RODI system questions

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

Yeah,,, you need a gauge. I think the BRS 4 stage you're looking at probably doesn't have one but you could add one easily.
Highly unlikely there's any pressure gauge on any of your existing household items (like water heater that you asked about).
Normally, in the city anyway, pressure from the utility is higher and there's a restrictor on the incoming line to your house to lower the pressure. (You could find that and see if there's an inspection tag noting the pressure it was set at and assume it's likely still about right).

Reality -- if you're going full-on low budget,,, just get the RODI system running and see how it works out,,, then decide if you care enough to add a pressure gauge and decide if a booster pump is worth it to you.

I do not live in the city though so I do kind of want to check but I could've swore when I had those electric water heaters installed, they had said 60psi, from what I recall because they were saying something about recommending not going higher because pipes could start bursting.
How would I know though if I NEED a pressure gauge and booster pump??

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Also check out spectrapure. BRS is not the only game in town.

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

They recommend keeping it below 80 but I can’t resist.

Lol oh gosh.

 

[SaltWaterTank_Noob]

Also check out spectrapure. BRS is not the only game in town.

I've not heard about them but I'll look into them.

 

[EricR]

I do not live in the city though so I do kind of want to check but I could've swore when I had those electric water heaters installed, they had said 60psi, from what I recall because they were saying something about recommending not going higher because pipes could start bursting.
How would I know though if I NEED a pressure gauge and booster pump??

You likely don't NEED either,,, just get going and see how it works out.
*there are benefits to a booster pump though, including (but not limited to) avoiding pressure drops if/when people are showering while you're running your RODI

Are you in a residential community,,, running off of a municipal water supply?
If so, I think you would still likely have a household restrictor/regulator.
In California in a 25+ year old home, mine is set (per inspection tag) at 50 PSI,,, and my BRS RODI pressure gauge would also show max of 50 PSI (with no other major water use going on).

P.S. I now run a booster at 75 PSI

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

BRS is having a sale on the 4 stage 75 gallon/day system. The one with the gauge and TDS meter is the same price as the one without ($199). Just buy it and be done with it and start playing with your new toys.

 

[ScottJ]

How would I know though if I NEED a pressure gauge and booster pump??

You don't NEED either right off the bat. Don't get caught up in the weeds.

Just get an RODI system that seems good to you. Hook it up per the instructions to a COLD water supply. There are lots of ways to do this, it will depend on your situation. (It is the easiest thing to place it where you make water for the tank, I think. A laundry hook up is easy to hook up to if you have that sort of thing,)

You can always add a booster pump later on IF your water production is too slow. I have the RO Buddie 50 gallon per day, and I make water for a 55, 30, and 15 gallon tank each week. I ran it for a 3 or 4 years without a booster pump. It was OK in the summer, REALLY slow in the cold weather... but it got the job done. Just this winter I put a booster pump on it and what a difference! I still don't have a pressure gauge anyplace. I don't really care what the pressure is. I did add an inline TDS meter a couple years ago. It's nice, bot essential, though.

My point is, you can get going with just the basics, and grow as you learn more. That goes for everything in this hobby. There are basic things you have to do to be successful. But just try to get those down pat, Then you can grow into more complex things.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I've not heard about them but I'll look into them.

Spectrapure is a high end RO/DI manufacturer.

 

[Freenow54]

Booster pumps are needed when your water pressure going into the RO is low.
The more pressure the better they work . Same with water temps the warmer the better your production is. BUT, never use hot water, it will kill your membrane.

First my system does not use hot water. If you are going to comment google it and actually read. The booster pump is to overcome the line pressure and force the what should be waste water going to the house drain as all other systems do back into the water heater

 

[Freenow54]

You don't NEED either right off the bat. Don't get caught up in the weeds.

Just get an RODI system that seems good to you. Hook it up per the instructions to a COLD water supply. There are lots of ways to do this, it will depend on your situation. (It is the easiest thing to place it where you make water for the tank, I think. A laundry hook up is easy to hook up to if you have that sort of thing,)

You can always add a booster pump later on IF your water production is too slow. I have the RO Buddie 50 gallon per day, and I make water for a 55, 30, and 15 gallon tank each week. I ran it for a 3 or 4 years without a booster pump. It was OK in the summer, REALLY slow in the cold weather... but it got the job done. Just this winter I put a booster pump on it and what a difference! I still don't have a pressure gauge anyplace. I don't really care what the pressure is. I did add an inline TDS meter a couple years ago. It's nice, bot essential, though.

My point is, you can get going with just the basics, and grow as you learn more. That goes for everything in this hobby. There are basic things you have to do to be successful. But just try to get those down pat, Then you can grow into more complex things.

Again someone who just spouts off without researching the product. NO WASTE that is why you need a booster pump to force the water back into the water line instead of letting it go down the drain. Making the town water treatment plant work needlessly or waste the water down a storm sewer. Its all about saving everyone money and the environment. No you don't need a gauge. The booster pump comes with the system and doesn't cost a fortune anyway

 

[Freenow54]

Wait, im confused now. What do you mean a booster pump??? Why would I need a pump for a RODI system? I don't plan on pumping the RODI water directly to my tank or a tank for an ATO system. I just plan on filling a jug up and then dumping it into my tank by hand.

Sorry the booster pump comes with the system. Like I said goggle it and see how it works and decide if you want to pay for water going down the drain or no water going down the drain. The booster pump pumps the water back into your water system.

 

[Adamantium]

Again someone who just spouts off without researching the product. NO WASTE that is why you need a booster pump to force the water back into the water line instead of letting it go down the drain. Making the town water treatment plant work needlessly or waste the water down a storm sewer. Its all about saving everyone money and the environment. No you don't need a gauge. The booster pump comes with the system and doesn't cost a fortune anyway

I'm not sure I understand what no waste means. Where does the waste water route? People seem to be saying it routes back to the supply. Is that correct?

 

[Freenow54]

Help me understand this. You're pumping waste water from your membrane into your hot water heater?

If so, please expand on concerns about adding the extra minerals into an already mineral rich environment. Aren't you concerned with shortening the life of your hotwater heater? Not to mention the concentration of rejected RO being piped into the hotwater for the entire house? Thus shortening the life of the seals and valves on the hotwater side?

I personally couldn't see the cost savings coming close to paying for the more extensive services required with harder water lines on the hot side.

For me an efficient membrane with good rejection rate is a better alternative. Plus it removes complications in the long term.

The water that is returned into the cold line by the booster pump does not go through the membrane. Again read about it. I have had it for 6 years nothing has exploded things such as valves are built solid anything tested has to withstand 1.5 times the expected operating pressure. If you don't like it fine. I just wish all the negative people would research before voicing personal opinions instead of reading about what an actual ENGINEER developed. Let someone decide for themselves I chose not to put extra footprint on the worlds water supply . A normal RO wastes more than it makes

 

[Freenow54]

I'm not sure I understand what no waste means. Where does the waste water route? People seem to be saying it routes back to the supply. Is that correct?

Yes therefore not down the drain which translates into gallons Watts zero waste RO system its on the internet

 

[Adamantium]

Yes therefore not down the drain which translates into gallons Watts zero waste RO system its on the internet

I'm looking into it, and I still don't think I understand. Backflowing into the main water supply seems... ill advised. What if you got literal feces inside your return line somehow (just the most extreme example I can think of)? Would it be able to get into the water supply?

 

[Freenow54]

I'm looking into it, and I still don't think I understand. Backflowing into the main water supply seems... ill advised. What if you got literal feces inside your return line somehow (just the most extreme example I can think of)? Would it be able to get into the water supply?

The water that is forced back into the water supply is not treated and is just the same water that is in your system. A normal RO system keeps a gallon of treated water from the RO system but cannot treat it all so it just lets it go down the drain This system saves it instead there is no contact with polluted water. Defiantly illegal, and hugely dangerous

 

[Adamantium]

The water that is forced back into the water supply is not treated and is just the same water that is in your system. A normal RO system keeps a gallon of treated water from the RO system but cannot treat it all so it just lets it go down the drain This system saves it instead there is no contact with polluted water. Defiantly illegal, and hugely dangerous

Huh? If I'm understanding correctly, the fresh water came out of the supply, entered your RO system, and then went back into the supply. Is that correct? If so, what happens if one day you're doing maintenance on the waste line, drop it in some dirt, and then connect it back up without flushing it? I'm sure you wouldn't be that careless, it just seems risky to have the ability to backflush into the supply.

 

[KStatefan]

The water that is returned into the cold line by the booster pump does not go through the membrane. Again read about it. I have had it for 6 years nothing has exploded things such as valves are built solid anything tested has to withstand 1.5 times the expected operating pressure. If you don't like it fine. I just wish all the negative people would research before voicing personal opinions instead of reading about what an actual ENGINEER developed. Let someone decide for themselves I chose not to put extra footprint on the worlds water supply . A normal RO wastes more than it makes

From their website the waste water is plumbed to the hot water side.

An engineer designed the Tacoma Narrows bridge that only lasted a few months.

 

[get-salty]

Hello all, so I am needing to install a RODI system, based on conversations with members on here, I'm stuck between 2 options (my display tank is only 55gallons and sump is only 20gallons) the Aqautic Life RODI buddie 4 stage 50GPD (which ive heard is good but the filters are supposedly expensive when having to replace but if you can link the cost of the filters on their own because the ones im finding are like $10 so i think its the wrong ones) or the BRS 4 stage 75GPD value RODI system (also would like to see how much the filters are to replace on this system)?
I have attached a picture of my water readings, I'm unsure if this means that it's chlorine and chlormine free or if it uses chlorine to free the water of contaminants. I've been told that this matters and that might steer me toward different RODI filter options based on this info?
I was also seeing in these forums of something called a TDI tester to add into the lines? Very curious as to what that is for and if needed on these types of systems I might get. Thank you for all the help in advance!

I have this setup from BRS:

BRS 4 stage Plus: $249

4 Stage Value Plus 75GPD RO/DI System

BRS 4 Stage Systems are perfect for reefers who have water treated with chlorine or relatively clean well water. The 4 stage systems are self-contained on a single bracket making them ideal for tight spaces or where a non-permanent connection may be required. Installing a RO/DI system only takes...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

This kit has everything you need including a TDS meter and a flush valve.

Replacement filters: $28.99
average time to replace them is around 6 months. or until your TDS meter is > than 1.

4 Stage RO/DI Replacement Filter Kit

Works with all BRS 4 Stage RO/DI Systems This kit is designed to treat all primary water sources that are treated with chlorine and wells with low amounts of contaminants. This kit will work with all BRS 4 Stage RO/DI Systems and most other RO/DI units on the market today that use industry...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Membrane filter: $42
average time to replace them is once a year.

75 GPD Reverse Osmosis Membrane - Dow Filmtec

Why does BRS recommend this? DuPont is a leader when it comes to water treatment and filtration. Their 75 GPD membrane has a 99% rejection ratio, and most other membranes cannot make that same claim. Along with meeting NSF/ANSI standards the 75 GPD DuPont (formerly Dow Chemical) membrane is...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Float Valve: $18.49

Reverse Osmosis Float Valve

Why does BRS recommend this? Float valves are simple to install and can save a lot of water from ending up on the floor. They can be installed in containers as small 1 gallon pails, sumps, and 200 plus gallon commercial storage containers to shut off the flow of water. Even if you do not have a...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

This goes onto the RO container, itll close the valve when the water is full in your container and stops the RO system. its a must have.

Hook it up via your washing machine cold water line. Install the float valve onto a water container of your choice.
This is all you need.

 

[Freenow54]

Huh? If I'm understanding correctly, the fresh water came out of the supply, entered your RO system, and then went back into the supply. Is that correct? If so, what happens if one day you're doing maintenance on the waste line, drop it in some dirt, and then connect it back up without flushing it? I'm sure you wouldn't be that careless, it just seems risky to have the ability to backflush into the supply.

No fresh water comes to the RO system some of it goes through the membrane part, the rest is diverted to the booster pump where it is forced back into the water heater. There is no waste line