R/O questions

[b125killer]

 I got my first r/o system. I have tested the tds for the ro water and waste water. The ro is 0 the waste is 350. I'm still thinking of useing the waste water for water changes on non breeding tanks. I was just woundering if that's a good ideal or not. The waste water is still better than the water out of the tap. I'm running the water through two pre filters that drop the tbs to 220 before going into the ro system. I'm guessing that the waste is concentrated that's why the higer tds then whats going in. The chlorine is filtered out in the first set of filters. So I'm thinking the waste doesn't have chlorine.  I just don't know what else is in the waste waters. Also I'm not sure how to heat the ro water. I was reading that I shouldn't use hot water in the ro system  and it needs to be hooked up to the cold water line. but the filters where rated for water at 77?. I could still age it and heat the water that way. But not sure what that would do to the tds. Or would it be ok to use warm water in the filters?

[LizStreithorst]

Sometimes you can it, sometimes you cannot.  If your kH is 4.5 or less it works.  Over that I wouldn't recommend it.

[Mugwump]

Sometimes you can it, sometimes you cannot.  If your kH is 4.5 or less it works.  Over that I wouldn't recommend it.....

very true....

I got my first r/o system. I have tested the tds for the ro water and waste water. The ro is 0 the waste is 350. I'm still thinking of useing the waste water for water changes on non breeding tanks. I was just woundering if that's a good ideal or not. The waste water is still better than the water out of the tap. I'm running the water through two pre filters that drop the tbs to 220 before going into the ro system. I'm guessing that the waste is concentrated that's why the higer tds then whats going in. The chlorine is filtered out in the first set of filters. So I'm thinking the waste doesn't have chlorine.  I just don't know what else is in the waste waters. Also I'm not sure how to heat the ro water. I was reading that I shouldn't use hot water in the ro system  and it needs to be hooked up to the cold water line. but the filters where rated for water at 77?. I could still age it and heat the water that way. But not sure what that would do to the tds. Or would it be ok to use warm water in the filters?

The waste water tds is high because it contains all the impurties stripped from the R/O water itself...yes, it's concentrated....use it for your garden....for grow outs, or other than pairs..try a tap water/R/O blend...it should be perfect at maybe 50/50..  imho, this might work quite well for your pairs too...??...you really don't want to use straight R/O....test it out and experiment with the ratios in different percentage blends...a tds of anything under 100, say 60-75, will likely be fine for the pairs..

[b125killer]

I tested a lot of water. I'm using API kh test kit. I'm not sure if I'm reading things right on it. The r/o water was one drop. the chart saying 1 drop equals 17.9ppm does that mean that the kh is 1?  My waste water is at 17 drops 304ppm my tap water is 13 drops  232 ppm
I know the African chiclids can go as high as 400ppm. I'm sure I could use waste water with them.
I'm going to blend ro and filter water to get the tds to 60 ppm. I'm going to start doing smaller water changes on the breeders tomorrow and hopefully soon I can get some good spawns. 

[Mugwump]

I tested a lot of water. I'm using API kh test kit. I'm not sure if I'm reading things right on it. The r/o water was one drop. the chart saying 1 drop equals 17.9ppm does that mean that the kh is 1?  My waste water is at 17 drops 304ppm my tap water is 13 drops  232 ppm
I know the African chiclids can go as high as 400ppm. I'm sure I could use waste water with them.
I'm going to blend ro and filter water to get the tds to 60 ppm. I'm going to start doing smaller water changes on the breeders tomorrow and hopefully soon I can get some good spawns.

Yes on the R/0....it seems the KH is much higher on your tap and waste water tho..

API KH and GH tests

Directions for testing KH

1. Rinse clean test tube with water to be tested
2. Fill to line with 5 ml water
3. Add Carbonate Hardness Test Solution, one drop at a time, holding dropper bottle upside down in a completely vertical position to assure uniformity of drops. After first drop is added, solution will turn blue. If the water sample contains only 1 degree dKH, the solution will turn from clear to its yellow endpoint after the first drop is added.
4. Cap the test tube and invert several times after each drop. Keep count of the drops being added.
5. The test is completed when the water in the test tube, after having been shaken, turns from blue to bright yellow.
6. Each drop is equal to 1 degree dKH or 17.9 ppm KH.

[Rjb3]

The 17.9 ppm = 1 grain per gallon hardness

For water softening purposes, you would check the grains per gallons you need to remove from the water to properly size the water softener for your needs. Lots of GPG would call for a bigger softener.

[Mugwump]

The 17.9 ppm = 1 grain per gallon hardness

For water softening purposes, you would check the grains per gallons you need to remove from the water to properly size the water softener for your needs. Lots of GPG would call for a bigger softener.

Good thought, Bob...tap and R/O would both be better too...

[b125killer]

I just checked the tds in my water storage it's 75ppm. It went up a little, I'm going to start doing the water changes in a little bit. It's still a little on the cold side. It took a little over6 hours to get enough ro water.

[Frank The Plumber]

you can not use straight RO, your fish will not have enough minerals to build their bodies and the water will pull the minerals out of them resulting in brain damage, in two months they will go into death spirals. You have to put trace minerals back into the ro.

[b125killer]

I'm blending the ro with water from the house filter. I was already warned not to use straight ro. I'm just want to use the water immediately without waiting for it to warm up. The tds is at 80 ppm now. I still haven't done the water change yet. I was waiting for the temperature to get right.

[Mugwump]

..you're aerating, right??

[BillT]

I was reading that I shouldn't use hot water in the ro system and it needs to be hooked up to the cold water line.

RO manufacturers have told me that all other things being equal warm water works better in a RO than cold. It makes more filtrate and less reject water.

I guess the more giggling around of the molecules at higher temperatures lets them reach their equilibrium (based on water pressure vs. osmotic pressure) faster (before the water flows out of the membrane pack in the reject stream).

However, your temperature should not exceed the limits of the materials in your machine.

[b125killer]

Yep I'm aerating it. That's what I have been reading Bill. But the warm water can't come out of the hot water line. There's alot of mineral deposits from the water heater. It will wear the filter out quickly.  I have deen reading that some people are putting their incoming water line coiled in a bucket or small tank. And it heats the water before it goes through the filter.

[b125killer]

I did my water changes the tanks tds went from 400 to 350 ppm. I'm going to do daily water changes untill I get to the levels that I want. It's a shame I couldn't just do a 100% change with the ro blend.

[BillT]

But the warm water can't come out of the hot water line. There's alot of mineral deposits from the water heater.

That makes sense.

I have been reading that some people are putting their incoming water line coiled in a bucket or small tank (of hot water?). And it heats the water before it goes through the filter.

Heat exchanger!