RODI installation in laundry room? Double Y splitter?

[Philipgonzales3]

Setting up a 15 gallon aquarium in my son's room. It's going to be freshwater. Used RODI water and added Kent RO Fix. May be easier to use tap water and dechlorinate but ehh I don't know.

 

[ScottBrew]

I don't believe that it's a good idea to use RODI for a freshwater tank. RO without the DI, maybe. RODI is void of any minerals that normally would be in a FW tank. In a saltwater tank you are adding the minerals back with the salt mix. Do some research or maybe someone with more knowledge will chime in.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I don't believe that it's a good idea to use RODI for a freshwater tank. RO without the DI, maybe. RODI is void of any minerals that normally would be in a FW tank. In a saltwater tank you are adding the minerals back with the salt mix. Do some research or maybe someone with more knowledge will chime in.

Thanks. I have heard the same. From the brief reading I've done Kents RO right adds the needed minerals back to the water. I posted the information on it below. Maybe I am making it uncessarily complicated by using RODI water though. I posted on a freshwater forum. I'll see what the consensus is before I add some nutrifying bacteria.

https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4128

"A perfect mix of salts and trace elements to balance RO and deionized water, including calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Phosphate- and nitrate-free. Use for both soft and hard water.
General Information
Kent R/O Right Water Conditioner is a specially formulated mixture of dissolvable solids (also called general hardness or GH) which includes major salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium together with all necessary minor and trace minerals, together with a small amount of carbonate alkalinity (KH) to reproduce artificial river water (most aquarium fish are river fish).

Kent R/O Right Water Conditioner provides natural water chemistry for the conversion of reverse osmosis, distilled or de-ionized water for freshwater fish and plants. Kent R/O Right Water Conditioner provides a balanced electrolyte system. Kent R/O Right Water Conditioner is useful for all freshwater fish, including Discus. This is the premium dry formula used the world over to raise Discus and other freshwater species. Contains no phosphate, nitrate, silicate or organic chemicals to pollute the system!"

 

[ScottBrew]

Thanks. I have heard the same. From the brief reading I've done Kents RO right adds the needed minerals back to the water. I posted the information on it below. Maybe I am making it uncessarily complicated by using RODI water though. I posted on a freshwater forum. I'll see what the consensus is before I add some nutrifying bacteria.

https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4128

"A perfect mix of salts and trace elements to balance RO and deionized water, including calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Phosphate- and nitrate-free. Use for both soft and hard water.
General Information
Kent R/O Right Water Conditioner is a specially formulated mixture of dissolvable solids (also called general hardness or GH) which includes major salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium together with all necessary minor and trace minerals, together with a small amount of carbonate alkalinity (KH) to reproduce artificial river water (most aquarium fish are river fish).

Kent R/O Right Water Conditioner provides natural water chemistry for the conversion of reverse osmosis, distilled or de-ionized water for freshwater fish and plants. Kent R/O Right Water Conditioner provides a balanced electrolyte system. Kent R/O Right Water Conditioner is useful for all freshwater fish, including Discus. This is the premium dry formula used the world over to raise Discus and other freshwater species. Contains no phosphate, nitrate, silicate or organic chemicals to pollute the system!"

I was not aware of that product but haven't had a FW tank since I was a kid. Sounds like you have it under control, carry on!

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I was not aware of that product but haven't had a FW tank since I was a kid. Sounds like you have it under control, carry on!

I'll let you know which route I ultimately decide on. I'm thinking either way would work. Tap water plus conditioner would probably be easier and cheaper.

 

[ScottBrew]

I'll let you know which route I ultimately decide on. I'm thinking either way would work. Tap water plus conditioner would probably be easier and cheaper.

Depends on how good... or how bad your tap water is. You could tee off the RODI system after the prefilters for the FW tank. Carbon prefilters will remove most Chlorine/Chloramines.

 

[Royy13]

Just a word of caution. I used those type of rubber hoses and one burst when we were sleeping. Flooded the entire first floor of my house. Be careful.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Just a word of caution. I used those type of rubber hoses and one burst when we were sleeping. Flooded the entire first floor of my house. Be careful.

Which type of hose? Like the kind for the washer/dryer? Or the 1/4" polyurethane?

 

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

Any aquarium pump will do (Cheap but insanely durable and long lasting Mag Drives come to mind) I would suggest using barb fittings and vinyl hose to pump water where you would like, you can also use the pump to mix salt water. Add a valve on the line to turn the flow off or on, or grab a cheap wifi controllable plug and turn the pump on and off with your phone My personal favourite splitter for sending RODI water to two different places....

Careful here... soft tubing intended for barb fittings is not appropriate for use with quick connect fittings. We also often see people trying to use soft clear vinyl tubing for pressure applications... that's a no-no!

Russ

 

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

Sounds like what you want is a demand/delivery pump. https://www.buckeyehydro.com/aquatec-5800-delivery-pump-3-8-inch/

It includes a pressure switch so that when you open a valve on the end of the output tube the pump will kick on, and when you close the valve the pump automatically turns off.

Russ

 

[JoshH]

Careful here... soft tubing intended for barb fittings is not appropriate for use with quick connect fittings. We also often see people trying to use soft clear vinyl tubing for pressure applications... that's a no-no!

Russ

Not atall what I was suggesting. I know full well soft tubing is not meant for quick connect fittings and no where did I ever suggest it should be used.;Shifty The splitter suggestion was directed to directing water from the RODI unit itself to different locations. Not from a pump.

 

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

Good! Others may not be familiar with that issue... we see it all the time.

Russ

 

[JoshH]

Good! Others may not be familiar with that issue... we see it all the time.

Russ

It's definately good to point out, especially because it "seems" like it might work if one was new to plumbing. It's unfortunate you see it all the time but at least you can get people on the straight and narrow

 

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

BTW...
https://www.buckeyehydro.com/3-way-valve/

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Sounds like what you want is a demand/delivery pump. https://www.buckeyehydro.com/aquatec-5800-delivery-pump-3-8-inch/

It includes a pressure switch so that when you open a valve on the end of the output tube the pump will kick on, and when you close the valve the pump automatically turns off.

Russ

That sounds like exactly what I am looking for. What I was looking at now was the magdrive 9 pump. It looks like it has a standard garden hose outlet. I have an industrial rated continental water hose. What do you think about this? Would be nice to be able to use a standard garden hose as there are lots of options for controlling the water flow. Or would this be too hard on the pump by restricting the flow?

https://www.amazon.com/Danner-02720...d=1544105042&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=magdrive+9

 

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

I doubt that pump is compatible with purified water - no reason for it to be. Probably has wetted parts that are brass. Those thread are 3/4" npt - not garden hose threads. But the good thing about plumbing is that you can typically adapt from one thread type to another.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I doubt that pump is compatible with purified water - no reason for it to be. Probably has wetted parts that are brass. Those thread are 3/4" npt - not garden hose threads. But the good thing about plumbing is that you can typically adapt from one thread type to another.

You lost me a little on your first couple of sentences, sorry this is a little foreign to me. So the magdrive 9 probably wouldn't be good for this? So go with the aquatec then?

 

[ScottBrew]

You lost me a little on your first couple of sentences, sorry this is a little foreign to me. So the magdrive 9 probably wouldn't be good for this? So go with the aquatec then?

I think there is some confusion in the comments, you have 2 different actions you are trying to achieve. You want to split and move RODI water both to the salt water mixing Brute container and to the ATO. That is just using the standard 1/4" tubing like comes with the RODI. Ne need for a pump, unless you are plumbing it with a lot of height. The pressurized water coming from the RODI will easily go up 8' or so and over to the ATO container.

From the Brute, you want to move mixed saltwater to the tank for water changes. Any pump designed for a saltwater tank will work, it doesn't have to work with "purified water" at that point because you have salt mixed in now. The length of hose (from Brute to tank) that you want to run may cause some issues, so get a pump that does well will higher head pressure. A mag 9 will work, or any submersible pump, etc. You can build a manifold for the Brute that will allow you to mix the saltwater and pump it to the tank with the same pump with some PVC and a couple valves.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I think there is some confusion in the comments, you have 2 different actions you are trying to achieve. You want to split and move RODI water both to the salt water mixing Brute container and to the ATO. That is just using the standard 1/4" tubing like comes with the RODI. Ne need for a pump, unless you are plumbing it with a lot of height. The pressurized water coming from the RODI will easily go up 8' or so and over to the ATO container.

From the Brute, you want to move mixed saltwater to the tank for water changes. Any pump designed for a saltwater tank will work, it doesn't have to work with "purified water" at that point because you have salt mixed in now. The length of hose (from Brute to tank) that you want to run may cause some issues, so get a pump that does well will higher head pressure. A mag 9 will work, or any submersible pump, etc. You can build a manifold for the Brute that will allow you to mix the saltwater and pump it to the tank with the same pump with some PVC and a couple valves.

Ah, well I think I am being difficult here lol. I wasn't very clear on the two actions I am trying to do. One is to move saltwater from the blBrute to the tank for water changes. One is moving RODI water from another Brute to an ATO reservoir. Since the ATO reservoir will be under a cabinet next to the aquarium, I don't want to run 1/4" tubing from the garage inside. I'd rather make a batch of RODI in a brute and pump 10 gallons at a time using a hose to the ATO reservior. To me that seems easier, any thoughts?

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Depends on how good... or how bad your tap water is. You could tee off the RODI system after the prefilters for the FW tank. Carbon prefilters will remove most Chlorine/Chloramines.

So based on the advise on another forum, I decided to go with tap water and water conditioner for the FW tank.

Below are my water parameters. I dosed 4ppm Ammonia and API Quickstart last night. I'm thinking my PH may need to come down some, but waiting on advice from the FW forum.

Temperature: 80F
PH: 8.0
Ammonia: 4ppm
TDS: 273
GH: 180
KH: 100