RODI For Well Water

Aqua Pup · Apr 13, 2018

Hi everyone. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or what are the concerns of making RODI for my well water system.

Generally speaking.

I don't have the specifics on the existing water parameters, but I can tell you I have a large Green Sand Iron Filter as well as a 30,000 Grain water softener.

First time posting! [emoji12]

mfinn · Apr 13, 2018

Welcome to R2R.

First thing I would do is get a handheld TDS meter.
See what it says about your water.

Then start pricing out ro/di units based on how much water you might want in a day and other features that are available.

andrewkw · Apr 13, 2018

There is as much if not more variation in well water than city water. I use the same ro/di on my well that I did when I was on city water but my well water is far superior. It's usually 50tds and a do cartridge lasts me a year making 30 gallons a week. At my old use I'd change the di every 3 months or so.

Aqua Pup · Apr 13, 2018

andrewkw said:
There is as much if not more variation in well water than city water. I use the same ro/di on my well that I did when I was on city water but my well water is far superior. It's usually 50tds and a do cartridge lasts me a year making 30 gallons a week. At my old use I'd change the di every 3 months or so.

I do have a RODI system at my home with a dual TDS meter. I am putting in a 150 gallon aquarium in my office at work and it's on a well.

I could use my TDS meter to see what it shows for the well water. Is the TDS the most important number that I'm trying to address with a RODI system? Obviously High TDS will take its toll on the RO membrane and the DI resin.

Is there anything else I should be looking at to test or to incorporate into a filter system?

braappn · Apr 14, 2018

Check your pressure. I only get like 30 psi on my well and the system basically doesn’t work. Booster pump it up to 80 and all is good!

Buckeye Hydro · Apr 21, 2018

Aqua Pup said:
Hi everyone. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or what are the concerns of making RODI for my well water system.

I don't have the specifics on the existing water parameters, but I can tell you I have a large Green Sand Iron Filter as well as a 30,000 Grain water softener.
[emoji12]

So it sounds like your raw well water has at least high iron and high hardness. Its good that you have the equipment to deal with that. Make sure you follow appropriate maintenance guidelines with each.

Russ

Buckeye Hydro · Apr 21, 2018

braappn said:
Check your pressure. I only get like 30 psi on my well and the system basically doesn’t work. Booster pump it up to 80 and all is good!

Well systems are pressurized by a well pump. and the well pump is controlled by a pressure switch. The common switches on a residential well pump are 30/50 or 40/60. Meaning the pump turns on when the pressure in the tank hits 30, and it turns off when it hits 50 psi. You can adjust these limits if you do your homework and are handy.

So if you are on a residential well, you will have pressures that fluctuate about 20 psi.

Russ

Aqua Pup · Apr 26, 2018

Buckeye Hydro said:
So it sounds like your raw well water has at least high iron and high hardness. Its good that you have the equipment to deal with that. Make sure you follow appropriate maintenance guidelines with each.

Russ

I did read up and learn about the filtration systems that were present with the building I had purchased, and once I got everything back up and running, no more water stains in the toilet etc.

I can't remember and would have to check again but I thought my pressure switch turned on right about either 32 psi or 42 PSI. I also have a well storage tank with the pressure adjusted correctly.

Beyond that and the current filtration system for treating the core of the well water, I just didn't know what other filtration systems I should use in conjunction with the RODI or how Hardy to beef up an RODI to produce the proper water for my aquarium.

Or at least what to expect out of a traditional home RODI system for life expectancy with a well type water system.

Buckeye Hydro · Apr 26, 2018

With the proper pretreatment (which it sounds like you may have) the lifespan of your filters should be... perfectly ordinary/typical. You may or may not find that you have elevated CO2 which shortens the useful life of your DI resin. Elevated CO2 can be addressed with minimal expense/trouble.

Russ

mfinn · Apr 26, 2018

[QUOTE="Buckeye Hydro, post: 4673238, member: 35065" Elevated CO2 can be addressed with minimal expense/trouble.

Russ[/QUOTE]

What is your idea of minimal expense/trouble?

Buckeye Hydro · Apr 26, 2018

Buy a $20 food grade HDPE tub, use an airstone to aerate the RO water, and then pass it through the DI.

Russ

mfinn · Apr 26, 2018

Buckeye Hydro said:
Buy a $20 food grade HDPE tub, use an airstone to aerate the RO water, and then pass it through the DI.

Russ

Where is this extra space the tub is taking up? I mix up 70 gallons at a time. Not going to find that sized tub for $20. Another rodi pressure pump?
Seems like a pita.

Buckeye Hydro · Apr 26, 2018

Don't need another pressure pump. Just a small little thing. I'll bet a maxijet would work ok.

There's a tradeoff -IF- you have high CO2: pick your poison. Either buy replacement resin more often, or pay the upfront costs of setting up a degassing station.

mfinn · Apr 26, 2018

Buckeye Hydro said:
Don't need another pressure pump. Just a small little thing. I'll bet a maxijet would work ok.

There's a tradeoff -IF- you have high CO2: pick your poison. Either buy replacement resin more often, of pay the upfront costs of setting up a degassing station.

Yeah, I realize it's one or the other.
Seems like there is alot of threads on this matter lately.