Water treatment instead of water changes

[emmett0122]

i have a 6 stage ro/di filter got off ebay for about 100 bux i have well water so i dont have chlorine in my water but i do have other thing such as silicates and phos. you can add a second membrane the ro/di to cut back on the waste water as well but ro/di will save alot of time with algee and is well worth the money i got a new 30 plastic drum that i use to to store my water that way its there when i need it and as far a removing salt i have read te get sea water to go thru a ro membrane it take over 2000 psi to do so

 

[istrahd]

I bought a 75 gallon per day RODI from BRS. It puts out about 1.5-2.25 gallons of waste water per gallon of RODI, give or take based on watching the flow rate from both tubes. I may actually measure it in the near future.

I use well water and I know it has all sorts of impurities. With my 5 stage RODI, I have 0ppm TDS. I have been told that it is so pure that it is dangerous for humans to drink. I don't know if that is true or not but why take a chance?

The RODI with a set of replacement filters cost me $231 delivered. I have a 125 gallon tank and to buy distilled water at the grocery store, it is about 88cents per gallon and my LFS sells RODI water for about the same price.

The RODI is a much better deal IMHO. Considering it would take 125 gallon bottles, or 25 5 gallon bottles of water to fill my tank, then when you figure in weekly water changes of 10-20%, the bill for water from a store, not to mention the gas running back & forth it just makes sense to have a RODI at home. I would have a hard time getting 125 bottles in my car without the weight of the ones stacked on top crushing the bottom of the pile bottles. I could get them in my truck, probably... However, that is a LOT of wasted plastics that will eventually end up in the landfill.

Buy a 5 stage or better RODI, you will save money over time. Plus, if you need to do an emergency water change, you will have RODI water on hand, ready to go.

 

[RockStacker]

I have been told that it is so pure that it is dangerous for humans to drink. I don't know if that is true or not but why take a chance?

There are several anecdotal information regarding this.
The primary reasoning is said to be that since RO/DI water has 0 TDS, it ends up taking out electrolytes from your body to maintain osmotic balance.

To me, it makes just enough sense to not risk it :)

You can use it for coffee, tea and other mixes. At that point it has enough dissolved substances that osmotic balance is not an issue.

 

[istrahd]

There are several anecdotal information regarding this.
The primary reasoning is said to be that since RO/DI water has 0 TDS, it ends up taking out electrolytes from your body to maintain osmotic balance.

To me, it makes just enough sense to not risk it :)

You can use it for coffee, tea and other mixes. At that point it has enough dissolved substances that osmotic balance is not an issue.

I'm with you on not taking the chance. Our bodies need most but not all of the impurities that are in the water, even well water. I figure it would cause a electrolyte/vitamin/nutrient/trace element deficiency of some type in a human body. I'm not the type that enjoys learning the hard way... I have spent enough time in the hospital in my lifetime.

I won't even use it for mixing drinks like tea or coffee. It has been stripped of all beneficial things as well as harmful. Why risk doing something to your body that may not be easily recognizable or may take a long time to show, by the time it does manifest in some malady, you may have done irreparable harm to your organs...

It seems almost funny that PURE water would be bad for us when you think about all the harmful stuff that can be in our drinking water...