Snow Man Question for you: RO/DI at Wal Mart

[elreydelospesces]

Hello, I recall you saying in several threads that you get your RO/DI water at Wal Mart. Do you buy that in plastic containers or dispense it froma machine. I want to look at that option since I've been toting a bucket from a friends filled with his RO/DI. Are you still having success with it? Thank you!

 

[Tackett]

hey man, I also use the wally-world water. I dont refill it, though we dont have a station to do it. I usually just keep on rebuying the plastic containers and throwing the empty ones in a landfill . Just make sure it says: filtered by reverse osmosis and deionization, somewhere on the label. I use the green label water if that helps at all.

 

[SnowManSnow]

wow Tack.. that sounds pretty expensive! Our Wallmarts have water stations that are at the LEAST RO with UV (whatever good the UV does, im not REALLY sure). It costs me 25 cents / gallon at one and 35 / gallon at the one across town.

I haven't actually TESTED the quality of the water, but I've been using it for quite a while and everything looks good. I do have the occasional algae bloom, but I think thats more to the fact of adding MH lighting than the water.

What I do is carry 2 5g containers in with me, and fillerup. I can see how it would get BURDENSOME if you had a larger tank (mine is only 37g), but for my size its ok.

I don't think it will be long before the wife concedes to purchasing an RODI system for the water

Overall, it does work, and I've not had problems with the water.

B.

 

[ChrisRD]

I do have the occasional algae bloom, but I think thats more to the fact of adding MH lighting than the water.

If your nutrient levels are low enough you won't have an algae bloom regardless of how strong the lighting is. Of course, the more light you have, the more critical nutrient control becomes.

A simple handheld TDS meter is cheap (maybe $30) and a worthwhile investment IMO. Especially if you're buying RO water from outside sources where you have no way of knowing what condition the filters and membranes are in.

 

[Tackett]

It does get pretty expensive, sixty cents a jug. I actually had one jug of water tested at a local water lab and the TDS was undetectable. However, its not to say that all jugs will have the same results. A good RO/DI is the best 200 bucks you can spend on your tank. I need one myself.

 

[Oceans Ferevh]

You're paying 60 cents a jug! I used to pay only 54 at most. Dude, you definitely need to get either a RO or DI unit (or both).

 

[Tackett]

One O these days.

 

[SnowManSnow]

Chris is right about the blooms and algae blooms. I'm sure the water isn't the BEST quality in the world. But it's the best I can come up with at the time. As hard as it is to admit..sometimes we just have to accept what we have for a while (at least untill the wife warms up to spending more $$ on an RODI unit).

I do think that MOST of my blooms have been due to inadequate water changes. I had a minor slime algae bloom recently that I've about erradicated with more frequent water changes.

B.

 

[elreydelospesces]

Thanks guys! I have the same problem as you Snow Man-my wife thinks this whole thing is getting way too expensive. It's Wal Mart for now!

 

[SnowManSnow]

Hehe here's my stratagy...

I've not bought anything for the tank fora few weeks.... when normally I've been spending 30-50bucks / week for corals and such.... after 6 weeks or so I should be in good enough to spend $130 for a good RODI filter

Good luck!

 

[elreydelospesces]

I don't know if I can control myself for that long! :wink:

 

[SnowManSnow]

BTW.. do i get promoted now because my name showed up in a title line?!?!?!

 

[Anonymous]

OK, I can not vouch for their quality because I haven't gotten permission to get one from the wife either, but there are 100, 110GPD six stage units on e-bay for arount $100 - $125 shipped. If I didn't already have an RO filter, I would have bought one of these.

 

[garagebrian]

Just a word of caution on 75+ gpd RO/DI units. They typically have only a 90% rejection rate. So if your home water has a very high Total Dissolved Solids(TDS) count, you can still end up with a high TDS in your RO/DI water.

In Houston, TX the tap water is around 300-400 TDS, with a 90% rejection you end up with 30 to 40 TDS which is still high and can cause algae blooms.

Find out what the rejection rate is on any unit at or above 75 gpd before you buy. lower gpd units have a 98-99% rejection rate and even with high TDS tap water you get below 5-10 TDS in the RO/DI.

B.

 

[ChrisRD]

Thanks for the information Brian. Just one thing to add - with an RO/DI unit that's working correctly the product water should still be 0 TDS. That's what the DI stage is for - to get rid of that stuff that makes it passed the RO membrane. The DI cartridge will just become exhausted faster on the units with a lower rejection membrane.

 

[SnowManSnow]

I've checked the ebay RODI units and I'm just not sure about the quality of them. I even went as far as to email 20 or so of the customers who bought the units. Out of them only a few had any idea whether or not it was really working or not. IMO the best deal I've seen on a good looking RODI unit HERE

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showp ... y=91&Sub=1

Seems to be a reputible company, as opposed to an individule selling stuff at auction.

B.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you VERY much guys. I knew there had to be a catch in there somewhere, but I did not know what it would be. I think you may have saved me some $$.

 

[elreydelospesces]

You guys are all the bomb! Thanks for the link Snowie.

 

[garagebrian]

I've heard good things about Buckeye field supply, I would recommend them. I ordered a Spectrapure MDI-60 from a different vendor though(local guy),and while it is running fine, I won't be able to test the water until Thursday, so not sure how good it is yet.

B.