RO\DI As a ATO
- Thread starter tcarroll
- Start date
NewbReefer
Reefing newb
it's possible but i will never use one inline with a ATO. ATO's can be risky as it is and if they malfunction can dump all your top off water into your tank or sump risking a flood or dropping your salinity. if the same thing happens with a RO/DI hooked up directly with the ATO it's a sure disaster as it will continue to dump filtered water into the tank until you correct the problem.
RO filters are very waste ful of water and are most wasteful if they are running for only short periods of time. The most effective way to use a RO filter is to run it long enough to fill a container full at one time, or at least for a period of hours at a time instead of minutes or seconds. With a float valve your talking about running the RO running in short spurts. You would probably use 20 to 30 gallons of water per every one gallon of water produced when running the RO filter in such short spurts. RO filters are not environmentally friendly, especially if your from a area with limited water. Even my commercial RO filter only gets one gallon of water for every 2 to 3 gallons of waste water, and is has a 2.5" x 25" inch membrane with a pump pushing water at 225 psi through the membrane. Plus it is preceded with ion tank ion exchange water softener and a 54 inch full tank carbon filter and two 20" presediment filters. Just the replacement membrane cost $325 from a wholesaler. NO I could not afford to buy it retail, I bought it from a LFS that went out of business. So I now have three RODI filter systems. Isn't that special. That is my Dana Carvey imitation.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Yes, but like Newb pointed out, I've heard a few stories of the valve not shutting off and people ending up with either a flood or a very dilute tank. It's better to have a reservoir for your ATO with a limited amount of water stored. That way, it's enough to auto top off your tank for a few days to a week, but not large enough to kill everything in your tank if it malfunctions.
It is best to put an overflow drain (with a hose going to a drain) on your tote/Rubbermaid trash can that holds your RO water and if you forget to turn off the RO water supply no flood. Fill your ATO water container (sized for 1 or 2 days worth of water) from your large RO holding container as needed. Float valve, especially mechanical ones inherenly cause troubles,that is why most commercial ATO systems utilize two height indicators. Usually two flaots one to turn the water flow on and off based on a low water level and a secondary level set up at a high level above your normal high level in case the first float misfunctions. Of course Murphy's Law would mean in this case that both can misfunction meaning a small reservoir is best.
