What do you do for RO/DI when you're a renter?

[Friendly]

I honestly don't have the space in our lil apartment to setup a RODI system. 

 

I also don't drive, so lugging gallons of SW over transit would be crazy and taking a cab expensive.

 

what do you do? 

[Lugmos12]

My tank is only 13.5 gallons so I get buy with buying distilled water at walmart. I buy 10 gallons and it lasts me about 2.5 weeks

[schgr.cube]

Is the Aquatic Life RO buddie too big? Idk if you have a place to hook it up, but that might be a nice compromise. 

[Tamberav]

I hook RODI up, I have lived in small spaces and small apartment or no I never understood the space excuse, it doesn't take up anymore room than storing jugs of distilled for top off. It's a small water unit, not a couch 

[Thrassian Atoll]

Do they sell premixed salt water you can order from somewhere?

[Friendly]

I'd want RODI, not just RO, sugar.

 

another issue is cost. aside from production, what's the difference between at $200 system and a $400 system when they're both 4 stage, etc etc etc. 

 

I'm sure a couple LFS would sell sw, but again, transport to my home, due to their location (several blocks off the public transit routes), would make it quite a trial to haul buckets home. and it's ludicrous to spend $20 on taxi for a couple bucket of water.   

 

and Tam...you've not met my wife. she's a pack rat. every space for storing stuff is a puzzle that she takes apart and puts back together every time she needs something. so by lack of space, I mean a literal lack of space.  

 

of course...I could probably finaggle a RODI system if I got her some more pantry shelving or something.  

[cju84]

1 minute ago, Friendly said:

I'd want RODI, not just RO, sugar.

 

another issue is cost. aside from production, what's the difference between at $200 system and a $400 system when they're both 4 stage, etc etc etc. 

 

I'm sure a couple LFS would sell sw, but again, transport to my home, due to their location (several blocks off the public transit routes), would make it quite a trial to haul buckets home. and it's ludicrous to spend $20 on taxi for a couple bucket of water.   

 

and Tam...you've not met my wife. she's a pack rat. every space for storing stuff is a puzzle that she takes apart and puts back together every time she needs something. so by lack of space, I mean a literal lack of space.  

 

of course...I could probably finaggle a RODI system if I got her some more pantry shelving or something.  

How big is your tank?  Distilled water might be the way to go if it's under 30g.

[Friendly]

I'll have several.

- Spec V at work, where I can't have RODI

- 2.5 gal pico jar @ home, where I might be able to have RODI

- IM20L (working on a deal for a used one)

- and I have intentions for a IM10 for a dwarf puffer and probably a couple more IM10's for species only tanks and I'm hoping to setup several long and low's...which may displace everything, as they'd allow for a lot more interesting projects.   

 

and distilled water would get damned costly a $3/gal (I live in Canada where everything is expensive) when I exchange a 5 gal bucket sump every week.  

[Tamberav]

Doesn't sound like you have an option other than RODI. Especially with so many tanks. Packrat or not, you live there too  I'm sure you guys can work it out. Honestly sounds like you are going to have several tanks so you must have room somewhere for a RODI. The RODI units can be mounted to walls ect if that helps.

 

As far as RODI goes, whatever gets you to 0 TDS is fine. If you live somewhere with garbage water and 600 TDS, you may need something more powerful than somewhere with 20 TDS. Go with a name brand, I recommend spectrapure, they sell refurbished ones that work great. Cheaper sometimes means odd sizing with more expensive filter changes. Othertimes it just might mean an expensive unit has a built in TDS meter, ect.

 

 

Sounds like you have to haul water to work. I recommend a macroalgae tank at work to cut down on water changes. Doesn't help with top-off though... but I wonder if macro would be okay with tap. If I HAD to use tap with prime I would do macro only tank as my experiment. 

 

 

[schgr.cube]

Sorry guess I should have been more clear. It's called the RO Buddie, but they have a 4 stage unit. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=twister_B00DV4370M?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[Friendly]

I'm not too worried about the water at work, as I live right around the corner...so carrying a bit of water every morning or a 5 gal bucket once a week a couple hundred meters isn't an issue for me.  

4 minutes ago, schgr.cube said:

Sorry guess I should have been more clear. It's called the RO Buddie, but they have a 4 stage unit. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=twister_B00DV4370M?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

can that be expanded to become RODI? 

 

what do I need to test for TDS here? all I know is our tap water tastes pretty good in Vancouver, but no clue how good/bad that means it is for the fish, LOL! 

 

edit - scratch that, seems this is inexpensive, but does use proprietary cartridges that are expensive to import. it also appears to waste a lot of water, which is bad in Van, as we're all on water meters. I don't pay for the consumption directly, but it's never wise to be wasteful or take anything for granted. I don't mind spending money on a system, if it's good/efficient. seems it also takes a looong time for this one to product it's water. it also would be nice to have one that could give me RO for personal consumption, even if Vancouver water tastes good.  

[schgr.cube]

2 minutes ago, Friendly said:

I'm not too worried about the water at work, as I live right around the corner...so carrying a bit of water every morning or a 5 gal bucket once a week a couple hundred meters isn't an issue for me.  

can that be expanded to become RODI? 

 

what do I need to test for TDS here? all I know is our tap water tastes pretty good in Vancouver, but no clue how good/bad that means it is for the fish, LOL! 

The 4 stage is RODI, that's what the 4th stage is. You can buy either an inline TDS meter (like $25 on Amazon, I believe), or buy a handheld to test. I use this unit because my wife never liked having a full size one when we were in an apartment, and still doesn't now that we have more space. It fits in a spot that is covered above or washer, and I picked up a splitter for the cold water to the washer so I didn't have to do anything too crazy to make it work. 

[Tamberav]

Do your research, RO buddy can burn through filters and resin much faster if cost of maintenance matters to you. Again your source water will impact this as well as how much water you make total. It will also limit your options for filters. The cost and size does not come without its limitations. I would test your TDS of the tap before you purchase anything.

 

 

[MockandRoll]

If you have room for that many tanks, you have room for a RODI unit.  At least sacrifice one tank for the space. 

[schgr.cube]

3 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Do your research, RO buddy can burn through filters and resin much faster if cost of maintenance matters to you. Again your source water will impact this as well as how much water you make total. The cost and size does not come without its limitations. I would test your TDS of the tap before you purchase anything.

Totally fair, and that is exactly the trade off I made. I'd rather have it accessible easily to me and not piss my wife off, rather than trying to always remember to get it elsewhere. Others may not find that worth it. 

[Friendly]

I've had RO before...and in the time I used it i never 'had' to change the filters. I did just on principle once a year though. that came with a 5 gal resevoir.

 

as for space, small kitchen, and my tanks are going to go vertical, on a chrome wire shelf. 

 

edit - that said, I understand there will be expense. guess I should get a TDS tester and see what the water is like in my old building. this apartment complex was probably built in the 40's...just been reno'd several times, but not since the 70's, LOL!!!

[Tamberav]

I would think not changing filters makes your DI work harder and would wear out your membrane. You could get by with not changing them but its only going to cost more $ in the long run.

[Friendly]

well, my understanding is that RODI is not good for human consumption...so you need to have a bypass for just the RO.

 

that said, my previous experience was with a 4 stage RO system w/5 gal reservoir that I had a guy I bought it from install for me. he did that non-grata as my family had been one of his customers for decades for other stuff. anyhow, I digress...

 

what recommendations would you have, if I confiscate the space for a RODI system that has a 5 gal reservoir for just RO and can do RODI on demand? 

 

keep in mind you're talking to a dimwit, so he'd get a plumber or handyman to install under the sink.

[Clown79]

I buy distilled.

 

I live in a highrise apartment. Space is limited. I have no storage room. 

 

Water hookups are in the wall in another room. There is no wall space to have an ro/di on the wall. 

Any plumbing must be done by landlord. 

 

If I get an ro/ di I have the only option to attach it to my kitchen faucet When in use.

 

There are a lot of questions to ask when investing in a ro/di.

 

 

 

 

[Tamberav]

1 hour ago, Friendly said:

well, my understanding is that RODI is not good for human consumption...so you need to have a bypass for just the RO.

 

that said, my previous experience was with a 4 stage RO system w/5 gal reservoir that I had a guy I bought it from install for me. he did that non-grata as my family had been one of his customers for decades for other stuff. anyhow, I digress...

 

what recommendations would you have, if I confiscate the space for a RODI system that has a 5 gal reservoir for just RO and can do RODI on demand? 

 

keep in mind you're talking to a dimwit, so he'd get a plumber or handyman to install under the sink.

 

If you do end up chosing a unit from spectrapure they sell RO tanks, ect for RO and they will put it together for you if you ask in the comments before shipping. As far as installing, no plumber needed, turn off the cold water and screw an appropriate sized connector on and you are done. There is a simple diverter you change from RO to RODI.

 

Sink hookup: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/mur-lok-ez-angle-stop-adapter.html

 

3-way ball valve: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/3-way-ball-valve-with-john-guest-1-4-push-connect.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwruPNBRCKARIsAEYNXIinsy6nY64hwtU4JVi1YG_8XeEbIOUZD0RZz3u65RBuR6QozLMVg60aArWMEALw_wcB

 

For filters, when the pressure has a significant drop, say 20 from normal. Change the sediment, for carbon, you can buy a test kit off marine depot for chlorine for 8 bucks, when your waste water tests positive, change the carbon. 

[MainelyReefer]

I build RO and RODI and am working on setting up my website for reef specific units and dual purpose.  Don't buy a proprietary unit like the RO buddy(proprietary/too small), nor would I buy a refurbished unit after having seen the housings crack after years of use.  Buy a unit with standard 2.5x10 filters and a standard membrane, this will allow you to buy components cheaper online or locally even as they are non proprietary.  Putting a tee between the 5th stage on a drinking unit and the storage tank and feeding that through a DI unit is what I did when I rented now I have a dedicated reef RODI and a dedicated drinking unit.  Also if on city water a unit with a pump can considerably increase efficiency so you don't "waste" even though regardless nearly 4 times the waste water will be made compared to product water. Also just install it under a sink be it a kitchen or a bathroom it will be hidden.  Wish you weren't in Canada I would come sell you one installed for the price other people charge. Also if drinking from it, Air gap that waste line or you could have bacterial introduction. Any other questions feel free to ask as I geek out about RODI

[kimberbee]

Everything @Tamberav said. 

 

I play a lot of tetris with my belongings in cabinets and closets, but it's so much easier to have on demand rodi water when I need it. I keep my unit under the kitchen sink... pull it out and hook it up to the faucet when needed. 

[cfaye@Delaware]

As for storage problems to make space in your apartment, use very strong sort of large tote bins with lids. Full them up enough so you can lift them. Stack them up on top of each other. You know the plastic ones. They come in all colors so can look nice. I have boat loads of them and they will make huge amount of space. Also nothing used in lets say 3-5 yrs. Get rid of it. Clothes, paper work, old boxes of things, shoes, etc. I'm a hoarder so I have to be careful, I hate to throw anything out, so that's where the bins come in. If you don't use it, loose it.......

[1891Bro]

46 minutes ago, cfaye@Delaware said:

As for storage problems to make space in your apartment, use very strong sort of large tote bins with lids. Full them up enough so you can lift them. Stack them up on top of each other. You know the plastic ones. They come in all colors so can look nice. I have boat loads of them and they will make huge amount of space. Also nothing used in lets say 3-5 yrs. Get rid of it. Clothes, paper work, old boxes of things, shoes, etc. I'm a hoarder so I have to be careful, I hate to throw anything out, so that's where the bins come in. If you don't use it, loose it.......

Paper work 3-5 years? Hope you never get audited. 

 

23 hours ago, Friendly said:

I honestly don't have the space in our lil apartment to setup a RODI system. 

 

I also don't drive, so lugging gallons of SW over transit would be crazy and taking a cab expensive.

 

what do you do? 

I just buy distilled. Though I drive about .3 mile to the cvs so I'm not toting it. I live in an 850 foot squared apt. A lot of people here live in flyover country where you can get a giant apartment with washer dryer for next to nothing. I know about the space limitations, rodi unit or food storage? Yeah I'll take the food. I don't know what to tell you would be easier using public trans though. I can tote 3 milk gallon jugs per hand but you got too many tanks for that to work out very well. 

[NanoReefMinimalist]

The best RODI water I bought from a market place is from WHOLEFOOD. They are 39 cents a gallon and always 0 TDI.