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

[BulkRate]

Whole Foods pretty much has a RODI unit (look around the section where they sell the blue BPA-free gallon jugs) in every store I've been to in ATL... even the crappy "destination" stores they plunk down in "Work/Live/Play" communities.  I've run my pico shrimp vase and 9 gallon RFA/LPS tank off this for let last year or two with no complaints.  It's cheaper for me than buying a quality home unit and each store I've ever used does actually seem to do a great job of maintaining them - never had a detectable TDS reading on any batch so far.

 

But... if I upgrade past about 20 gallons total or had multiple tanks to do water changes on like the OP, I'd really, really consider installing one in a bathroom/kitchen sink or if at all possible laundry/utility closet.

[Lula_Mae]

I literally just received a used Spectrapure I bought off another hobbyist because after 9 years, I am tired of toting distilled water from Walmart lol.  Going with a simple faucet adapter for now, maybe in the future I'll get brave and try a sink hookup or whatever.

[Tamberav]

I've had both a facet adapter and plumbed in. The facet adapter you can leave hooked on and it has a button to pull out which diverted the water to the rodi when you want to use it. 

 

It is less convenient than having it under sink as you have all these rodi wires in/on your sink but it will get the job done. 

 

One thing I would caution is if you plan to constantly screw on the adapter on and off every time you make water is you run the risk of ruining the threads on the facet... Especially an older apartment. 

 

You can leave it on but you need somewhere to put the rodi near your sink... Maybe counter space. 

[Boggers]

I use a facet adapter with a little bit of tube (about 2 inch long) stuck on it. Then I put a push connect ball valve on the end of my RODI line. this way I only have a little tube on my sink and I can connect the RODI up whenever I need to.

[Tamberav]

Good idea... I hate those things

.. They never seem to slide out easy for me when I push the end in. I need a little tool or something.. 

[Boggers]

33 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Good idea... I hate those things

.. They never seem to slide out easy for me when I push the end in. I need a little tool or something.. 

http://tramecsloan.com/products/more/tools-kits/push-to-connect-fitting-removal-tool/

[Clown79]

4 hours ago, jbb_00 said:

I'm not trying to be argumentative just trying to understand where you're coming from when you say modify. Do the washer and dryer belong to you or do they come with the unit?

 

If they are yours, adding the splitter is the same thing as screwing on the line from the washing machine. You aren't actually modifying anything it's just an adapter between the two fittings.

 

If they came with the unit then the term modify now makes more sense because you would be taking apart something that doesn't belong to you

They come with the apartment. 

[Clown79]

4 hours ago, Christopher Marks said:

There's already a T on your hot water line that goes to the dishwasher, you can see it there on the left. You could simply fit the same sort of T adaptor to the cold water line to branch off and supply your RO/DI unit. It's just a threaded connection that sandwiches between what's already there, simple to remove later.

 

The only tricky part is tapping in the waste water line from the RO/DI, it needs to drain somewhere. The good news is you could tie it in where the dishwasher drain connects with that white plastic tube and black rubber fitting. You could sandwich another adaptor in for the RO/DI waste line so you can easily undo that change later as well.

Ya, I don't want to do any of that.

 

I can't even turn off my water without getting my landlord in here. Those doors to the water connectors are locked.

 

I want it stupid simple.

 

Attaching it to my faucet is sufficient enough. Many do it and it's not an issue.

[Felicia]

4 hours ago, Christopher Marks said:

There's already a T on your hot water line that goes to the dishwasher, you can see it there on the left. You could simply fit the same sort of T adaptor to the cold water line to branch off and supply your RO/DI unit. It's just a threaded connection that sandwiches between what's already there, simple to remove later.

 

The only tricky part is tapping in the waste water line from the RO/DI, it needs to drain somewhere. The good news is you could tie it in where the dishwasher drain connects with that white plastic tube and black rubber fitting. You could sandwich another adaptor in for the RO/DI waste line so you can easily undo that change later as well.

This exactly. The only concern is the drain line which gets a bit more difficult. I didn't want to use the fitting BRS supplied for the drain which poked a hole in the pipe, so I just ran some long RO tubing out from my cabinet and place it in the sink drain above when I'm running the RODI. When the RODI isn't running, I coil up the waste tube and store it under the sink with the rest of the unit.

[metrokat]

@Arce helped me install my RODI in the bathroom cabinet. He drilled a hole in the U shaped thingee - drain trap? 

And we installed another thingee to turn on and off the water to the unit. Can't remember what.

[Friendly]

the RO system I had previously wasn't what I would consider compact...but if a RODI system can be tucked away to be pulled out, attached to the tap and used when necessary, that could be a solution.    

[Tamberav]

2 hours ago, metrokat said:

@Arce helped me install my RODI in the bathroom cabinet. He drilled a hole in the U shaped thingee - drain trap? 

And we installed another thingee to turn on and off the water to the unit. Can't remember what.

 

What will you plug the hole with when you leave? I have mine draining into sink but tapping the drain would be nice.

[MarieH]

My unit stays in the cupboard underneath the sink. i have lines long enough to plug into the faucet adapter and into the sink drain, one to my bucket.  i leave the  cupboard door open, make how much I need, wrap up the lines and put them away on top of the unit inside the cabinet after disconnecting.   Its got a diverter of course I can use the tap if I need to by just switching it over.  How easy is that? Works for me.

[reefone]

2 hours ago, Tamberav said:

 

What will you plug the hole with when you leave? I have mine draining into sink but tapping the drain would be nice.

jb weld.lol 

5 hours ago, metrokat said:

@Arce helped me install my RODI in the bathroom cabinet. He drilled a hole in the U shaped thingee - drain trap? 

And we installed another thingee to turn on and off the water to the unit. Can't remember what.

that was real helpful

[Tamberav]

28 minutes ago, reefone said:

jb weld.lol 

that was real helpful

 

google tells me that is a no-no... I guess you would have to cut and replace. Ofc I would be moved away before it ever gave way... but... 

[reefone]

13 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

 

google tells me that is a no-no... I guess you would have to cut and replace. Ofc I would be moved away before it ever gave way... but... 

u can go to hd and get a new pipe.  its real easy to replace the piece of pipe and its less then 5$.

 

if u look at the piping. there will be a p trap at the bottom.  between that and the drain to the sink is a pipe is where u want to drill. that pipe is easy to replace.

 

or u can get some flex seal from tv.  they cut a boat in half and taped it back together and it still floats.   #### it you will be long gone by the time flex seal quits working.

[Thrassian Atoll]

This thread made me lol.

[Clown79]

9 hours ago, Friendly said:

the RO system I had previously wasn't what I would consider compact...but if a RODI system can be tucked away to be pulled out, attached to the tap and used when necessary, that could be a solution.    

This is very doable 

[Tamberav]

4 hours ago, reefone said:

u can go to hd and get a new pipe.  its real easy to replace the piece of pipe and its less then 5$.

 

if u look at the piping. there will be a p trap at the bottom.  between that and the drain to the sink is a pipe is where u want to drill. that pipe is easy to replace.

 

or u can get some flex seal from tv.  they cut a boat in half and taped it back together and it still floats.   #### it you will be long gone by the time flex seal quits working.

 

Yeah, I know about the new pipe. Was just hoping there was something cheap and made to plug something like this that won't someday screw over someone else. Ah well.. saves me from needing an air gap faucet for the drinking water.

[Draco]

I may be late, but sorry if my suggestion has already been said, I didn't read the entire thread fully

 

I have a small place too, and I keep my Spectura-pure 4 stage under my kitchen sink. I modded the hose to fit in my kitchen sink faucet. Added a booster pump and boom, got a place to get water, and store the system. Sure it's a pain to screw in and unscrew, but it does the job.

 

Previously I've used buckets to store the water. Now I use a brute can and stick it in my closet when not in use.

[Tamberav]

This thread has inspired me to get RO drinking water made from my system as well  teed it off yesterday and waiting on the polishing carbon filter to add inline for taste. 

[pj86]

Been using a RODI at renters apartment for the past 5 years, can't see myself without one. I would recommend it to anyone debating on getting one. 

 

I always put it next to the washer, easy T hookup and a large draining tube is in the back of all washers. Also, I leave the water container on top of the washer when filling just in case of a overflow, the washer will automatically drain it. 

 

 

[cfaye@Delaware]

I was thinking, I think a lot of us esp. people who are in small places would like more space, for tanks and equipment and furniture to put things on. So here goes, plus you can decorate for the holidays......I'm beyond pack rat......

 

Before......

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cfaye@Delaware]

After........

 

 

 

This is just something I threw together real quick to give idea.....you can do anything, plus a good work out if you need to unpack something. I have stuff everywhere like I said, Company comes, don't answer the door, next time tell them to call. Takes a couple of minutes and Da Da ....... Pack Rats get a +1 from me !!!!!

[Exodus]

accidental repost.