Here's some other posters' experiences with maintaining their RO containers
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RO system to control water parameters worth it?
- Thread starter Aquajack
- Start date
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Biofilm is an issue with any water storage tank, most configurations are not amenable to scrubbing
Periodic sanitizing with simple dilute bleach and then treating with dechlorinator is how it's managed
How To Sanitize Your RV Fresh Water Tank (Step-by-Step)
Learn how to sanitize your RV fresh water tank step by step — with or without bleach. Includes bleach ratios for every tank size.blog.campingworld.com
Well, that certainly changes my thoughts on the RV water storage option. I was hoping that only using RO meant no maintenance would be needed. Guess I'm on the hunt for food grade 55 gallon drums and I won't have the water storage as hidden as I was hoping for.Here's some other posters' experiences with maintaining their RO containers
This is my setup.
I fill the tank 2 days before the waterchange and heat it up 1 day before.
There is always 20% water left in the tank so i have a small filter running with uv light at the bottom 24/7.
I have a tds meter before and after the di. I only dont have a stop for the filling so sometimes im a little late and the tank over flows
But its in my garage and there is a drain under the tank
I fill the tank 2 days before the waterchange and heat it up 1 day before.
There is always 20% water left in the tank so i have a small filter running with uv light at the bottom 24/7.
I have a tds meter before and after the di. I only dont have a stop for the filling so sometimes im a little late and the tank over flows
But its in my garage and there is a drain under the tank
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When is a booster pump worth it / recommended? Somewhere on the forum (maybe even this thread!) I saw a aquatec booster pump recommended. I noticed it's on sale at BRS, so figured I'd get some input on it being worth it or not.
gnatster
Active Member
There are quite a few variables, as with everything else in this hobby. One being your incoming water pressure. Below ~50PSI, you'll want to add the pump depending on your setup.
What's the easiest way to test the pressure? I suspect we're above 50.
What @gnatster said! I'd even suggest to use a booster if your PSI is below 60. You should check the specs on your RO membrane, but most want to be around 70PSI, some 75 or 80 PSI. The farther from this "ideal" PSI you are, the more wastewater your RO system will produce.
You can test your incoming pressure with one of these:
Set it up on your incoming tap water line into the RO unit.
Get a 2 pack, so you can test your pressure before and after the booster pump!
Finally bit the bullet and bought a WaterDrop 800gpd.
Not sure what took me so long! No more filling up barrels the day before and having to heat them in winter. 800w inline heater, line straight to tank with a float and solenoid setup makes water changes a dream.
Bought the parts for a water change controller, run by an esp32 to automate my water changes next. Connect a drain hose, connect the fill hose, press a button and have a robot do the rest.
Not sure what took me so long! No more filling up barrels the day before and having to heat them in winter. 800w inline heater, line straight to tank with a float and solenoid setup makes water changes a dream.
Bought the parts for a water change controller, run by an esp32 to automate my water changes next. Connect a drain hose, connect the fill hose, press a button and have a robot do the rest.
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You have no idea, sometimes I can’t even wear shorts in the morning! Unbearable cold
I imagine this setup only works if you're able to plumb the RO directly to the tank, right? How big is your tank and how long does it take for the RO to refill it? I'm also curious about the inline heater vs heating barrels. Does the water actually reach the correct temp simply by passing through the inline heater?
I will make a thread for it, after a test tomorrow.
But, basically yes the inline heater gets the water to temp as it passes through. It never gets very cold here though, so it isn’t doing much work, maybe bumping it up 5 or 6 degrees.
I run a 3/8 line from the RO system under the sink to the tank. I get about 2.4 Litres per minute through the sensors, DI filter, heater and solenoid. So under half an hour for my 50% water changes.
First few tests of my water change automation went well, just making a few adjustments to it. Essentially I can connect the drain and the fill lines, click go and walk away and it drains to my low float, fills to my high float, senses temp, tds and fill rate, keeps me informed by phone notifications the whole way and triggers my chihiros dosing pumps to frontload my ferts (calculates the frontload doses from the input water change volume too)
How did the test go? I'd also be interested to know what in line heater you are using and how you are plumbing it into the 3/8 inch line.
Here it the controller. It works beautifully.
I just picked up a cheap 800W inline heater from Alliexpress that has 3/4 male threads on the inlet and outlet then used adapters to take it to 3/8 either side.
It is a fairly dodgy looking heater, but it is only heating water as it flows through for water changes so I am fine to trust it, if it gets stuck on it doesn't cook the tank and conversely if it stops working my tank just ends up a few degrees cooler .
gnatster
Active Member
One well-used DI Cart. I'm running 2 in line with each other. When the first is exhausted, the second is moved to the first position, and a refilled mixed-bed cartridge is put into service.
