RODI help

[Jon Fishman]

So, I have a LiquaGen 75gpd unit that I got from the Amazonians......

Works/worked great, but I used it to start up a few tanks, and water-changes for those tanks, since February and now making 50 gallons of water every other week or so..... the TDS meter is now showing 7 7 isn’t the end of the world, and I just discovered it, so I am doing another 35g water change with my 7 TDS water tomorrow, but I know I want zero obviously so I ordered new filters.

Here comes the question!

I have no basement, and no real “practical” place to install a better setup than thos one. I also have the worst DIY skills known to man, and it was a challenge for me to install this thing under my kitchen sink. I have it coming off of the cold water feed line under my sink, and I just toss the filter in the sink, turn the valve “on” and run the waste water down the sink drain every time I make water.

Is there a bigger/better ROdI option I can install in a similar manner? This thing was only $80 or so, and the replacement filters I just ordered for it were $30

Is this a reasonable cost of operation and I should just keep replacing filters, or is there a better under-sink system I can use?

I’d love a big basement water-change system, but filling a brute on a dolly in my kitchen and rolling it over to the tank is the easiest option for my little house.

 

[Jeto2004]

One question for cost of operation is how many gallon did you get out your filters before TDS went up (100 Gallon a month for 6 month = 600 gallon). Not counting your initial investment, that is 5 cents/gallon RO/DI water. Could you get it cheaper?. If you say filter do you talk about DI resin or RO membrane or both?

Don’t know the system, but a lot of these units can be upgraded e.g. running not only a mixed bed resin, but three (CATION, ANION, mixed bed). Since often, depending on your source water one or the other will be used up quicker (for me it ANION). When one of the single ion resin beds is depleted you only have to change that one. In a mixed bed only resin you would throw out the perfectly fine e.g CATION resin with the mixed in ANION resin bed. In the long run that will reduce operation cost.

 

[Quietman]

I also have an inexpensive RODI unit. At first wasn't thrilled because TDS would creep up. Replaced the cheap resin filters that came with it. They were not effective and had bad channeling. Since then have been very happy. You can improve modularly without breaking the back.

New filters are good and 30 seems reasonable.

RO units are usually 95 to 98 percent efficient depending so 0 TDS without DI unlikely.

 

[Jeto2004]

So, I have a LiquaGen 75gpd unit that I got from the Amazonians......

Works/worked great, but I used it to start up a few tanks, and water-changes for those tanks, since February and now making 50 gallons of water every other week or so..... the TDS meter is now showing 7 7 isn’t the end of the world, and I just discovered it, so I am doing another 35g water change with my 7 TDS water tomorrow, but I know I want zero obviously so I ordered new filters.

Here comes the question!

I have no basement, and no real “practical” place to install a better setup than thos one. I also have the worst DIY skills known to man, and it was a challenge for me to install this thing under my kitchen sink. I have it coming off of the cold water feed line under my sink, and I just toss the filter in the sink, turn the valve “on” and run the waste water down the sink drain every time I make water.

Is there a bigger/better ROdI option I can install in a similar manner? This thing was only $80 or so, and the replacement filters I just ordered for it were $30

Is this a reasonable cost of operation and I should just keep replacing filters, or is there a better under-sink system I can use?

I’d love a big basement water-change system, but filling a brute on a dolly in my kitchen and rolling it over to the tank is the easiest option for my little house.

By the way expoying a huge life slab - screams I’m handy in my books, don’t sell yourself short.......✌

Which looks awesome by the way!

 

[Jon Fishman]

I am just trying the replacement filter method

I was close to just buying the same one I have and replacing the whole unit...... at least I would know how to install it!

 

[lyscer]

I know you say you're not handy, but you installed that thing and it sounds like it is working - so great job! When you decide that you want to upgrade your unit with a small upgrade < $10 you could hook up your waste valve to a drain saddle under the sink. That way you wouldn't have to move that line around.

Years ago when I had my unit under the sink I had one of these and it worked really well.

Drain Saddle

Our Drain Saddle 1/4" Quick Connect allows you to easily connect your RO to your P trap. If you have any questions, please contact us today!

airwaterice.com

Like others have mentioned, you can just buy different pre-filters or sediments and put them in your existing unit. I run a BRS RO/DI unit, but ALL of my filters, membrane and DI resins are from Spectrapure. So you could shop around a bit on what filters meet your budget and needs.

 

[BeejReef]

Def would't buy the same unit again if you're not happy with it. Just paying a lot of extra $ for a plastic housing.
You sound DIY savvy enough to handle an upgrade if it becomes necessary!

I swear, ACE is the place. At least the ones near me. If I were to walk in there with the RODI unit and an idea, I'd have two, well versed, employees walking me around the plumbing section and drawing on a shopping bag.

Is your laundry on the same floor as your tank? Is there a downstairs bathroom with that little plumbing access panel on an the outside of the bathroom wall? Are your water supply lines pex (plastic) or copper? If pex, you CAN do it. The plumbing is as simple as your overflows. Turn off water, cut pex, prime and glue on a "T" with a small piece of pipe and a coupling to ball valve and then a reducer to John Guest (ACE Hardware). You're bound to have a drain line right there as well. 1/4 uniseal into drain pipe for waste water and you have a permanent filtration spot.