Feeling a little guilty about RODI waste

[AquaVaj]

I'm at about a 2:1 ratio so to fill my 55gal water drum that's over 100gal of waste. I do collect some in a 32gal trash bin to use on whatever but after that I just stick the waste line down a drain. I guess I can pick up another bin or two but that's a lot of space devoted to just collecting and storing water.  I can run a long line to my front yard but I have no grass landscaping so it's just going to flood and drown the plants. 

 

I guess this all depends on how much RO water you need to make but how do you guys deal with it? Just stick it down the drain and shut it out of your mind?

[shoonjai]

I'm getting ready to order a new RO/DI unit and am going to go with one that has the water saver upgrade. Still 1.5:1 but I guess it's the best I can do..It also helps that I have a small tank so I won't feel quite as guilty.

[Asureef]

My waste has always gone down the drain.  

[seabass]

We have a sanitary sewer system, so it's treated and reintroduced back into the water supply (so it's not really wasted).

 

However, I get the concern.  You can use it to flush toilets, do laundry, water your garden, etc.  You could buy a big storage container for it (just like for harvesting rainwater).  In fact, you could harvest rainwater and also run your wastewater line into that container.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

I've wondered if I can use the waste water for my snakes and frogs drinking water...I can't find any good info on if it's safe for them to drink and absorb through the skin. I have to use a water conditioner for them so they can drink it and wanted to somehow find out if it actually gets all the bad stuff out while still leaving nutrients. Anyone have experience with the waste water?

[MrsK]

I was talking with the owner of our local purified water store (sounds weird, I know) and he was telling me that waste water should not be used for anything other than waste. He said it was unsafe for pets and could kill plants too. He said that the waste line should always be given outlet through a grey water sewer line. Not sure if he's right, but the store has been open since the 80s.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

Yeah that's what I was afraid of. I guess the good old water conditioner it is. Trying to find research on it has been challenging. That's for the imput

[seabass]

We know by definition that 98% of the TDS (that is things like arsenic, copper, lead, and mercury) are filtered out of tap water and included in the waste water.  With a 4:1 ratio of wastewater to product water, these contaminants are concentrated by about 25% more (compared to the original tap water).

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

Just now, seabass said:

We know by definition that 98% of the TDS (that is things like arsenic, copper, lead, and mercury) are filtered out of tap water and included in the waste water.  With a 4:1 ratio of wastewater to product water, these contaminants are concentrated by about 25% more (compared to the original tap water).

For some reason I pictured it being alright because I figured all that was being trapped in the membrains of room system. Thanks for that little eye opener. Good thing I didn't use it.... Be bad news for my red eye tree frogs

[Sancho]

Just now, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

For some reason I pictured it being alright because I figured all that was being trapped in the membrains of room system. Thanks for that little eye opener. Good thing I didn't use it.... Be bad news for my red eye tree frogs

off topic but what do you feed the red eyes?

 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

room system

*Ment cartridges

Just now, Sancho said:

off topic but what do you feed the red eyes?

 

They eat crickets like they are going out of style lol

[Sancho]

1 minute ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

room system

*Ment cartridges

They eat crickets like they are going out of style lol

Were having a hell of a time keeping crickets alive. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

1 minute ago, Sancho said:

Were having a hell of a time keeping crickets alive. 

Yeah it's hard... Have a cricket keeper and I keep a small tray of calcium gel and for that is a guy loader. I only buy two dozen at a time to help the loses.

[Sancho]

3 minutes ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Yeah it's hard... Have a cricket keeper and I keep a small tray of calcium gel and for that is a guy loader. I only buy two dozen at a time to help the loses.

thanks....yeah I think we bought too many. Was hoping there were other options damn things get a bit noisy at night. 

 

As for the ro-di waste you can add another membrane and run the waste through it...you double the output and cut the waste in half. You can also get adjustable flow restrictors cut them to size and se if that can help. No matter what you do there will be waste. The carbon pre-filters will polish the water enough that I see no harm in using it to water plants I did it for a while with no ill affects to plant life. But it was a PITA so down the drain it goes now. I sleep well at night and guilt free     

[squamptonbc]

I just let it go down the drain. I live in an apartment so no need for landscape watering, and with front loading washer can't use the waste there, and well simply no use for the waste water so only place is down the drain to the sewer system, where it will eventually end up in the ocean after being treated at the waste water facility.

[ajm83]

I have a water meter (i.e. I get charged for how much water I actually use) and there was no noticeable difference in my bill from when I started producing RODI for my tank. 

Therefore I can only assume the amount is not significant compared to the general water use for a family of two adults and one kid when you factor in toilet flushing, baths, showers, washing machine, etc.  

 

I do use as much of the waste water as I can on the garden though. It gets stored in a 200L water butt.

 

My tank is 100L including sump, I do 10% a week WC and between 1 & 3 litres a day in top off.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

9 hours ago, Sancho said:

thanks....yeah I think we bought too many. Was hoping there were other options damn things get a bit noisy at night. 

 

As for the ro-di waste you can add another membrane and run the waste through it...you double the output and cut the waste in half. You can also get adjustable flow restrictors cut them to size and se if that can help. No matter what you do there will be waste. The carbon pre-filters will polish the water enough that I see no harm in using it to water plants I did it for a while with no ill affects to plant life. But it was a PITA so down the drain it goes now. I sleep well at night and guilt free     

omg right????!!!? That is the only shitty thing is the noise they make...I had a cricket get loose in the house managed to get past the cat and dog and found a spot in my couch....For over a week that damn thing would make noise while trying to watch tv at night.

 

Thanks for the tips on the ro unit..i'm just going to continue to put the waste down the drain.

[Clown79]

Water that goes down the drain is not really wasted.

 

It goes back to a treatment plant and reused.

 

 

If you live in a house, there are options for reusing the waste water.

 

Mine goes down the drain, Can't use it in my washer, have no plants, live in an apartment.

 

[RedPhotog]

On 6/6/2018 at 2:48 PM, AquaVaj said:

I'm at about a 2:1 ratio so to fill my 55gal water drum that's over 100gal of waste. I do collect some in a 32gal trash bin to use on whatever but after that I just stick the waste line down a drain. I guess I can pick up another bin or two but that's a lot of space devoted to just collecting and storing water.  I can run a long line to my front yard but I have no grass landscaping so it's just going to flood and drown the plants. 

 

I guess this all depends on how much RO water you need to make but how do you guys deal with it? Just stick it down the drain and shut it out of your mind?

Split the waste line, and T it out to your neighbors for profit! 🤓

[wsonner]

On 6/7/2018 at 10:14 AM, Clown79 said:

Water that goes down the drain is not really wasted.

 

It goes back to a treatment plant and reused.

 

 

If you live in a house, there are options for reusing the waste water.

 

Mine goes down the drain, Can't use it in my washer, have no plants, live in an apartment.

 

Well, unless you are on septic like me. In which case it goes out to the leach field and waters my lawn :). 

[seabass]

I was replying on another thread and brought up the Kold Ster-il filtration system.  It features:

• NO waste water
• It makes water much faster than RO systems
• It doesn't remove the minerals that we ultimately have to dose back into our tanks

While not for everyone's water supply, this might be a viable alternative for those who have good tap water, and that don't wish to make waste water.

[patback]

On 6/6/2018 at 11:21 PM, Sancho said:

Were having a hell of a time keeping crickets alive. 

Get a big storage tub and fill it with egg rate boxes.  Throw some vegetables in it twice a week and water gel.  Leave it in a cool area outside or the basement and you shouldn't have problems. 

My cousin had a bunch of beardeds and a pretty decent leopard gecko breeding project going on and 2 of these tubs were enough to keep a sustaining population for a couple of years.  He probably had over 20 tanks with geckos of different t ages at any given time.   I dont think he ever even separated the pinheads and adults.