the 55 gallon container before making enough good water. My RO system is 4 gallons waste to 1 gallon good. I use my waste to water my plants by collecting it in a 5 gallon bucket that I keep in the sink. This way if I forget about it, it runs down the drain and not all over the place. And yeah, I do forget about it a lot.

redfishbluefish · Mar 19, 2019

I collect my wastewater in a 55 gallon drum. Not the greatest picture, but you can see the tank in the lower left of this picture.

The white pipe going to a hose is used to "feed" our washing machine, by a MAG 18. Used for the first fill and the rinse fill. The problem is that it's hard finding a washing machine that this can now be done to. It's an old school top loading agitating machine. The other issue is that you can only do cold loads.

Mjrenz · Mar 20, 2019

If you want to collect the water in a barrel to pump outside you may want to consider drilling a hole near the top of the barrel and running an overflow to a floor drain with a uniseal and PVC pipe to keep it from overflowing on the floor. You can just use a utility pump with a hose to pump it outside.

Hemmdog · Mar 20, 2019

Isn’t the waste water loaded with heavy metals? Any reports on plant and lawn health long term from doing this?

Mjrenz · Mar 20, 2019

Hemmdog said:
Isn’t the waste water loaded with heavy metals? Any reports on plant and lawn health long term from doing this?

It's nothing more than what's already in your tap water, just in a higher concentration. It really depends on what's in your water to begin with if it's bad to use

Hemmdog · Mar 20, 2019

Mjrenz said:
It's nothing more than what's already in your tap water, just in a higher concentration. It really depends on what's in your water to begin with if it's bad to use

My tap water already kills my plants lol, I feel like my lawn would look post apocalyptic if I tried using waste water lol.

Mjrenz · Mar 20, 2019

Hemmdog said:
My tap water already kills my plants lol, I feel like my lawn would look post apocalyptic if I tried using waste water lol.

I might need to get some of that water from you, I hate cutting grass

Hemmdog · Mar 20, 2019

Mjrenz said:
I might need to get some of that water from you, I hate cutting grass

Hahah, Move to California lol.

Mjrenz · Mar 20, 2019

Hemmdog said:
Hahah, Move to California lol.

I would but I'd get taken down at the border for possession of caulerpa

Hemmdog · Mar 20, 2019

Mjrenz said:
I would but I'd get taken down at the border for possession of caulerpa

Hahaha

, valid point lol. Such a crazy law... and even crazier is most LFS have it, and they can give it to you, they just can’t sell it. It’s bizzare, lol.

Mjrenz · Mar 20, 2019

Hemmdog said:
Hahaha , valid point lol. Such a crazy law... and even crazier is most LFS have it, and they can give it to you, they just can’t sell it. It’s bizzare, lol.

That is really crazy