RO/DI Water Options

[BadgerReefing]

I’m trying to setup a 10gal Nuvo Fusion. I have essentially planned out everything except for RO/DI water.

 

I currently live in an apartment and I share my bathroom with my roommate. I have thought about getting an RO/DI unit but I feel it would be rude to set up in our shared bathroom for extended periods of time. I don’t think he would say anything, but I don’t think it would be appropriate to put him in that situation.

 

What are my other options for getting clean water?

[FlytheWMark]

Do you have a LFS you could just buy it from?  With a 10 gallon, once set up it won't take much water with water changes and top offs.  I have a 10 and 20 gallon and just buy the water.  I keep 2 fresh and 3 salt (5 gallon jugs) and that lasts me a month.

[Shultzee]

You can buy distilled water in numerous places for around 1.00 per gallon.  This is how I started my Reef and worked very well.  Make sure you buy distilled.

[Clown79]

I use an rodi in my kitchen and attach it to the faucet and then remove all hoses when done. The unit stays on the counter.

 

It doesn't have to be permanently plumbed.

 

Another option is distilled.

[BadgerReefing]

27 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I use an rodi in my kitchen and attach it to the faucet and then remove all hoses when done. The unit stays on the counter.

 

It doesn't have to be permanently plumbed.

 

Another option is distilled.

I would say using the kitchen sink is equally as disrespectful as using the bathroom sink. Realistically, I think given that all facets are in shared spaces at this current apartment an RO/DI unit is just out of question for now.

30 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I use an rodi in my kitchen and attach it to the faucet and then remove all hoses when done. The unit stays on the counter.

 

It doesn't have to be permanently plumbed.

 

Another option is distilled.

I’ve heard a few people talk about this. Is this water really good enough for a reef tank?

[BadgerReefing]

1 hour ago, Mark L. said:

Do you have a LFS you could just buy it from?  With a 10 gallon, once set up it won't take much water with water changes and top offs.  I have a 10 and 20 gallon and just buy the water.  I keep 2 fresh and 3 salt (5 gallon jugs) and that lasts me a month.

I do have a local fish store. I should stop by and check out how much it would cost to get a few 5 gallon jugs of water. 

[MrObscura]

I wouldn't trust a LFS. Either buy distilled water, or get an rodi unit and only hook it up when neccessary. with a ten gallon that shouldn't be more than an hour or so a week. 

[BadgerReefing]

10 minutes ago, MrObscura said:

I wouldn't trust a LFS. Either buy distilled water, or get an rodi unit and only hook it up when neccessary. with a ten gallon that shouldn't be more than an hour or so a week. 

I’ve actually heard this before. It’s kind of hard to believe that LFS would screw over their own communities.

[xthunt]

RO Buddie 4 stage for $60, and get an adapter to screw on a faucet. I hook, and fill, mine to the tub in case I forget its running. 

[MrObscura]

3 hours ago, BadgerReefing said:

I’ve actually heard this before. It’s kind of hard to believe that LFS would screw over their own communities.

It's not necessarily on purpose. It's often simply do to negligence, ignorance, and/or incompetence. 

[Clown79]

8 hours ago, BadgerReefing said:

I would say using the kitchen sink is equally as disrespectful as using the bathroom sink. Realistically, I think given that all facets are in shared spaces at this current apartment an RO/DI unit is just out of question for now.

I’ve heard a few people talk about this. Is this water really good enough for a reef tank?

Distilled is as pure as rodi, many of us have and do use it.

[SaltyGallon]

Depending on the size of the container you're filling you could just set the RODI filter up when your room mate is at work/asleep? Mine takes about 7hrs to fill a 20G jug, so I usually set it up overnight. In my experience the LFS water was crappy, but yours could be better.

[FlytheWMark]

14 hours ago, MrObscura said:

I wouldn't trust a LFS. Either buy distilled water, or get an rodi unit and only hook it up when neccessary. with a ten gallon that shouldn't be more than an hour or so a week. 

Not sure its fair to paint all LFS's as untrustworthy.  Yes some are, maybe not on purpose, but as with anything in this hobby trust but verify.  I have a great LFS near me, their water is spot on perfect (yes I do occasionally test), they know what they are talking about regarding corals and are genuinely helpful..  So if the RODI unit is not practical, go buy some, test it and make that decision for yourself.  Distilled is an option as well.

[thedon986]

I use this connected under my laundry sink on the cold line. Permanent connection and super easy. You could connect this under your sink in the kitchen. That is what I did when I lived in an apartment. Remove the flexible line leading from the cold line valve to the faucet, screw this on, the screw the flexible line back on the top of this adapter.

 

https://www.johnguest.com/product/angle-stop-adaptor-valves/angle-stop-adaptor-valve-2/

[vision]

Good suggestions on alternatives.

 

But, maybe get the roommate involved in reef tanks so it isn’t an issue? 😂

 

Okok-

 

Do you have a washer/dryer in your apartment? Run a Y line off the cold water line in the laundry room and slide the rodi on the side/back of the washer and/or dryer. Run the discard water into the drain (protip: fill the washer up for the next load of clothes). 

 

I have never personally bought water from somewhere like an LFS as I don’t quite trust it... if you must; buy a cheap tds meter and bring it with you to test your jugs. They’re like $20. 

[mcarroll]

1 hour ago, Mark L. said:

Not sure its fair to paint all LFS's as untrustworthy.

I'm 100% sure on that point. 👍

 

@BadgerReefing  Verification – not fear – is the path to trust.

 

My rule of thumb is that if you have a tank under 55 gallons it should make perfect sense to buy water – whether it's from your LFS or a grocery.  

 

Above 55 gallons you can still buy water but you're a little crazy for wanting to carry that much water. 😉

 

Whether you make your own water or not a TDS meter should be considered required – and a basic portable unit only costs between $10 and $20 so it doesn't make sense to avoid having one.  

 

You can even carry the meter with you to the store and measure the water's TDS before you pay for it.

 

All that said, if you can find a way to rig up an RODI unit – even temporarily as has been suggested — you cannot beat the low cost of RODI water.

 

I've seen folks break down the cost and I think in the long run it's something very close to zero.  

 

Seriously, like four cents a gallon or something like that.  But it does take space – at least for the vat used to hold your product water.

 

 

[BadgerReefing]

2 hours ago, mcarroll said:

I'm 100% sure on that point. 👍

 

@BadgerReefing  Verification – not fear – is the path to trust.

 

My rule of thumb is that if you have a tank under 55 gallons it should make perfect sense to buy water – whether it's from your LFS or a grocery.  

 

Above 55 gallons you can still buy water but you're a little crazy for wanting to carry that much water. 😉

 

Whether you make your own water or not a TDS meter should be considered required – and a basic portable unit only costs between $10 and $20 so it doesn't make sense to avoid having one.  

 

You can even carry the meter with you to the store and measure the water's TDS before you pay for it.

 

All that said, if you can find a way to rig up an RODI unit – even temporarily as has been suggested — you cannot beat the low cost of RODI water.

 

I've seen folks break down the cost and I think in the long run it's something very close to zero.  

 

Seriously, like four cents a gallon or something like that.  But it does take space – at least for the vat used to hold your product water.

 

 

I actually just bought a meter. Regardless of where I get my water I figured I would need one. At this point I’m planning on going to my LFS to find out the price and possibly test the water. If LFS isn’t selling quality water I’ll go to the grocery store.

[Clown79]

14 minutes ago, BadgerReefing said:

I actually just bought a meter. Regardless of where I get my water I figured I would need one. At this point I’m planning on going to my LFS to find out the price and possibly test the water. If LFS isn’t selling quality water I’ll go to the grocery store.

If you do grocery store, do distilled water. The water from the machines is often RO not RODI.

[j.falk]

41 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

If you do grocery store, do distilled water.

This.  I set a 20 gallon up with distilled water from Walmart and it worked perfectly...at $0.80 per gallon it was very affordable.  

[Clown79]

12 minutes ago, j.falk said:

This.  I set a 20 gallon up with distilled water from Walmart and it worked perfectly...at $0.80 per gallon it was very affordable.  

Ya, I used distilled for I think 2 yrs before going with my own rodi

 

[j.falk]

@BadgerReefing The best time to buy a RODI unit is Black Friday weekend.  All the online sites offering RODI systems have some of the best deals during that time.  If you can be patient and wait until then to buy one, your patience will pay off.

[mcarroll]

22 hours ago, BadgerReefing said:

I actually just bought a meter. Regardless of where I get my water I figured I would need one. At this point I’m planning on going to my LFS to find out the price and possibly test the water. If LFS isn’t selling quality water I’ll go to the grocery store.

Grocery only works if they have a machine or if you don't mind carrying water by the gallon....which isn't great for bigger tanks.

 

Worth knowing the costs since you know proper filter maintenance is almost all you're paying for when you buy water somewhere else for 50¢ - $1.00 per gallon.

 

Homemade RODI is something like 5¢ a gallon if you can meet the requirements.

[BadgerReefing]

4 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Grocery only works if they have a machine or if you don't mind carrying water by the gallon....which isn't great for bigger tanks.

 

Worth knowing the costs since you know proper filter maintenance is almost all you're paying for when you buy water somewhere else for 50¢ - $1.00 per gallon.

 

Homemade RODI is something like 5¢ a gallon if you can meet the requirements.

Well I'm working with a 10 gallon Nuvo Fusion, so buying by the gallon is feasible for sure, but I believe my local grocery store also has a machine. Ultimately, it looks like I'm going to spend a few hours shopping around town with a TDS meter to find what locations sell quality water and for what price I would be paying. 

[BadgerReefing]

On 8/30/2019 at 2:13 PM, j.falk said:

@BadgerReefing The best time to buy a RODI unit is Black Friday weekend.  All the online sites offering RODI systems have some of the best deals during that time.  If you can be patient and wait until then to buy one, your patience will pay off.

I might consider a unit at that time and maybe chat with my roommate about setting one up at night once every few weeks or so. However, for now I think I will just have to shop around and wait until I find cheap quality water.

[BadgerReefing]

On 8/30/2019 at 1:34 PM, j.falk said:

This.  I set a 20 gallon up with distilled water from Walmart and it worked perfectly...at $0.80 per gallon it was very affordable.  

I'm going to check a my grocery stores water unit and my LFS for price as well as check with a TDS meter. Realistically, if I had to buy gallons from Walmart once a month I will. Tank is only 10 gallons so even with a 20% water change a week I'd be paying like 7$ a month for water which isn't bad for the time being.