Quit RO, need help!

[DriftingNemo]

Since I live in a rented house and there's no outdoor garden tap, the only way I could hook up my RO unit is either through my faucet or hard plumbing the system. Since my parents don't want me to start screwing around with the house plumbing, I could only use the faucet. Now here's the problem, the faucets I'm my house are all oddly shaped and I couldn't get any adaptor in. I tried 1/2 male (too small) and a 3/4 (too large). I want to know if it's possible to not use an RO unit and get cleaner tap water. Could I use some sort of activated carbon, put it in a spare filter and let it run in a bucket of tap water for a few days to purify it? I know it's impossible to get RO/DI results from any other methods. I will be using RO/DI water from my LFS to do water changes, but I need the first 50 gallons for when I fill the tank up to start everything off. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also, I don't really have the money to buy a water distiller or some expensive gizmo that "purifies" water.

 

And I don't think my parents would drive me back and forth to the fish store 5 times just so I can buy water. I can't drive just yet.

[AZDesertRat]

Does the house have a washing machine?

Use a garden hose wye like you hook two garden hoses to a single faucet with one side feeding the washers cold water supply and the other feeding the RO or preferrably RO/DI. You can get on with dual ball valves in brass for less than $10 at any hardware store or even walmart.

Nothing replaces RO/DI. The carbon only removes the chlorine and some metals, it does not lower the TDS nor do sediment filters since TDS is in the 0.0001 micron range and sediment filters and carbons are hundreds to thousands of times more coarse.

[DriftingNemo]

Does the house have a washing machine?

Use a garden hose wye like you hook two garden hoses to a single faucet with one side feeding the washers cold water supply and the other feeding the RO or preferrably RO/DI. You can get on with dual ball valves in brass for less than $10 at any hardware store or even walmart.

Nothing replaces RO/DI. The carbon only removes the chlorine and some metals, it does not lower the TDS nor do sediment filters since TDS is in the 0.0001 micron range and sediment filters and carbons are hundreds to thousands of times more coarse.

 

I can certainly get one, I'll just have to find out how to switch the water off in the house so when I unplug the washing machine I don't get sprayed in the face!

[NanoBiscuit]

Some LFS's might allow you to borrow buckets for your first fill up. Or get yourself a bunch of 5 gallon buckets from HomeDepot with lids. You can never have too many buckets or water storage containers.

[DriftingNemo]

Some LFS's might allow you to borrow buckets for your first fill up. Or get yourself a bunch of 5 gallon buckets from HomeDepot with lids. You can never have too many buckets or water storage containers.

 

Well, I will be using around 15 gallons of RO/DI water, the other 40 or so gallons will probably be tap water treated with activated carbon for a few days and some stress coat added. After a few months of RO/DI water changes, the tank should be alright. I had a 14 gallon reef tank that hasn't even had a drop of RO/DI water in it, and I only had a slight hair algae problem, so it isn't that vital. But for my new tank, I want to be using as much RO/DI as possible.

[nickpop86]

Save yourself the headache and dont use any tap water

[Mariaface]

You rent, right? If the current faucet/adaptor isn't labeled, call (maintenance?) and figure out what adapter's being used for the sink? In both places where I've had to use the RO/DI, I needed to remove the faucet's current adapter and screw in the RO/DI one (which I did have to find at HD).

[DriftingNemo]

You rent, right? If the current faucet/adaptor isn't labeled, call (maintenance?) and figure out what adapter's being used for the sink? In both places where I've had to use the RO/DI, I needed to remove the faucet's current adapter and screw in the RO/DI one (which I did have to find at HD).

 

I know what you mean, I unscrewed the cover and the female thread in the faucet is larger than 1/2" but smaller than 3/4". Our water bill is quite expensive anyway. So it would probably be cheaper to get water form my LFS.

[MyNanoReef]

Get one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Melnor-2-76-in-Metal-Y-Connector-9000/100178887

 

Connect it to the "cold" water line in the washing machine. Use one side for the washing machine, and the other side to your RO/DI unit. Turn on the valve for the RO/DI side when you need more RO water.

[Deleted User 8]

Well, it sounds like you have made up your mind to use tap water. I'm reasonably certain you can fit a garden hose adapter onto a faucet in your house. You can get a 90 GPD RO/DI unit for $125. It will pay for itself in short order. What does your LFS charge for water? $2.50/gal? 50g at $2.50 is $125. http://spectrapure.com/Refurbished-90-GPD-RODI-System

 

Your tap water is a penny or two per gallon and really isn't a factor (even if you have a high water bill).

 

If you get your own RO/DI, you will become less dependant upon your parents and the LFS monkeys. What are you going to do when you need to do a big water change at some point? What if you parents are not around to drive you to the LFS? What if it is closed? Etc, etc.

 

I could keep going on and on why making your own water from a pure source is so important, but as I have said, it sounds like you want us to tell you your work around will be OK. It doesn't compare.

 

Buzz

[DriftingNemo]

Well, it sounds like you have made up your mind to use tap water. I'm reasonably certain you can fit a garden hose adapter onto a faucet in your house. You can get a 90 GPD RO/DI unit for $125. It will pay for itself in short order. What does your LFS charge for water? $2.50/gal? 50g at $2.50 is $125. http://spectrapure.com/Refurbished-90-GPD-RODI-System'>http://spectrapure.com/Refurbished-90-GPD-RODI-System

 

Your tap water is a penny or two per gallon and really isn't a factor (even if you have a high water bill).

 

If you get your own RO/DI, you will become less dependant upon your parents and the LFS monkeys. What are you going to do when you need to do a big water change at some point? What if you parents are not around to drive you to the LFS? What if it is closed? Etc, etc.

 

I could keep going on and on why making your own water from a pure source is so important, but as I have said, it sounds like you want us to tell you your work around will be OK. It doesn't compare.

 

Buzz

 

I have my own RO unit, it's just the plumbing part that's tough to do. My LFS sells it at around $1.50 per gallon. But then again, I can start driving next year, so I would get the water myself if I haven't sorted out a way of producing it myself.

[Deleted User 8]

I wouldn't have a reef tank if I had to get my water from someone or somplace else, even if the water was free. Water is the most important factor in this hobby and I can't see not having total control over such an important aspect of it.

 

I can't believe it is that hard to get your unit connected to a water source. Where do you live? Some sub-continent? ;-)

 

Buzz

[DriftingNemo]

I live in England, we have less aquarium supplies available to us and its a bit more expensive than in the US. I work at an LFS and people come in religiously every week, to buy our RO/DI water so it must be working for them. I would ask to test the TDS before I buy a single drop, and I could probably get it cheaper or even free refills at the end of my shift. I'm not as fortunate as other members who can just plug their units in, at the end of the day it's water. I've been using tap water for a year in my old tank, haven't killed anything, only some slight algae problems. At least this time I'm trying to use RO/DI water and not ignoring it like I did last time.

[CrazyCarl]

I assume you have aerators on your faucets. When you remove the aerators, there are threads. The sizes are not common 1/2" or 3/4" as you attempted. They are millimeters or 64ths IIRC, you should try the plumbing supply or home depot. bring the fitting you want to use and the aerator from the faucet and someone should be able to show you what you need. Also there should be a valve at the washing machine hose so you don't have to shut all the water off if you want to go that route.

[DriftingNemo]

I assume you have aerators on your faucets. When you remove the aerators, there are threads. The sizes are not common 1/2" or 3/4" as you attempted. They are millimeters or 64ths IIRC, you should try the plumbing supply or home depot. bring the fitting you want to use and the aerator from the faucet and someone should be able to show you what you need. Also there should be a valve at the washing machine hose so you don't have to shut all the water off if you want to go that route.

 

I'll pull back the washing machine and have a look, I think you've got a good point, the measurements aren't imperial, so I'll go to a hardware store sometime this week and will have a look for a male 3/4 inch to a specific milimeter size. If I can't find anything, I'll pick up a washing machine adaptor.