pufferboy Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I am contemplating going to premixed RO/DI water for my tank. The water in my area is horrible and my current inexpensive system is not doing the job. I can get RO/DI water for $1.25 per gallon with salt added. How much does it cost to run a high quality RO/DI system? Link to comment
eddiecorrea Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I am contemplating going to premixed RO/DI water for my tank. The water in my area is horrible and my current inexpensive system is not doing the job. I can get RO/DI water for $1.25 per gallon with salt added. How much does it cost to run a high quality RO/DI system? Totally depends on how bad your water is. Just saying "Its horrible" doesn't tell us anything. We need numbers. I paid $128 for a top of the line system. Cant cost me more then $0.25 a gallon using it. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I am contemplating going to premixed RO/DI water for my tank. The water in my area is horrible and my current inexpensive system is not doing the job. I can get RO/DI water for $1.25 per gallon with salt added. How much does it cost to run a high quality RO/DI system? How much do you pay per gallon for water use? What is the starting TDS? Link to comment
pufferboy Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 I don't know my the numbers on my water. I do know that we are the worst water in the state of ohio. If you took a normal big city, probably our water is twice or three times worse then that. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I don't know my the numbers on my water. I do know that we are the worst water in the state of ohio. If you took a normal big city, probably our water is twice or three times worse then that. Doubtful. TDS readings would give a hint to that, but I highly doubt it would be much higher than any other regulated water system. Link to comment
pufferboy Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 The state ordered our area to put in a 13 million dollar fix to our water system and regularly put out nitrate warnings because of extremely high nitrate levels. Link to comment
Rollermonkey Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Yummy. I have the same RODI as Eddie. SpectraPure refurbished unit for $128. Works like a charm. My water quality is pretty good to start with, like 38ppm of TDS, and I hit zero between the RO and the DI. No clue what I'm paying for water per gallon... My last entire water bill was $26 for a month. Let's see... since it takes 25 gallons to make 5 gallons of RODI water, and I've made 26+5+5+5= 41 gallons so far. 41x5 = 205 gallons to set up the tank, plus run it for two weeks. In a more typical month, I should only use about 20 gallons of RODI, from 100 gallons of tap water. That's only a small percentage of our actual use. I have a 2-year old and a tiny washing machine. We do laundry daily plus the dishwasher, plus my shower and the bath for the two ladies. Even if I used 1/5 of the total water, that's $5. $5 in tap water, and that's a high estimate. My bucket of Instant Ocean cost $50. That makes 160 gallons. 20 gallons would be $12.50. That's if I only made Salt water, but I also make top off water. Nine bucks and change for enough salt to make 15 gallons of salt water. $9.35 + $3.50 = $12.85 for 15 gallons of salt water and $1.50 for fresh top off water. $0.87 for a gallon of salt water (high estimate) and $0.30 for a gallon of fresh (high estimate) I guarantee that I'm not using 20% of my household's water, so it would be lower. It's still cheaper to make my own than buy it in a store, even if I factor in the RODI unit and filters and membranes and whatnot. Plus, I don't have to drive to the store to buy the stuff, and lug it into my apartment from the parking lot. Link to comment
AZDesertRat Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 It has been calculated many times and the average seems to be around a nickel a gallon including the water and sewer rates, replcement filters every 6 months and replacement DI resin. It does not take long tp pay for a good RO/DI system when you compare that to purchased RO/DI or premixed saltwater. Link to comment
Monsieur Kam Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I bought a 5 stage 150 gpd RODI unit for $75 and I buy 5 gallon buckets of Instant Ocean salt from Petsmart for about $30. I recommend you go that route and get the salt and RODI unit instead of purchasing premixed saltwater, not only do you have the cost of the saltwater but you have to make a trip to the LFS and gas isn't cheap right now and you have to haul saltwater which is even worse. Link to comment
chrssprngs Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I get my NSW for free. Every time I go to get the NSW(natural sea water) I end up buying something. When they total up my order they say "no charge for the water". So it's free or the water is $15/gallon and the coral is free. Hmmm... Link to comment
Formula462 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 .59 a gallon at work Free (except for water bill) at home Link to comment
NanoNewb2011 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Just set up the refurbed Spectrapure 90gpd unit this weekend. Setup was pretty easy. Starting TDS is 385 for me and its 0 coming out Link to comment
pufferboy Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 My LFS just made me a deal. If I get 25 gallons at a time, they will do it salted for $1 per gallon. Considering the time and water, it is worth it to me. Link to comment
yoshii Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 With starting TDS at 350-380, it costs around 10cents per gallon here Link to comment
C.I._Reefer Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 My LFS just made me a deal. If I get 25 gallons at a time, they will do it salted for $1 per gallon. Considering the time and water, it is worth it to me. no it isn't... you have no clue what is in that crap. LFS are notorious for letting their systems go way too long in between filter changes. You honestly have no idea what you are putting in your tank. If you want long term success in this hobby get your own RO/DI. Plain and simple Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 no it isn't... you have no clue what is in that crap. LFS are notorious for letting their systems go way too long in between filter changes. You honestly have no idea what you are putting in your tank. If you want long term success in this hobby get your own RO/DI. Plain and simple Not really true. My LFS (a new one) doesn't let their RO/DI get past a TDS reading of 2ppm AND uses Red Sea Coral Pro salt. Charges 50¢ per gallon. I was mixing my own with Reef Crystals (cost about 29.5¢ for enough to make one gallon) and RO water from a local source (20¢ per gallon, with a TDS 10-14ppm, good enough for me), but it's the same price for me to start buying pre-mixed water from them. Link to comment
C.I._Reefer Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Not really true. My LFS (a new one) doesn't let their RO/DI get past a TDS reading of 2ppm AND uses Red Sea Coral Pro salt. Charges 50¢ per gallon. I was mixing my own with Reef Crystals (cost about 29.5¢ for enough to make one gallon) and RO water from a local source (20¢ per gallon, with a TDS 10-14ppm, good enough for me), but it's the same price for me to start buying pre-mixed water from them. I can assure you that that is the exception, not the rule. Apparently you have a very good LFS. I sure don't Link to comment
pufferboy Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 The place that I use also does upkeep for multiple hospitals and big tanks in the area. If they slip on their water....they pay a price. I feel good about this. Link to comment
frankn88 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I just bought the $128 Spectrapure system previously mentioned. What's not mentioned, is that my bill came to $206 because I bought one spare carbon filter and sediment filter, and a $25 TDS meter, plus $28 shipping. That should get me through 1 year assuming I don't have to replace the DI resin (I'm still not sure how you tell when to replace that?). I'm on a well so I don't pay for water (besides, I think city water rates are so low you can almost ignore that anyway) So if I'm making 5 gallons a week that's 260 gallons a year which is $0.79/gallon (including the cost of the whole system!). Distilled water has cost me $0.89/gallon plus the not insignificant hassle of lugging it from store to car, car to house, and then empty jugs piling up in the recycle bin till we get around to taking those to the recycle station. If you own it and use it for more than a year, you'll be WAY ahead. If you make 10 gallons/week your price just went down to $0.40/gallon. Hmmm, I was a little skeptical about my purchase, but now that I've laid it out like that, I feel much better! Link to comment
fewskillz Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 A RO/DI filter was the best reefing purchase I ever made, hands down. Link to comment
ericchris Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 i think most of you are missing the main reason to have a ro/di system other than having control of the water you put in your tank, is the what if happens,( not sure about anyone else but when bad things happen they happen at the wrong time ) so it's ten oclock at night you just came home and your kid has drop he's silly putt in the tank an you need to do a water change, just to make sure there nothing wrong, or for what ever reason you get a spike an need to do multile water changes making trip after trip to the lfs is a pain.... just my .02 Link to comment
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